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What exactly is a pasty?

Many students have never heard of such a thing, and those who have are unsure of how to say it — though “pasty experts” all tend to agree it is pronounced “past-ee” with a soft “a.”

These pies are commonly associated with miners in Cornwall, but they are also popular in the Upper Peninsula. Traditionally, pasties are made by folding dough over to crimp the edges for a seal and filled with meat, onions and potatoes. Myles Teddywedger’s Cornish Pasty on 101 State St. across from the Capitol expertly creates these wonderful pasties.

Myles Teddywedger, the owner of Teddywedgers, is originally from Linden Wis. and was a student at the University of Wisconsin. Myles’ father originally ran a restaurant/bar in their hometown and made these same pasties with the recipe Myles still uses today.

The younger Teddywedger originally wanted to start a pasty restaurant in Madison with plans to name it after his father. However, the elder insisted Myles’ name should be the one on the outside of the restaurant because it was so unique compared to other businesses. Besides, Myles would be the one to run it.

“I could be the Rocky Rocco of the pasty world,” Teddywedger explained about his ambition behind starting the eatery.

And he has the right ingredients to do so. His restaurant is welcoming despite the small space, and the food is served hot and quick. Teddywedger is frequently at the counter serving costumers, inviting them in with a smile and friendly conversation.

While the actual restaurant may be the smallest of any on State Street, the food is anything but. Teddywedger’s pasties are heavy with all the ingredients, making sure the person consuming it will be stuffed and feel so for hours. The pasties come in halves (about $4) and a whole (about $8), and each one is packed and overflowing with satisfaction. Being full when walking by Teddywedgers is not a problem; feel free to take a frozen or cold pasty home and eat it later.

While the signs plastered all over Teddywedgers advocate for “a real meat ‘n’ potatoes meal,” they do offer other kinds of pasties besides the traditional recipe. They serve pasties from breakfast to dinner and offer vegetarian pasties as well. There are specials of the day as well as the pasties that are served almost everyday including BBQ chicken, beef, steak, chicken, veggie wedgie, salmon and super pizza. BBQ chicken ballooned with ingredients which include chicken; veggies and BBQ sauce — but make sure you have a napkin. Teddywedger’s personal favorite is the salmon pie with peas, carrots, corn, mozzarella cheese, Alfredo sauce and, of course, salmon.

Myles Teddywedger has been running this business for 32 years and it has paid off: The restaurant constantly has people going in and out with their pasties. Teddywedger gets a considerable amount of business in the summer but not as much from students during the school season except on Saturdays thanks to the Farmer’s Market. To remedy this, he implored me to “Tell the students to get their butts to the top of State Street!”

Myles Teddywedger’s Cornish Pasty is definitely worth the walk if you don’t live near State Street or the Capitol. If you do, it’s already on your way. So, stop in to say “hi” and enjoy one of Myles’ filling pasties.

5 stars out of 5