Here at Langage Farm, if there is one thing we are incredibly passionate about (besides our beautiful Channel Island cows, of course!), it is a proper Devonshire cream tea. It is the ultimate British summertime treat: warm, fluffy scones, sweet strawberry jam, and a giant dollop of our luxurious, award-winning clotted cream.
But as any true Devonian knows, the simple act of preparing a scone can spark one of the most fiercely contested debates in British culinary history.
Which goes on first—the cream or the jam?
Pour yourself a cuppa, pull up a chair, and let’s dive into the fascinating history, the royal protocols, and the absolute science behind why the Devon way is the only way.
The 11th-Century Origins: Born in Tavistock
While our neighbours across the River Tamar might try to claim the cream tea as their own, history tells a completely different story.
The tradition of eating bread with cream and jam actually dates back to the 11th century right here in Devon! Historians discovered that the monks of Tavistock Benedictine Abbey were the true pioneers. After the abbey was badly damaged by a Viking raid in 997 AD, the local Earl, Ordulf, set about rebuilding it. To thank the local labourers who helped with the construction, the monks fed them a rewarding treat: locally baked bread topped with rich clotted cream and sweet strawberry preserves.
The combination was such a monumental success that the monks continued serving it to travellers and locals alike long after the abbey was finished. So, the next time you tuck into a scone, you can thank the medieval monks of Tavistock for inventing a little slice of heaven from Devon!
The Great Debate: Devon vs. Cornwall
Fast forward a few hundred years, and the basic bread roll evolved into the modern, fluffy scone we love today. With it came the great geographical divide:
The Cornish Method: Jam first, topped with clotted cream.
The Devonshire Method: Cream first, topped with strawberry jam.
While Cornwall argues that putting the jam on first prevents the cream from sliding off, we in Devon know that our method is rooted in both tradition and culinary practicality.
Back in 2013, Langage Farm actually helped organise the world’s largest Devon cream tea, proving just how seriously we take our heritage! To us, treating clotted cream like butter is common sense. You wouldn’t put your jam on bread before your butter, would you?
The Science of Cream First
There is a genuinely brilliant, scientific reason why the Devon method delivers the ultimate taste experience.
Our luxurious Devonshire clotted cream is incredibly rich, dense, and velvety because it is made by hand in our creamery using the highest-quality milk from our free-range cows. Because of its thick consistency, it acts as the perfect, solid foundation for the scone.
When you spread the cream first, it creates a luscious, insulating layer that protects the warm scone. The heat slightly softens the base of the cream, releasing those beautiful, rich dairy aromas. Splashing the sweet strawberry jam right on top allows the fruitiness to hit your palate first, followed instantly by the deep, decadent creaminess beneath. It is absolute perfection in every single bite.
Even Royalty Agrees!
If you need any more convincing that the Devon way is supreme, you only have to look to the highest echelons of British culture. Late royal chefs have famously revealed that at Queen Elizabeth II’s afternoon tea parties at Buckingham Palace, the scones were traditionally served the Devon way—cream first! If it is good enough for royalty, it is certainly good enough for our picnic blankets.
Celebrate the Devon Way
Whether you are packing up a picnic basket for a sunny trip to the gorgeous Devon coastline or hosting friends in the garden this weekend, make sure you do it right. Bake those scones fresh, grab a jar of vibrant strawberry jam, and don’t skimp on the most important ingredient: a big, beautiful tub of Langage Farm Devonshire Clotted Cream.
Just remember the golden rule: keep it local, keep it traditional, and always put the cream first!
Planning a summer tea party? Head over to our stockists page to find out where you can pick up our award-winning clotted cream near you, or explore our full range at www.langagefarm.com.