
One of the best English things you can do during your time here is to have a cream-tea. This traditional English sweet treat is typically eaten in the summer, although it is so delicious that many people enjoy it all year round. Read on to find out more about cream teas and how to eat them.
What is it?
In a nutshell, a cream-tea consists of a scone (a small cake-like baked good) cut in half, spread with jam and cream, and eaten alongside a pot of tea. Traditionally, the jam is strawberry and the cream is clotted cream (cream with a thick, butter-like consistency), but nowadays it is acceptable to use various flavours of jam, or to drink coffee instead of tea and some cafes will offer these alternative options. There is even a type of a cream-tea called a ‘thunder and lightning’. Instead of jam, you have honey with your cream and scones.
How to eat it
There exist two established ways to eat a cream tea, stemming from each of the regions that claim to have invented it in the first place. Cornwall and Devon are neighbouring counties in the south-west of England and both declare the cream tea for their own. The Cornish way is to spread the jam on the scone first, then the clotted cream on top. However, the Devonshire way is to spread the cream first, then the jam. This difference may seem small, but some people are very passionate about it, to the point that this issue has even been discussed in parliament!
Places to try a cream tea
There are plenty of places that offer a very nice cream tea since it is widely loved and served throughout the year. If you are in London, the museums and art gallery cafes are great places to find a cream tea whilst out on a day of sightseeing. And if you’re looking for a higher-budget option, Harrods offers a delightful Cream Tea for Two in beautiful surroundings. Elsewhere in the country, quaint little towns such as Stratford-upon-Avon and Bourton-on-the-Water still serve cream teas as part of their traditional village lifestyle, and tearooms in cities like Oxford, Canterbury and Bath remain popular with locals and tourists to this day.
Cream tea on your travels
Wherever you decide to try your cream tea, and whichever style you eat it in, you are sure to enjoy this traditional English treat. And, if you would like to see some amazing sights while you do so, please check out the amazing Day Tours from London that we offer. We look forward to seeing you on tour!