Have a pasty!
  
Past-E-Mail
 Pasty Central email from the recent past
Feedback from our visitors and customers.  We welcome your comments. (please tell us your state, and thanks for visiting... Charlie H, Administrator)
  
 
 New York (8/31) 
The scene of the old crane Aug 30, reminded me of when I worked at the stamp mill just at the end of Hubbell ( I was 23) 1968 then.  There was a crane out in the lake that was used to hold the discharge pipe from the stamp mill, as I remember,  it was used to distribute the sand (stamp sand) around the (edge) of the lake.  I can't tell from the pic if this is the same one. I don't know who operated it , but this was considered a good job and was probably held by someone with a lot of seniority.  This sand came from the crushed rock in the stamp mill. The rock was trained down from the mines in Ahmeek, Gratiot, Copper City. etc.  After it was crushed, it was further ground in big revolving drums , then floated with water on large vibrating tables, which then removed the copper.  The water with the remaining stamp sand was run out thru the discharge pipe I mentioned above.  Very noisy.   Most of the jobs in this stamp mill were lousy, paid about $1.30/hour. 
Gerald Cronenworth 
 
 
  Michigan (8/30) 
I love this Pasty Cam idea of yours!  I'm from up that way.  My Mom lives in Toivola.  I've been away from home for 25 years.  Only there for occasional visits, but am moving back this fall to help her out.  She's 80.  She's somewhat of a Historian of the Copper Country as she wrote books about the Finlanders (humorous ones), is an artist and used to sing and play guitars & intruments (mostly guitar) at the festivals & colleges.  Her name is Jingo Viitala Vachon and lives on the Agate Beach road in Toivola.  She was in a documentary by Michael Loukinen called "The Tradition Bearers".  She also won the Michigan State Heritage award in 1988 for keeping the Finnish and Copper Country memories alive.  Anyway, She's frail and lonely now and I was wondering - If you ever get down Toivola way, to stop in and maybe get a picture of Agate beach and possibly stop in and see her -  maybe get a pic of her too.  Have you ever been there?  It's one of the most beautiful areas in the Copper Country. And "Jingo" is definitely an interesting part of that area!  Everyone knows her -  She sure would get a kick out of being on the "new fangled internet".  Thanks for reading - and I hope you can get over that way!  I know ALOT of people downstate that check in on your Pasty Cam daily!  Have a great one! 
Helmi Vachon Courtade "Vach"... "one of your loyal watchers" 
(someday soon we'll dispatch the Pasty Cam to Toivola :-)
 
 
 Wisconsin (8/26) 
The pasties arrived in Milwaukee safe and sound yesterday.  Wish I could say the same for the Daily Mining Gazette.  Is there any way to ship the pasties and the Gazette without the Gazette getting crumpled?  It is very hard to read in it's crumpled state! 
Thanks for posting one of my photos  (The Italian Hall historical marker).  Any plans to ad an historical page to your site--possibly with Woody Guthrie's ballad playing in the background?
 
as seen on the Pasty Cam:
Printed on recycled Internet
Could you tell us more about Recycled Internet?  Is this a project spearheaded by AlGore, the Vice president of computer technology and the environment?  How does "recycled internet" compare with "virgin internet?" 
John Hoh 
P.S. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel recently ran an article on pasties--the southwestern Wisconsin variety, not the Yooper variety. The Yooper pasty does get mentioned--and praised!--for being juicier. 
(Thanks for the tip, John... and for the questions.  We will assume they are mainly rhetorical... unless some of our other visitors might have the answers :-] Maybe we'll have to start a new newsgroup? 8^) 
 
 
 New Mexico (8/25) 
Just a quick hello from Albuquerque, New Mexico.  My husbands family is from the Calumet area, Kearsarge.  We lived in Mohawk for two years and have been back to  visit many times.  My father in law passed away about nine years, at his cabin on mud lake.  We haven't been back since and I can not express our thanks to you for your web site.  We have really enjoyed the pictures and revisiting places we haven't been to in years and it is great to show our children, now 17 and 18 places where we and their grandparents have been.  Keep up the great work! 
Sincerely,  Bruce and Jennette Huhta 
 
