Hospital Radio: The great Devon vs Cornwall food war

Today I am looking at the great war. No not that one, this is something that shows that the Westcountry is a place of strong opinions, no need to look at politics, parking, or the price of a pint. Just check out the food.

Devon and Cornwall may share a coastline, a climate, and a liking for comfort food wrapped in pastry, but when it comes to what’s on the plate, the two counties can be as different as cream-first and jam-first — more on that later.

Food traditions here aren’t just recipes. It’s about individuality, history, culture and a good debate when supping a pint down the pub. And nowhere is that more obvious than in the dishes each county claims as its own. I was amazed at the differences when I started looking into it.

Let’s start with the most over-the-top of them all: Stargazy Pie. This famously eccentric Cornish creation features pilchards baked into a pie with their heads poking out through the crust, as if they’re keeping an eye on you while you eat. Devonians, tend to keep this one at a safe distance as they do not like their dinner staring back at them. I like a pilchard but won’t be trying this one.

Fish tells its own story too. Cornwall has a long history of pilchard fishing, with salted and pressed pilchards once exported across Europe. Devon’s fishing traditions lean more towards white fish cod, haddock, whiting as caught by the Brixham beam trawlers.

Then there’s hog’s pudding, a proud Devon speciality. Using white sausage, a cousin of white pudding. I’m told is is made with pork, suet, bread, and spices. It’s hearty, comforting, and deeply rooted in Devon’s farming heritage. You’ll find it on breakfast plates from Tavistock to Teignmouth, often accompanied by someone insisting, “Proper job, you can’t get this over the Tamar Bridge.”

On the sweeter side, Cornwall offers Heavy Cake, a dense, crumbly traybake perfect with a cup of tea after a long walk along the cliffs. But Devon counterattacks with splits, soft, sweet buns sliced open, filled with jam, and clotted cream. Cream goes on first of course. Even mentioning the alternative can cause a minor diplomatic incident.

Speaking of cream teas, the great jam-first vs cream-first debate deserves its own paragraph  or perhaps its own peace treaty. Cornwall insists jam first, cream on top. They’re wrong of course! Devon insists cream first, jam on top. Both sides claim logic, tradition, and moral superiority. The rest of the country watches in confusion while we argue passionately over the correct order of things on a scone. We take it all very seriously .

Then there are the cakes and cheeses. Cornwall proudly produces Hevva cake and the nettle-wrapped Cornish Yarg, while Devon counters with its beloved apple cake and the award-winning Devon Blue.

Let’s not forget the pasty. The Cornish pasty has PGI protection which It protects the name from being copied, misused, or imitated elsewhere and has a strict recipe: raw beef, potato, onion, and swede, crimped on the side. The Devon pasty is more flexible often with cooked fillings and is traditionally crimped on the top. Suggesting they’re the same thing is another way to start a lively debate.

What’s lovely about all these differences is that they’re rarely hostile. The battles are playful and rooted in centuries of local life. Food traditions here aren’t just about taste; they’re about belonging. They give us stories to tell, arguments to enjoy, and reasons to smile when someone from “the other side” insists their version is the only correct one.

In truth, the Westcountry’s food rivalry is part of the areas charm. Keeping traditions alive, our conversations lively, and plates full of character. The Great War, nine foods that prove Devon and Cornwall will never agree on anything, but without the need for weapons and always debated with humour and gusto.