Hi, we have to tell Gordon from Michigan that a true pasty lover does not put GRAVY on pastys.  One eats them with a mustard relish called CHOW CHOW or just with ketchup, a good cup of coffee and a small salad if wanted.  I have been eating pastys for more years that I would like
to recall (68) to be exact.  My grandmother Tapani made the best.

Jan Medved

The ketchup/gravy debate rages on...

We would like to see photos of the Porcupine Mountains and Presque Isle falls on Pasty Cam.  We love this area, and my husband's hometown is White Pine.  We hardly see any pictures of this area and would love it.

Thanks and have a lovely day,
Luci Noble (wife of a Yooper)
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I was wondering if the Ripley School was still standing.  Would be nice to 
see a shot of that if it is.   My mother attended the school.

Cindy Matson
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GITCHE GUMEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Janet Peterson
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I'd love to see my favorite fishing spot in the whole world, the weed beds at Lac Labelle in late evening.

We really enjoy this Pasty Central site, as we are regular visitors to 
Keweenaw, and we have family in Mohawk.

Thanks,

Jerry Oleksy and family

We will try to get to as many requests as we can.  And we welcome guest photos!

Thanks for the nice comments on the June 26 PastyCam.  Seeing your house on PastyCam is as exciting as being on 60 Minutes! 

Mary and Rodger Kerschner

I ordered some of your pasties for my father for Father's Day.  He just called to say thanks and said they are great!!  He is planning on visiting your web site and ordering more. 

Mary Houser

Thanks Mary... Last week we shipped hundreds of pasties to fathers all across the U.S., almost as many as Christmas time...  just proving that yoopers really care about their Dads.

Just wanted to say hello and that I received my prize: "Calumet Copper and People".  It's very interesting and I'm so pleased to have won it.  I've never been to Michigan but would love to ...and this book with its wonderful history of the mining community makes it all the more richer.  I love your website ...but I must say I've never tried a pasty... Can't wait to though.

Jeannie from Maryland (Home of the Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab)

Jeannie was a winner in our April contest.  "Calumet Copper and People" is available from Thurner Bakery, one of our oldest and best sponsors.

Thanks for this great service.  My father was born and raised in Lake Linden, but like many people did, he moved to Detroit to find work.  Ever since I was three years old my family would come up to visit.  Now at forty eight years old I bring my family up to visit.  I dont know if a love of the Keweenaw can be hereditary but I might be living proof it is possible.  I come to this site everyday and see many things I am familiar with.  Please keep up the great work . 

E. Castonguay
P.S.  I read there is going to be a lift bridge cam , is that true ? And when?

Yes!  Soon the world will be able to watch a real-time web cam of the Portage Lift Bridge.  Should be early in July.

I was impressed at how well the package was wrapped and the pasties were great.  There was only one thing I wanted to mention.  Is one of your ingredients rutabagas?  I requested no carrots, so that is what they must have been!  Anyway, next time I will just order the plain jane pasty.  Just meat and potatos and onions but please no carrots or rutabagas!!!  Thanks for the yooper calendar.  And I enjoyed looking through the paper.  I am origanally from the U.P. also.  Iron River is my stomping grounds.  We go back several times a year, and camp for 2 weeks in the summer also.  The U.P. is in our blood!!

Donna  Roach

Our regular ingredients include rutabaga and carrots.  We have considered changing our form to omit either or both, and your note seems to confirm this.

From one of our contest winners:

Just wanted to let you know that the Pasty Tote arrived in today's mail!  This is baseball season, so I was in need of something to hold my
essentials when I go to the ballpark.  This tote is just perfect for that!!

Thank you again for a great site, sponsoring the monthly contest, and choosing me as a winner! And of course thank you also for such a quick delivery of this useful prize!

Joanne Schultz

GOT MY PASTIES THIS AFTERNOON.   HAD ONE FOR DINNER.   GREAT STUFF!   AS GOOD AS I REMEMBERED...  CHECK IS IN THE MAIL.

W. Browley

My dad received his four pasties in Lexington on Friday.  He especially liked his bonus Yooper Calendar.  Even though my gift card said that the pasties would come in handy when his daughters visit, he is not sure he wants to share them !!

