Blind Taste Test Finds Majority Prefer Cornish Scone Method

In a nation famous for arguing about how to dress a scone, a first ever blind taste test has delivered a clear result. According to new findings from The Cornish Company, more than two thirds of Brits prefer their scones the Cornish way with jam first and cream on top.

Cornwall Method Comes Out On Top

The study put the long running Cornish and Devon methods head to head by serving two scones to each participant while they wore a blindfold. One scone was prepared jam first followed by cream and the other cream first followed by jam.
Without knowing which was which, people were asked to vote for the one they preferred.

Across all participants, 69 percent favoured the jam first version. In Cornwall the preference was even stronger with 83 percent choosing jam first. In Nottingham the margin was narrower at 56 percent but the Cornish method still led.

For participant Kevin Hopkins, who grew up in the West Midlands and now works in Cornwall, the jam first scone was the clear winner. Kevin said:
“There was a lot more taste and flavour to the first scone I tried. Having the texture of the cream on top made a massive difference. The jam wiped the taste of the cream out with the second scone and there was no real texture.”

Commenting on the results, Tom Woodley, co founder of The Cornish Company, said:
“At The Cornish Company we’ve always championed the Cornish way of enjoying a scone jam first, then cream but we wanted to put the debate to the test once and for all.
“Our blind taste test was our way of cutting through predetermined biases and letting flavour do the talking. We were absolutely thrilled to see more than two thirds of Brits preferring the jam first method.
“For us, the findings backed up what we already knew. Spreading the jam first allows the sweetness to soak into the scone while the rich clotted cream sits beautifully on top, creating the perfect balance of texture and taste. It’s the way scones were meant to be enjoyed the Cornish way.”

What Else Britain Debates Over Afternoon Tea

Researchers also looked into other tea time habits.

Nearly two thirds of Brits, 60 percent, add tea first then milk. Among over 85s more than half still go milk first.
When it comes to sandwiches, 57 percent prefer theirs with the crusts removed. Younger adults lead the trend, with 68 percent of 25 to 34 year olds opting for crustless sandwiches. By contrast, almost half of over 65s, 46 percent, like their crusts left on.