American TikToker's Cream Tea Experiment Stirs UK Social Media Frenzy
An American woman residing in the United Kingdom has attempted to settle the perennial dispute over the proper order for applying jam and cream on a traditional cream tea. However, her online audience was left utterly astonished by one particular aspect of her demonstration—and it wasn't the age-old argument about whether cream or jam should be spread first.
The Viral Taste Test That Divided Followers
The woman, who frequently posts videos sampling British cuisine on TikTok under the username carfoodreview_uk and boasts 27,000 followers, recently shared a clip of herself trying the quintessentially British treat. In the video, she presented a plate with two scones, each sliced in half and adorned with different topping combinations. One half featured only jam, another only clotted cream, a third had cream layered over jam, and the fourth displayed the reverse arrangement with jam atop cream.
"Today I'm going to see which way tastes the best," she announced in the clip. "I have jam, clotted cream, and scones. First I'm gonna try the clotted cream on its own just to see how good it is." After tasting, she remarked, "I don't even know what to compare that to in America, but it's good."
She then sampled the jam alone, explaining, "Now let's try just the jam. I was told it isn't a specific type of jam. Usually it's strawberry, but it can be blueberry, boysenberry. This is apricot because this is what we had in the fridge. So let's give this a try." Following a bite, she exclaimed, "Love it. Amazing. I love scones."
The Cream Tea Controversy: Jam Choice Over Order
Moving to the scone halves with both toppings, she tasted the version with cream first and jam on top, then tried the alternative with jam first and cream layered over it. After comparing, she concluded, "Ok, I'm noticing you're getting more of the jam flavour when it's on top." Pointing to the piece with cream on top, she added, "This, it's ok. I think I'm gonna go for clotted cream on the bottom and jam on top."
Yet, it was her selection of apricot jam that truly captivated and confused her followers, sparking a heated debate in the comments section. One user wrote, "Apricot jam on scones!!! What are you doing?" Another commented, "What the heck kind of jam? No! It’s strawberry only."
However, not everyone disapproved. A supporter chimed in, "Apricot is actually my favourite. Is this the M&S basic one? That’s the best apricot! Cream on the bottom is also the best choice." Another user offered, "Blackcurrant and raspberry is the best! It’s also nice with jam and cheese in my opinion!" while a different follower suggested, "Raspberry or strawberry jam is more usual, but nothing is out of bounds. If you want to start a war - try it with Nutella!"
The Enduring Cream Tea Debate: Regional Traditions Explained
The woman cleverly avoided taking a definitive stance in the ancient debate over whether cream or jam should be applied first by sampling both methods. But which approach is considered correct? The answer varies significantly depending on regional traditions and personal preferences.
According to tourism website Active England, in Cornwall, the customary practice is to spread the jam first with the cream layered on top. "The cream and the jam then don’t mix and allows for the jam to be easily spread, with a thinner consistency first," the site explains.
Conversely, just over the border in Devon, they adhere to the opposite method. "The Devonshire way follows the logic of the cream acting like butter," the site notes. "Therefore, you would spread butter on toast before jam and thus spreading cream on a scone first and then jam is the more logical order."
In reality, there is no universally correct way to assemble a cream tea—ultimately, it boils down to personal taste. As the TikToker demonstrated, if you're already slicing your scone in half, why not experiment with both combinations to determine which one you prefer? The viral video highlights how food traditions can evolve and spark lively discussions, especially when unconventional choices like apricot jam enter the fray.