Gail Lutey

The pasties arrived on Thursday, just as I was promised and were absolutely delicious!  It brought a nice touch of home to me so far away.  Thank you for your excellent hard work.  It made my day a little brighter!

Dana Louise Niemela
(formerly of Ontonagon)

Friday afternoon pasty made it to Stow, Ohio.  Da wife is still readin da yooper calendar.  Tanks again for da yooper fixins.   Still watching for chance to move back!!

Jim McElroy

If you liked the 1999 Yooper Calendar (included free in pasty orders while supplies last)... you'll love the Official YOOPER 2000... coming soon!

I'm from the Chicago Area and married a Hancock Yooper 39 years ago.

Pasty's have been a favorite of ours for years.  When we get up to see Carol's Mom, we'll have to stop by.  Please forward your address.

Please add the following cities to your list of Pasty lovers:

St. Charles, IL 
DeKalb, IL 
Elgin,IL 
Champaign, IL

By the way, although her pasties are not as good, we get a little of the taste from Stella's Pasties in Appleton, WI.  The owner tells me she has the recipe from Stella's in Marquette.

Greetings from the Land of Lincoln.

Al Westhoff 

Pasty Central is located at Still Waters Community Elders Home in Calumet. The address is 600 E. Elm St. Calumet, MI.  We love to have company, please stop by. By the way frozen pasties may be purchased at Still Waters if you happen to be in the area. If you're in the area, why not stop by  or call during business hours to pick some up for your next get together?

This is to inform you that my order of pasties arrived Thursday, in fine condition.  There are very tasty and the crust is excellent.

Thanks,
Ed Tinetti

Hello from Texas!  I am wanting to send a picture and some information about my grandmother, who used to own her own pasty shop in L'Anse back in the 60's.  Right up until she recently passed away, she still made the best pasties around.  If you have not heard of her, it is Irene Charette. We are in the middle of renovating our home, and when finished I will look for the appropriate picture, and a letter to send for the pasty hall of fame. 

Barb & Tom

We look forward to the picture, any size would do, as we are able to reduce or enlarge to fit our picture format.  We are collecting information on individuals who have been known for their pasty skills, and we would love to honor Irene in this way.

Just a note for all those I saw posted from Texas.  My husband and I moved to Austin area last summer.  We lived in lower Michigan our whole life and really miss Michigan and all the wonderful season changes.  My grandmother grew up in Copper Harbor and often made "real" pasties for us.  My husband went up to Michigan Tech and still longs to live up there.  Just thought I'd pop in and say hello.  I couldn't believe all the posts I saw from Texas.  (Now I'm hungry for pasties, and plan on making them tonight for dinner.  My grandmother taught all her grandchildren how to make them years ago.)

Nice to see so many pasty buddies.

Theresa

We received our pasties on Wednesday (one day)!!  Proving that it really isn't that great a distance between the UP and California.

My mouth is watering--can't wait for dinner!

Glen B.

Pasties arrived this afternoon.  They will be served to our son Erik, the grandson of Josephina and Matti Lohela, on his birthday.

A. Lohela

Enjoy and Happy Birthday, Erik from Pasty Central.

Just had to order some pasties today!  Have never had them, have no connection with your neck of the 20 woods, but I found your web site charming and innovative and wanted to be a part!  I'm also thinking Still Waters Community Elders Home would be a great place to set my dad up when he gets a little older!  He's a great cook and I'm sure he'd be an asset to your chopping crew.;)  Don't know if I can get him out of Florida, though! Anyway, I'll let you know what us North westerners think of your pasties! Am looking forward to seeing Coos Bay, Oregon on your map!

Becky Welch 

We enjoy the Pasty.com site nearly every day!  We are looking forward to being UP north in August!  Thanks for allowing us to see the sites daily. 

Barbara Brock 
Jackie Sanders

August  is a great time to visit the Copper Country. We've had lots of rain lately and everything is unbelievably green. One of the reasons to live here is that every season is spectacular.

