Cream tea

A cream tea or Devonshire tea is tea taken with a combination of scones, clotted cream, and jam. In the United States, it is promoted as a typically English, and perhaps upper class, afternoon snack.

Cream teas are offered for sale in tea rooms throughout England and the Commonwealth, or wherever someone wants to give an impression of British influence.

Other items served may include cucumber or watercress sandwiches with the crusts cut off and various small cakes or biscuits; although in general these are not requirements for a cream tea.

The name "Devonshire tea", used in Australia, comes from the county of Devon in England, where it is a local speciality, although it is disputed that this type of tea is original to Devon. Indeed many people call it a Cornish cream tea. In Cornwall, however, it is traditionally served with a split, a type of soft white bread roll, rather than a scone (although most commercially-served cream teas come with scones, even in Cornwall). The Cornish traditionally always put the cream on top of the jam, whereas in other parts of the country the jam is often put on top of the cream.

One variation to a cream tea is called Thunder and Lightning which consists of a round of bread, topped with Clotted Cream and Golden Syrup. In this case, even the Cornish put the cream on the bread first to stop the syrup passing right through.

Cream tea

See also