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Pasty Central operates a USDA inspected pasty kitchen in Kearsarge, Michigan, just north of Calumet. Pasties are made available for purchase online and in-person at a number of retail outlets, including The Hut Inn restaurant, previously owned by Pasty Central, currently (2019) owned by John Gervais. Pasty Central also operates the popular pasty.com web site, including the Pasty Cam photo of the day and galleries by hundreds of photographers featuring UP scenes. Pasty Central is an employee-owned company in Calumet, Michigan. The employees bought the company in 2001 from Still Waters Assisted Living Community in Calumet, where the pasty project started. The purchase provided much-needed operating capital for the assisted living home. Because of changes in public assistance policies for homes of this type, Still Waters was forced to close its doors October 1, 2006. Pasty Central remains committed to supporting programs that assist the elderly throughout the U.P.. For many years Still Waters residents peeled the veggies for their pasties as a regular activity. Over the years, a small number of pasties were sold locally as a fund raiser, always receiving praise for the quality and taste. In 1995, Still Waters first appeared on the Internet, and in '96 was granted the domain name "pasty.com". Subsequently "pasty.net" and "pasty.org" were acquired for future expansion. In 1999, "PastyNET, Inc." was incorporated. All pictures/graphics appearing
at Pasty.com are copyright 1996-2019 Pasty Central.
Our materials may be used freely for display on the Internet or in print with the following
requirements: 1) Original images may not be modified (filename and size)
without permission 2) visible credit should be given to the photographer
(where known) and "Pasty Central" or the "Pasty Cam", and 3) a return link
to http://www.pasty.com or the feature where the image is located (Past-E-Mail,
Pasty Cam, etc.) Pasties are shipped from September through May, but shipping is suspended from June through August because of extreme heat in much of the USA. You may click on this link to order pasties online or call our toll free number during regular business hours. 1-877-727-8911 Monday through Friday. Visa, Mastercard, Discover or American Express cards are welcome. You may also pay by return invoice. (see below) Who makes the pasties?Our experienced staff creates each pasty by hand, using the original Still Waters recipe, in our USDA-approved pasty kitchen. The entire making/baking process is inspected regularly by the USDA and approved for wholesale distribution. How many pasties are sold over the Internet, and who buys them? Orders have reached an annualized pace of about 50,000 pasties per year. This number has grown rapidly because of the high percentage of repeat customers. Shipments have been made to hundreds of cities and rural areas in all 50 states. See our constantly updated customer map. How are the pasties shipped? From 1996-1998 we shipped almost exclusively by Priority Mail. From 1999-2000 our main carrier was Airborne Express. In 2001 we were offered guaranteed delivery to every US zip code by FedEx, at comparable pricing, which enabled us to avoid a price increase. In 2002 we added UPS as our primary carrier, and in 2006 began shipping exclusively with FedEx. We are grateful to our friends at the Calumet Post Office, Biff's Transfer (the local Airborne contractor) and the Copper Country Federal Express team, and the UPS Houghton staff for their diligent work over the years in shipping Pasty Central pasties throughout North America. Our package material is a combination of
The majority of the packages leave Calumet on the UPS truck each Monday and Tuesday. The pasties slowly defrost in transit. When they arrive, though no longer frozen, they should be cool to the touch. Heating instructions are enclosed. When my pasties arrive, can they be refrozen? From our experience, and the reports we receive, it is safe to refreeze the pasties, but some say it tends to diminish the flavor. For best results, heat and serve within a couple of days of arrival. How long do I bake the pasties? Bake 50 minutes at 350º if frozen. Bake unfrozen for 30-45 minutes at 350º. Results are better in a regular oven over a microwave. Be sure to remove the pasties from the plastic bag before reheating. Test with a fork before eating to see if they are heated all the way through. Our pasties are made with 75 percent beef, 25 percent pork, potatoes, rutabaga, carrotts, onions, spices, and a 100 percent vegetable shortening pastry crust. Our pasty recipe is a trade secret, of course. For your convenience we feature a secure order form. Credit card numbers can be submitted with confidence that the information cannot be viewed by others. There is also an option to pay by return invoice, by obtaining an honor system order number by return email. How does this project benefit elder care in the Copper Country? Pasty Central has committed to providing a portion of the profit from each pasty to a non-profit organization assisting the elderly in our community. What is the Acceptable Use Policy for the Pasty Cam? Over the years our daily feature, the "Pasty Cam", has evolved into
a discussion surrounding the day's picture and related topics. We
encourage you to use your real name and email address so that you can be
in touch with friends and old acquaintances you meet on the site. (Some
individuals like to insert "NOSPAM" into the address... we're not sure
just how effective this is). We ask you to keep the comments positive,
and a pleasant experience for others who visit the site. Personal
attacks, offensive language or inflammatory remarks are not welcome.
Please give consideration to our staff who have to take the time to remove
such notes. Exchanges which take on the nature of a "chat" will also
be removed, and we would welcome you to find a chat room on some other
website. Avoid posting copyrighted materials not in keeping with the owner's policy of use.
How do I contact Pasty Central? Of course, e-mail is the most expedient: visitors@pasty.com or you are welcome to write:
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