Cream or jam first?

This month we’re celebrating National Cream Tea Day (June 27) and to mark the most delicious day of the year, we thought we would bring you some of the history behind one of the nation’s favourite traditions.

If you read our recent blog post about the history of the Victoria sponge cake, you will know that the Seventh Duchess of Bedford and Queen Victoria were big fans of tea and some light food between lunch and dinner. Before long this transitioned into a spread of sandwiches, cakes, scones, cream and jam, which is where the first hint of the cream tea we all know and love today comes from.

The cream tea really took off in the Westcountry in the 1850s following the tourism boom associated with train travel. Visitors were looking for somewhere to relax and indulge and hotels, tearooms and cafés were only happy to oblige, offering cream teas made with the finest south west ingredients.

The cream was always clotted, and the jam was always strawberry, of course!

Over the years a Cornwall/Devon divide has developed about the way we should eat our cream tea. Should it be the Cornish way with jam first and then cream or the Devonian way with cream first, then jam? The nation has never been able to come to an agreement, and it is a question that Brits will argue over for many more years to come. But we do know at the Queen’s garden parties, they go for the Cornish option!

How do you eat yours? Cream first or jam first?

To celebrate National Cream Tea Day, we’re offering our cream tea treat boxes for pre-order here, so you can pick one up and enjoy it in the comfort of your own home or perhaps with friends or family during a picnic.

The boxes contain one fruit and one plain scone with a mini pot of Tiptree raspberry jam and pot of clotted cream in a box for £3. Gluten free scones are also available.

You can pre-order now and collect them before 4pm on Friday, June 24.

If you’d like the low down on the best way to enjoy your cream tea, check out the Cream Tea Society’s etiquette tips here.