 
Washington (8/22) 
In an earlier messages I mentioned that my mother and others, some seventy years ago in the Copper Country, made lots and lots of pastys.  Their technique was to pinch the pastry along the top of the pasty and not along the side, ala turnovers.  Well I couldn't get a third party confirmation of how to pinch a pasty until a friend of mine, just returned from England , brought me a book, titled, Favorite Cornish Recipes, by  June Kittow, published by J. Salmon Ltd., Sevenoaks, England.  On page three is the Cornish Pasty recipe which says "After putting the ingredients into the center of a seven inch round of pastry, dampen the edges of the pastry and bring up from both sides with floured hands to envelope the filling.  Pinch the edges together and crimp to firmly seal."  This is the 'official' verification that I've been waiting years to get. 
I like your Home Page and thank your staff for a job well done. 
Ramp Harvey  
 
 
 Utah (8/21) 
We enjoyed wonderful pasties for dinner last night.  Good to have a taste of "home."  I'll put the check in the mail today.  The box of pasties arrived noon Thursday.  Thank you -- and please compliment all of the good people who put these pasties together and shipped them to us.  I enjoy the pasty cam and seeing all of the pictures of the peninsula.  Keep up the good work. 
Joan Scott 
(Thanks for such an encouraging note!  Our honor system works very well with the Pasty shipment - now over 14,000 sold - or folks may use their credit card when ordering by the "secure" choice.  We will pass along your compliments!) 
 
 
 New York (8/20) 
Thanks for the picture of the Mohawk rock pile. As I know it,  they are actually the rock that was removed from mine shafts, stoaps, etc. This pile I believe was from the Mohawk Mining Co.  They are referred to as poor rock, because they are poor of copper, although there is some small quantities of copper and sometimes even silver in them.  I can remember as a kid spending hours looking through this very rock pile for copper, and sometimes finding small different shapes. We also use to go on top of the pile at nite , lite a small fire, put some raw, unpealed potatoes in the hot coals and sit around the fire eating  what we though were baked potatoes (the outsides would get very charred). In the winter, it was a favorite spot for sliding ( we would use cardboard or corrugated tin as a sled). There was also a ice rink at the north west end, at one time.  There were a lot of chipmunks making their homes in this pile also.  Great stuff. 
Thanks again,  Gerald Cronenworth 
(Thanks for the reminiscence, Gerald.  The man in front of the rock pile is John Engler, Governor of Michigan.  He spent a lot of time with us at a town hall meeting on Aug 20.  The Governor also loves pasties!) 
 
 
 Michigan (8/18) 
Thanks for the great work you do on pasty.com.  When I need a mental refresher, I scroll through your site to see what's new.  Your Pasty Cam photos are fabulous.  You don't have to live out-of-state to feel that pang of wanting to be at some of those spots!  BTW, I enjoyed seeing Pastor and Joyce Hart with Les Olila.  What a well bestowed honor on such a godly man and one we're so privileged to call our friend. 
Gail Sweeting 
 
 
 SPECIAL NOTE:  To all of our regular visitors: 
On Saturday, 8/15, our Internet provider was disconnected from the rest of the world for about 12 hours.  We apologize if you tried to reach us during that time. 
By the way, a big THANK YOU to all who let us know when you receive a pasty shipment.  It is very helpful!  Here are a couple of examples from this week: 
California (8/14) 
Just a note to let you know the pasties arrived here in Van Nuys Wednesday, August 12.  There was no dry ice remaining but they were cool, which was good, as it was 102 degrees outside. 
Thanks again.  Bill 
Florida (8/13) 
Hi, And to let you know that arrival in Florida was in two days and the pasties were a great treat.  Thank you again and looking forward to more business. 
Regards,  Mark
 
 Idaho (8/12) 
Thank you for the picture of "Dr. Hart" -  and a bonus to have Les Ollila thrown in as well.  What memories of camp that brings back!  I hear he still speaks up there often.  Maybe some day we'll get back to attend family camp ourselves. 
Dawn (Brumm) Marmor 
 
 
 Michigan-L.P.  (8/12) 
(Last Friday August 7 we ran a picture for you to guess the identity.  The following letter expresses the answer given most often...) 
Is this a shot of the world's highest man-made ski jump at Copper Peak in Bessemer?  It is also visable from the Lake of the Clouds over-look at the Porcupine Mountain State Park.  Keep up the good work.   I will be in the U.P. in late September can't wait! 
Jean McGrath 
(Close, but no cigar.  It is actually "Suicide Hill" between Ishpeming and Negaunee.  We'll try to put a shot of Copper Peak on one of these days for comparison.  Thanks to all who emailed their guess.) 
 