Thanks for the great job on the site--we just returned from a week in Houghton, Calumet, Nisula, etc., and enjoyed itemizes the summers up threnody place in the world one goes from 92 for two days and then a high of 39 the next.  We ate pasties almost every day, and never get our "fill"!  There is no place like the Copper Country, actually no place like having grown up in that area as our lives evolved around every sport there was, especially skating and hockey.  Even the girls got to play, as long as we did our share of shoveling the banks and keep the fires burning in the "shack".   And baseball --- I know nothing but hardball and got used to catching it without a glove when we did not have enough to go around!  No wonder these hands are so full of thick skin!

Thanks again for all you do!  We enjoy the site.  A former Centennial Heights lassie.

Sue

Thank you so much for your newsletter.  As you know, I have sent pasties all over from you and all have enjoyed them so much.

Checked the Pasty Cam and forwarded the picture of the Portage Lake Bridge to all my friends around the U.S.  A beautiful photo and am so proud of our Copper Country and pasty makers!

Peace,
Helen Chamberlain

We're planning to add a live PastyCam to show more of the activity on the Portage Lake Lift Bridge in the near future. Be sure to check back later this summer.

Glad to hear from the UP'ers.  We'll be up your way in a couple of weeks and look forward to having some of those good pasties.  Enjoy the Pasty Cam.

Regards 
Tom Burgan

Any way the rest of us can see the Gazette article about Pasty.com referred to in the Past-E-Mail?  Congratulations on all your recent honors.--

Lois H., Catalina Island, California

We'll try to post a reprint sometime soon

Have you yet figured out how to ship some GRAVY for your wonderful pasties?  I hate that canned stuff. 

Regards, 
Gordon

Our research laboratories are working on it

Hello.  I know you hear this all the time, but you REALLY HAVE A GREAT SITE!!!   It is such a relief to see a site that's so well crafted, and has so much attention to the little details that make a great web site.   Your site really reflects the ingenuitive spirit that most of us yoopers possess.   Congratulations once more, and keep up the good work!!

Rodney Rodenbach

Nobody ever called us ingeniuitive before.  The whole team is blushing  :o)  :o)  :o)

I have been told my 5th grade teacher, Miss Dee Nelson is at Still Waters. She taught at Edward Ryan School in Hancock.  She is an excellent teacher.  I just turned 50 and still remember many things she taught us.  Could someone say hello to her for me?

Roger Somero (San Jose, CA)

Dee recently moved on to a nursing home.  (Still Waters is just an assisted living facility.)  Dee would often talk about her students and how happy she was as a teacher.  We'll be sure to send your regards.

My order arrived Wednesday afternoon, as you promised.  The pasties were GREAT and I also enjoyed the Daily Mining Gazette paper!!!  Its nice to see someone still writes about Little League in their Sports section.

Thanks so much!

Sherm Johnson 

...and they provide excellent insulation (excuse the wrinkles)

Hi, I am writing to congratulate you on the article in the Gazette.  I have a dear friend in Calumet, and she sends me clippings from the paper.  What a wonderful tribute to a wonderful web site.  I go into the Pasty Cam once a week, it takes care of  my homesickness.  I love the C.C.  I have another friend here in Milwaukee that I want to give your e-mail address to.  I find myself spending over an hour just browsing the Pasty Cam.  There is nothing that can compare to the U.P.. Definitely God's country.

Jan Medved

Thanks, Jan.  And thanks for telling your friends.  Former Yoopers are super!

Hello to all,

I read the Mining Gazette enclosed in the pasty package before I devoured my pasty.  The package came Wednesday, and  I gave one to my secretary for her supper tonight.  She may share it with her room mate who is moving to MN next month.  I was a Gazette delivery boy for a few years in 7-9th grade.  My routes were all over Houghton.  I got good strong legs from doing those hills.  Thanks for sending the paper.

Regards, Don MacIntosh

Our thanks to the Daily Mining Gazette for providing them :o)

If Jon Anderson sells reprints of his pictures, I'd be interested in knowing.  The (March) picture on the Pasty Cam of Lake Superior Shipping is fabulous.

By the way, we ate our latest shipment of pasties Sunday.  They were excellent.

