The best way to eat a scone, according to an afternoon tea expert (2024)

Cream or jam first is the great, old scone debate that divides afternoon tea lovers. If you follow the Devonshire method, you'll smother your scone in cream before adding jam, while if you live by the Cornish method you'll go jam then cream first.

And while that debate is settled purely on your preference, there are other ways to properly eat a scone according to executive head chef at Sopwell House, Gopi Chandran.

According to him, there is a CORRECT way of scoffing your scones to ensure you have the ultimate eating experience.

'Firstly they should always be nice and toasty,' he said. 'To have your scones at their best, eat them while they are still warm. This ensures that they are still light and fluffy.'

He also swears by the 2:1:1 rule - in other words the scone:jam:cream ratio.

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'The right balance in your scone is just as important as the order in which you apply the jam or cream,' he said. 'A ratio of 2:1:1 is the ideal way to ensure you have the most delicious scones.'

Of course, he also firmly believes that a scone should always be eaten with a good cup of tea - but it doesn't have to be English Breakfast.

'It is vital to consider what you wash the scones down with. There are so many delicious varieties of tea beyond the traditional English Breakfast that you may not have even tried before, such as Lapsang Souchong, Assam and Raspberry & Elderflower.'

And finally, NEVER eat a scone as a sandwich. According to Gopi, that's a big 'faux pas,' and scones should instead be eaten as two cut halves.

Well, we're certainly craving a nice warm scone now...