 
 Michigan-U.P. (8/10) 
This is for whoever runs the Pasty Cam portion of your site.  Great job, the quality of your pics are excellent.  It's the best picture site of the U.P. that I've seen on the net.  You've got a link on my page of Marquette area pictures. 
Bruce MacDonald 
(Thanks, Bruce!  And for all who link to Pasty Central, give us your URL and we'll feature it here in Past-E-Mail, just as we have for Bruce's fine site).    
 
 
 Ohio (8/8) 
We received your pasty's in excellent condition on the day promised.  They were delicious and made us all homesick for the U.P. 
While visiting all of your links, I came across the Quincy Mine museum site.  There, much to my delight, I found a picture of my great-grandfather, Charles Matson.  Jumbo, as he was known, worked in the mine and rasied 14 children on the hillside in Hancock.  My family and I enjoy visiting the area anytime we can stay with my parents at the Matson Camp. 
Thanks,  Peggy Reeves 
 
 
 California (8/6) 
I received the pasties which I ordered.  My parents are from Iron Mountain, and when we visit from California it is always a treat to enjoy pasties.  Now I found that it is possible to have the great tasting pasties delivered to my doorstep.  Thanks very much for your great service. (By the way, the check is in the mail) 
Joe Radloff 
(Thanks, Joe, and to all who follow up our shipping note to let us know when your order arrives.) 
 
 
 North Carolina (8/5) 
Greetings from North Carolina!  I'm sending you a note even before I order anything. I am so excited.  I am from the Downriver area in MI and have lived in North Carolina for 5 years.  I am so homesick, it is driving me crazy!  There is no such thing as "ethnic" down here (except for so-called Mexican restaurants).  I am dying for Greek food, Hungarian, Polish, and yes PASTYS!!!  I have never been much of a cook (I try real hard, but nothing comes out right) and usually made a trip to the pasty shop in Southgate at least once a week to bring something home for supper.  If you say that word down here, they think you mean those things that strippers wear.  They look at you like you are some kind of pervert and barely give you the chance to explain that a pasty is something so wonderful to eat that it is almost sinful to enjoy them so much.  Sorry, I didn't mean to write a book.  I was so happy to see your web site that I was just delirious.  You will see my order coming through shortly.  Say HELLO to Michigan for me! 
Susan Staggs 
 
 
 Wisconsin (8/4) 
The Pastys arrived about noontime today, Aug 4th.  That is one day delivery!   We will be enjoying them tonight!  And your check is in the mail.  Isn't there an old joke about that? 
M. Stoner 
 
(
Quite often orders in the upper midwest will make it in 1 day)
 
 Michigan (8/3) 
Glad to see one of the winners this month is from Michigan!  We just returned from visiting your area.  Your peninsula is beautiful.  The thimbleberry jam is delicious!  That's nice that one of the prizes this month is the jam from the jampot. 
Mike and Pam Powers 
 
 
 (???) (8/3) 
Hi!!  I can't believe I've found pasties on the Internet!  My grandparents lived in Trout Creek and my Grandpa worked at the saw mill!!  I remember my Grandma making pasties for all of us grandkids.  What a treat!  I love the U.P.!!  In fact I'll be there for the town reunion in Trout Creek on August 6-9, 1998.  You can bet that when I get home I'll be ordering pasties from you!! 
Take care, Kendra Johnson 
 
 
 Washington (8/2) 
I already told you , before I tasted them , that I received the six pastys in good shape.  Now that I've tasted one I can tell you that it was delicious.  While eating it , my memory brought back a scene from 70 years ago, when I was 10.  My mother and grandmother and a team of women ,who lived in Laurium, Calumet and Lake Linden baked hundreds of pastys for the annual Miner's Picnic, which was a big affair and and was held at a park just outside of Calumet on the road to Hancock.   The name of the park was  Electric "something".  All of the pastys that were made in those years had the pastry envelope pinched , longways across the center of the top, Not along the sides as seen nowadays and the way you do it now.   Also the diced or cubed meat and veggies were in larger cubes than you do it now. 
Thanks,  Ramp Harvey 
 
 
 Michigan (8/1) 
Been enjoying the Past E mail on your web site.  See a few names now and then that I recognize.   It does great damage to my emotional well being to see U.P. pictures every week.  I get ready to jump in the van and go north and forget my responsibilities and work!!  Thought a great picture for the pasty cam would be the new Dr. & Mrs. Hart! 
Don't know if I will get north again til this fall.  Enjoy it for me til then. 
Ginger (Hart) Loosenort 
 
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