I’m a Texan married to a Michigander, which means that our early courtship involved mutual introductions of unfamiliar food. I shared the joys of puffy tacos (a true Tex-Mex delight) and tried (unsuccessfully) to explain to him that real Texans will die on the “beans don’t belong in chili” hill.
He introduced me to the pasty. The pasty has been part of my cold-weather food lineup for almost 20 years and is so beloved by Michigan foodies that there’s an entire food trail dedicated to this portable, savory pocket of filled pastry.
For the uninitiated, a pasty (pronounced “PASS-tee”) is a sturdy meat-and-root-vegetable turnover introduced by Cornish immigrants who came to work the copper and iron mines of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (the UP, often fondly called the Yoop). The pasty was a portable “lunchbox” that once fueled 19th-century miners through grueling shifts underground. Today, they’re a beloved symbol of Yooper pride and unarguably the region’s best-known food.
Meet the Keweenaw Pasty Trail
If you love a good food trail or want to put some structure into your next (far) Northern Michigan adventure, following the Keweenaw Pasty Trail is a fun and filling way to explore the area. Whether you’re waterfall spotting on the scenic drive from Houghton to Copper Harbor or making the summer trek to Isle Royale National Park, the pasty trail is a fun, food-focused way to explore this finger of land that juts into the middle of Lake Superior from the northernmost corner of the state.
Getting There
Getting to these pasties requires a bit of effort. You’ll need a car to get around. If you’re driving from elsewhere in Michigan, you’ll come via US-41. The Keweenaw is remote — you’re looking at nine hours of drive time from Detroit or five hours from Mackinaw City. Air travelers can fly into either Houghton or Marquette and rent a car. Marquette offers more flight and rental car options if you don’t mind a two-hour drive to the Keweenaw Peninsula.
How to Get Started
Although you can certainly make eating pasties the main focus of your trip to the Keweenaw Peninsula, following this savory trail is compatible with whatever you want to do in the area. Taking a scenic drive with waterfall stops? the UP has nearly 200 of Michigan’s 300 named waterfalls. If you’re a history buff, considering exploring the area’s copper mining history, which includes the Quincy Mine, the Cliff Mine, and the A.E. Seaman Mineral Museum.
Pasty Trail stops range from family-run diners to roadside gas stations to campground gift shops, each with its own unique vibe and its own spin on the pasty. Many claim to serve the “best pasty ever,” but you’ll have to decide for yourself.
Even though the Keweenaw Pasty Trail is published online, I recommend making an in-person stop at the Visit Keweenaw Welcome Center in Calumet (56638 Calumet Avenue) and picking up a hard copy of the brochure, which contains a map and a “Pasty Passport” you can get stamped as you complete each stop on the trail.
Want To Complete the Trail in One Trip? Here’s Where It Gets Tricky.
There are 12 stops along the peninsula. You might think that completing the trail in one pop is easy. Sure, you might have to commit to a combination of eating pasties for every meal over a few days, or treat pasty stops like snack stops and split these robust meat pies two or three ways.
It’s more complicated than that.
With a few exceptions, not every stop on the Keweenaw Pasty Trail has pasties available daily. One stop might serve their pasties on Wednesdays only, while another makes them on Tuesdays and Fridays. Add mid-week closures to the mix and you might start thinking your pasty quest needs a spreadsheet, and honestly, that isn’t a terrible idea.
Some of the hours are listed in the brochure, but others aren’t. If you’re serious about a single trip pasty sweep, I recommend looking up all the hours online and planning your trip accordingly.
Pictures or It Didn’t Happen
Yes, there’s a reward for the select few pasty champs who complete the trail, and there are options for submitting your pasty-eating proof. You can either turn your completed pasty passport in to the Visit Keweenaw Welcome Center in person or by mail, or upload photos or videos of your stops to a website.
Official pasty trail champs will get a certificate, fun Keweenaw swag, and perpetual bragging rights.
A Food Not Without Controversy
Although it’s universally accepted that the pasty is the UP’s signature food, there are good-natured debates about what is — and isn’t — an authentic pasty.
Andrew LaPointe, owner of Michigan gourmet food company Traverse Bay Farms, grew up enjoying pasties, which were sold in his grandfather’s store in Gaylord, and says the “true Yooper pasty” has meat, onions, potatoes, rutabaga, and carrots and is enjoyed topped with ketchup or gravy.
Author Rebecca Rhoades, who grew up in the far northern reaches of the Keweenaw Peninsula, calls pasties a staple throughout her childhood and college years at Michigan Tech in Houghton. “Hard-core pasty fanatics…swear that ketchup is the only topping, but a lot of people cover them in gravy. I like them both ways, depending on my mood,” she says.
But people have gotten creative over the years. You’ll find pasties filled with chicken and broccoli, turkey and cranberries, and even meatballs. Naturally, people have opinions.
While she enjoys sampling non-traditional fillings, Rhoades says that’s just not a pasty. “Just because you wrap it in a pastry crust doesn’t mean it’s a pasty. “That’s an empanada, a calzone, a samosa, a dumpling, or just a handheld meat pie.”
A Party Dedicated to Pasties
Every August, the charming town of Calumet comes alive for the UP Pasty Fest, a three-day celebration of all things Cornish pasty. The festival serves up a hearty helping of small-town fun — think pasty-eating contests, a home-baked pasty bakeoff, live music, local vendors, and even a classic car show. Each year brings a rotating lineup of pasty makers — many from along the Keweenaw Pasty Trail — giving visitors the perfect opportunity to taste, compare, and declare their favorite.
The Pasty Can Come to You
Although pasties are delicious any time of year, there’s something especially comforting about these hearty meat pies when the air turns crisp. If a trip to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula isn’t on your calendar just yet, the pasties can come to you. Both Pasty Central and Roy’s Pasties and Bakery ship nationwide, delivering crimped pockets of deliciousness packed in dry ice. Keep them frozen until you’re ready to bake, then serve with mashed potatoes, a ladle of gravy or a dollop of ketchup, and the cozy backdrop of a cold winter evening.
An Unfinished Quest
My husband and I spent three days on the Keweenaw Peninsula this fall, and although we made a respectable dent in the pasty trail, we did not complete it. Although I should hold off on naming a best in show until I’ve had a chance to sample every pasty spot on the trail, Roy’s in Houghton is out front with their flaky, buttery crust. I’m team gravy, by the way.
I’ve got my pasty passport tucked away for next time. Will I factor in what days and hours the Keweenaw Peninsula’s pasty hotspots will be open into making our plans? You betcha.
Become a Saturday Evening Post member and enjoy unlimited access. Subscribe now
