Brits ‘uncomfortable’ after American ‘solves’ British scone argument

If it’s one things that can truly unite or divide Brits, it’s the way they prefer to have their scones prepared.

While jam and clotted cream are the traditional toppings, with the earliest records dating back to Devon and Cornwall in the 11th century, the order in which you add these toppings to the scone can be considered very controversial depending on where you are or who you’re with.

The traditional Cornish method is to spread jam first and then top with clotted cream, while the Devon method is to spread clotted cream first and then jam. And wherever you go in the country people will have their own arguments for which method is ‘correct’.

However, one American woman has now claimed to have solved the issue, after her British girlfriend Kirsty Leanne documented her method as they were enjoying their scones on a recent visit to Fortnum and Mason in London.

“My American [girlfriend] thinks she’s fixed the classic British issue of what goes first and apparently it’s both at the same time,” Kirsty wrote on the TikTok video.

The video itself showed how her girlfriend had added both the clotted cream and the jam to her knife at the same time. Holding the scone in her other hand, she went on to spread both toppings on at the same time.

This resulted in the jam and the clotted cream getting mixed together. While it looked messy, it was clear that both the jam and the cream had managed to be both on the top and bottomm of each other at the same time.

Kirsty wrote in the caption of the video: “Problem solved, I guess.”

However, viewers didn’t agree as hundreds took to the comments to share their thoughts on the American’s unusual method of eating a scone.

“Good job she’s not doing that in a public place. Imagine if she did that in a tea room!” one person wrote. After Kirsty then revealed they’d been sat in Fortnum and Mason’s when they were eating the scones, they added: “And they let you stay?!!”

“As a Brit the ‘debate’ never made sense to me. Clearly the only way to eat a scone is to put jam on one half, cream on the other, then shove the whole thing in your mouth like a sandwich,” another Brit said.

However some went on to share their very strict methods of eating a scone, with one person arguing: “Jam first, no exceptions.”

Another person argued back: “The cream is a replacement for butter and goes first to provide a stable base for the jam.”

A fifth person saw the optimistic side of the situation, as they wrote: “Cornwall and Devon finally united in agreement that this is objectively the wrong answer.”

“That’s disgusting never let her do that again,” another viewer wrote. Someone else commented: “That’s actually made me so uncomfortable.”

How do you prefer to eat your scone? Would you try this American method? Let us know in the comments below.