Here in the UK, we’re known for our love of Afternoon Tea, with patisseries, different blends of tea, finger sandwiches, and, of course, the delicious fresh scone.
The Royal Family are no different, reportedly settling down for afternoon tea at around 5pm, wherever in the world they might be.
The Queen has probably sampled more cream teas than any of us. So when it comes to the big question of jam or cream first you would imagine her is the definitive answer.
And now her head chef Chris Tombling has revealed that at Buckingham Palace the cream is always smeared onto the scone first, followed by a good dollop of jam.
The cream first choice is a traditional Devonshire cream tea, with the jam on top. This goes back a long time when the original cream tea was first invented in Tavistock, Devon. In Cornwall, some prefer it jam first, with cream on top.
In a recent interview at Buckingham Palace by ITV’s This Morning, Phillip Schofield, who grew up in Cornwall, revealed he once asked the Palace if he could have a scone with the jam first and was told very politely that that was ‘not the Buckingham Palace way.’
According to Buckingham Palace’s Head Chef, Chris Tombling, the scones he prepares for the monarch feature a variety of jams dolloped ONTO a layer of clotted cream …what great taste she has!
Chef Tombling also revealed that not only does the Queen enjoy jam on her scones – made from fruit from the grounds of Balmoral – but also honey produced by the bees kept at Buckingham Palace.
The age-old debate of whether it’s jam or cream first on a scone is settled….after all… it’s the Buckingham Palace way!
I wonder if the Queen has had our world famous, multi award winning Devon Clotted Cream? I’ll try and find out!