Patti Vickers

Jon has a screen saver CD which can be ordered through Copperworld

Saturday's (June 5) Pasty Cam picture was incredible!  If you watch it for a few seconds, you can see lightning!  How in the world did you do that?  Just curious.

Paul R.

In the next column "Through the Eye of the Pasty Cam" we'll explore the animated images on Pasty Central...  remember the old pasty.com spinning sign in '96?

Just wanted to let you know that I stumbled into your site  this morning--- and really enjoyed it.  It's entertaining, informative and creative!

Hope to visit your web site again, and visit your community in July (our annual summer trip to the great UP!)  My mouth is watering for a fresh, hot pastie.

Yours truly,

Karen Potter (native Michigander now in middle Tennessee)

I just read that you welcome picture submissions for the Pasty Cam, so I have attached my favorite picture of the Portage Lake Lift Bridge.  Having long been wanting to share it with more people, I can't think of any way I'd rather "publish" this photo than on pasty.com.  I took it about five years ago on Jean and Dick Blanning's boat.  Starting from Houghton, we had putt-putted out toward the old Coast Guard station and McLain Park and when we came back, after going under the bridge and turning around, Voila!  Click!

Thank you for the pleasure you give so many folks each day.

Ruthann Ruehr

P.S.  A black and white version of this picture was used on the cover of the Copper Country League of Women Voters 1999 annual meeting booklet.

You guys have a great web site.  I truly enjoy all the pictures from the Keweenaw area.  My family and I were stationed at Calumet AFS for almost four years.  And that included the record year of 390.4 inches of snow.  The Keweenaw was great experience for all of us.   I am curious as to what happened to the old radar site, is it still standing?  Keep up the great work and I'll keep checking the pictures and news.

Thanks 
Tony Travis

The base is now home to The Keweenaw Academy - a training camp for troubled youth.

I'm a frequent visitor to the Pasty Cam also, but never checked in on your Past-E-Mail until today.  Imagine my surprise when I came across an e-mail dated 5/10/99 from JoAnne Stefanac - a cousin of mine that I haven't seen since high school!  Her dad, "Uncle Gordon" Hauring, and my mom Carol were half-brother and sister.  We are planning to come up this summer also, and I hope that we can plan it around the memorial service. 

My mom and dad (George Siira) are retiring to Calumet next spring - they are opening an antique shop on 5th Street.  While I never lived in the Copper Country, I was allowed to spend several weeks each summer with my grandparents in Ahmeek and Kearsarge.  Now that mom & dad are moving back up north, I'll have excuses to come up and visit again.  I love to check into your page each day for a nostalgic tour.

So anyway, JoAnne, if you check in and read this message please e-mail me: marywolter@hotmail.com.  Let's get back in touch!

Mary (Siira) Wolter

I'm from Austin,Texas and my partner, Pete, is from Escanaba, UP, Michigan.  He has been waxing nostalgic for over two years about delicious pasties (and this in the land of spicy cowboy fare: BAR-B-QUE, CHILI and TEX-MEX food). I was a bit skeptical.  When I stumbled on your web site I felt compelled to call his bluff so I ordered four pasties.

Well, they finally got here today.  First off, I was amazed at how HUGE they are! I could only eat one, but Pete ate two. He loved them...and I must say that I was impressed. The pasties really are delicious. And I love the history behind them.

We only have one pasty left...I guess I'll let Pete eat it.

Someday I'll have to visit the UP. 

Thank you so much!

Stewart

If you consider how many MILES of copper and other mines honeycomb the UP we may be getting off lightly.  But, beware of new companies coming in who make promises......Talk to people in other areas of the country who have dealt with mining ....new and old.  Sounds like a nightmare to me...an ecological disaster waiting to happen.    Go out to the old Clark Mine area...dead and silvered.....mine tailings.   Much of the water pollution near the Mich/Minn border is from the products of  these mines.  What's the half-life. (of ore, of chemicals)   ..effects on plants, animals, water, people.   Does anyone really know????????????

