Cream first or jam? The National Trust’s scone advert is hard to swallow for the Cornish
THE rivalry between Devon and Cornwall over the order of cream and jam on a scone is one of the country’s fiercest disputes, and locals are expected to know where their side stands.
A National Trust property in Cornwall has therefore prompted understandable outrage after it advertised cream teas for Mothering Sunday – with a photograph showing the cream being spread before the jam.
The advert, from Lanhydrock House and Garden, has been called “unacceptable”, “shocking” and “disgusting”, with some Trust members from Cornwall threatening to cancel their memberships. One Facebook user wrote: “The National Trust is in a complete mess … It’s jam first you fools.
“My membership is well and truly over.”
The scone shown in the advert has cream spread over each half, with jam spooned on top.
The traditional Cornish cream tea, however, is supposed to have the cream on top of the jam. The property blamed the error on a member of staff, and released a statement which said: “We’d like to sincerely apologise for any offence caused by a recent sconeshot shown on the page.
“The member of staff responsible has been reprimanded and marched back over the Tamar. We’d like to reassure our Cornish community that our catering team would never make such a heinous mistake and that our jam and cream are usually served in little pots so the order of their application is not subject to such appalling error.
“Rest assured, your mothers are safe here.”