Cream Tea: Cream First or Jam First?

The classic cream tea is a simple and delicious affair: a freshly baked scone, clotted cream, jam, and a pot of tea to share. But there’s something brewing, and it’s not just the tea. It’s a question that divides even the most peaceful tea room: should it be cream first or jam first on a scone?

The Devon vs Cornwall Cream Tea Debate

The two neighbouring English counties most associated with the cream tea are Cornwall and Devon, both in the southwest of England (I included a little map). I learned that, traditionally, each county prepares its cream tea in different ways.

• The Devon cream tea is cream first, then jam.
• The Cornwall cream tea is jam first, then cream.

As someone with more ties to Devon, I’ve always gone the cream then jam route. But I know that some people swear by the other way. Either way, I can vouch for both a Devon cream tea and a Cornwall cream tea being delicious.

Unsure how to eat a cream tea? Perhaps you should follow the locals. If you haven’t had one on location, I recommend you give it a try.

Which way do you go? Cream first or jam first?

Related Ideas to The Great Cream Tea Debate

Also see:

• Types of sushi
• How to make Irish coffee
• The egg float test
• The tomato test
• Mandarin, clementine, satsuma, tangerine
• Fruit or Vegetable
• Hedgehog a mango
• Dice an onion
• Gelato, sorbet, or ice cream

P.S. This is a revision of an early sketch I did on this subject. It deserved a stronger one!