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Writer's pictureGethin Thomas

Cream on First

Originally published on Photoblog by Gethin Thomas September. 13, 2020


Devon and Cornwall are famous for their cream teas. Devon and Cornwall also have age old rivalries over really important issues like cream teas and pasties. Food is after all the most important thing in the world.


A cream tea is a warm scone, similar to what Americans call a biscuit, which is nothing like a British biscuit which is what an American would call a cookie. Are you with me so far?


So we have a warm Scone/Biscuit which is cut in half and it has strawberry jam and cream added. To add further confusion Jam is what Americans call Jelly, while the British Jelly is what Americans call Jello, I think. One is fruit thickened and set by pectin while the other is basically coloured water set with gelatine. Are you with me so far?


I said food was important. As George Bernard Shaw is reputed to have said quite accurately, "The United States and Great Britain are two countries separated by a common language. "

To further quote Ronnie Corbett "but I digress".


Herein lies the saying "Cream on first" in the county of Devon. As in Cornwall jam/jelly is added to the scone/biscuit first and the cream placed on top of the jam. In Devon however, cream is placed on the scone/biscuit first with jam/jelly on top. Such is the seriousness of this issue that you can now buy bumper stickers for your Devon flag which has the adopted county slogan included.




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