pasties

Meat and potato pies, traditionally baked for coalminers in Cornwall. In theory, they could be dropped down the mineshaft at lunchtime. In practice they are a flaky and mouthwateringly tasty (drool) entree still served in the Upper Peninsula. (Prounciation note: the 'a' is short; does NOT rhyme with "tasty" - see below.)

Unfortunately, there is another less wholesome defintion. Pasties also refer to the small, round circular coverings that strippers sometimes use to cover their nipples.

Also a little flakey. Served almost everywhere nipples abound.

Pasties are also very popular in northern wisconsin and northern minnesota, where many miners moved to during the 1900's to work in the many iron ore and copper mines.

According to my grandfather, a longtime mine worker, he would bring them with a large thermos of coffee down in the mine to eat during lunch. He described the general size of the ones eaten by miners as being close to two pounds of meat and vegetables, usually leftovers from dinners past.

Interestingly, pasties (now written pastes) are a traditional food in the state of Hidalgo, in Mexico.
In the nineteenth century there was a migration of Cornish miners to Hidalgo. The miners apparently mixed with the population to a perfect degree (I have seen many redheads in Pachuca), and the recipe turned into a local specialty.