P. Tambellini

Congratulations on the recent honor pasty.com received by the Journal of Perspectives on Business Innovation.  That is quite an accomplishment to be named one of the most innovative on the Internet.  I'm sure the residents of Stillwater don't consider themselves "exiles from Michigan's Upper Peninsula," but blessed to be living in such a gorgeous place with a service to offer the world.  Thanks for your hard work and for using your gifts to communicate a positive message.

Gail S.

Hello to all you good people from Texas!  I am new with computers and browsing looking for Calumet MI and some genealogy stuff and then I found you.  It was a wonderful trip!  Would you believe I never saw snow with any depth till I was in my 30s!  I can hear you say I have missed something....Your pastys looks so good.  I enjoyed all the messages and plan to return. 

Mary Strucel Grace
San Antonio, Texas 

I enjoyed visiting your site and found it quite useful. I plan on being back in Michigan this summer and will probably make it up your way. I grew up in Farmington and try to get back up every year. During a trip last May to visit members of my wife's family in Kalkaska and Gaylord, I made the mistake of admitting that I'd never been to the U.P. They gave me so much aggravation and telling them about how I'd been to Cheybogan a dozen times, but never made it across the bridge only made it worse. After living in Florida for 15 years it was a big treat to finally make it to the Northern end of I-75 to see the Soo and to go to Canada at that point. Eventually, I'd like to drive up US 41 from Fort Myers and take I-75 back down, seeing as many things as possible along the way. Maybe the summer after I win the Lottery here. Save me a Pasty OK?

Site du Jour of the Day currently goes out to 550 subscribers and entered its third year of publication on the 20th of February.

Edward J. Pelegrino

Aloha (means hello, goodbye, love, etc.)

Your wing-walk shots of Eagle Harbor and Copper Harbor are wonderful and I am not familiar with the region from that perspective.  On the Eagle Harbor shot I assume that "doughnut lake" is Lake Bailey?" and what's the lake between it and the Big Lake?  My Aunt Esther and Uncle Kello Liikala used to have those cabins on Lake Bailey where your moon shot is taken.  Does someone who works for Pasty Cam live their now?  Beautiful shot!  Great work, guys and gals!

A former Centennial Heights gal, Karen

I was up in the UP over the holiday weekend and happened to be watching the Calumet station's news on Friday because there was going to be a section on the ABC world news about the company I currently work for. I saw the bit on Pasty Central. I think what you all are doing is wonderful and am glad to find out that the profits go to a good cause. I will definitely be back to order again and will spread the word. Good Luck!!

Thank you,
Cory Eman

By the way, WBKP also won the Golden Pasty Award last week.  See note below.

What a wonderful treat!  My Yooper husband just loved the Pasties!!!!  (He would be considered an expert on the subject since he was born in the UP and grew up on home-made Pasties.)  They arrived on Friday morning and we had a couple of Pasties for dinner Saturday night.  My husband thought they were wonderful and could not believe that I was able to present him with Yooper Pasties for his Birthday!

I visited Ironwood Michigan with my husband in 1993 and I tried Pasties forthe first time.  I was not impressed, I thought they tasted like beef stew in a pie crust.  (I do not like beef stew!)  Then I ate one of your Pasties and it was absolutely delicious!!  I can see all the time that you put into your meal with tiny diced vegetables and the most tender beef imaginable.  What an excellent meal!  I am so impressed.  Thank you all of you for your dedication to excellence!  Yummy!

Sincere Thanks,
Marilyn Byerly Kilponen

Thanks for such an excellent report :o)

Thank you so very much for honoring our television station with a Golden Pasty Award!  You folks have done so much for our area, and to be so honored means a great deal to us.  As newcomers from 'down below' in Traverse City and 'over' in the Soo, we sincerely appreciate the additional exposure you have provided us and your very kind comments.  The award really goes to our wonderful staff, many of whom are native Yoopers and life-long pasty lovers, who have made WBKP and its home page eligible for this fine award!  Thank you again, and God Bless! 

Tom & Sue Scanlan 
Owners, WBKP-ABC TV 5&10

I was in Lower Michigan a few years ago, and ran into little black biting flies.  I was told they were deerflies.  Are they the same as blackflies?

Andy

Blackflies are half as big, twice as deadly.