By: Blonde One
On a recent lunch trip the age old debate reared it’s ugly head again … is it jam then cream or cream then jam?
The Cornish and Devonians have long discussed this very important topic and nothing gets tempers rising more than a debate about which way round to put the jam and cream and which is best. I like my scones with jam first then a good dollop of clotted cream and I have always believed that since I am a Devonian born and raised then this must be the Devonian way. Despite evidence to the contrary I will never concede this belief and will fiercely defend it! Whilst working at Badger’s Holt Cafe on Dartmoor as my Saturday job I had many occasions to discuss this topic with customers as I served them their delicious Devonshire delicacy. The Badger’s Holt way was to put jam first and they even had a little rhyme on their menu explaining the correct way to do it. Unfortunately I have forgotten the rhyme but it went something like this … ‘first spread the jam, then the cream, blah blah blah blah, it tastes supreme’! The scones at Badger’s Holt were a unique thing of beauty too. They used to bake on the premises their own large cake shaped scones which were served in wedges. My mouth is watering at the memory. I haven’t been there in a good while so let me know if they are still served this way and also what the rhyme is!
On the recent lunch trip I took my family and my daughter’s boyfriend to Angel’s Tearoom in Babbacombe, Torquay which serves an amazing selection of cream tea variations. I was pleased to be able to teach him the correct way to eat his cream tea. He was very nearly sacked as a honorary member of our family for putting cream first!
Well I was born in good ol’ Brixham and I always have jam then cream!!! But my genes are half Somerset and half Scouse so maybe I’m wrong. Mother in law is proper Devon and she says cream then jam!!! Doesn’t make sense to me that way – how can you have a gert dollop of cream then spread jam on it – it just doesn’t work!!!!
Don’t tell Blonde One that I said so but I think she is wrong on this one. Shhh!
I agree with blonde one , jam first then cream