It’s Cornwall-Devon…again! Row over how to eat scones is reignited after lifestyle brand sells playbook mocking people who put jam on top of cream

• It’s borderline sacrilege to put cream before jam on a Cornish scone
• Afternoon tea expert Jane Malyon said the words on cards should change

A tense scone row has been reignited after a Cornish lifestyle company created a card poking fun at their Devon neighbours.

The tense debate over how to eat a “proper” scone has raged in the West Country for years.

In the Duchy of Cornwall it would be borderline sacrilege to apply cream before jam, while on the sunny shores of Devon it’s simply a way of life.

But Latitude 50 Living may have gone a step too far after suggesting that Devon’s jam and cream method was lax and unappealing on a card design.

However, the card, which compared the two versions of the quintessentially English dessert, didn’t go down like a tasty custard scone for afternoon tea expert Jane Malyon.

On the right hand side of the book was a tall, plump and juicy ‘Cornish’ scone, while its Devonshire counterpart looked lifeless and sad.

The card’s description read: “Whether you put the jam or cream first, or how you pronounce ‘scone’, these old West Country debates always remain, always raising a smile… and maybe sometimes raising a few eyebrows too.” !

“We just couldn’t help but celebrate the humble cream tea in some way.

“However much you like yours – and let’s be honest, no matter what their situation, they’re pretty delicious – there’s a humorously illustrated print that’s sure to fit the bill.”

Promoting the Cream Tea collection on Instagram, business owner Lucy, who lives in North Cornwall, said: ‘Tea with cream? Yes please jam first (sorry Devon friends)’

One user said: “I love this, it perfectly explains the expectations of cream tea!”

And even expert baker Mary Berry, who hails from Somerset, once weighed in on the long-running debate.

Keeping a neutral stance, she told Mob: “It depends if I’m in Devon or Cornwall whether it’s cream or jam first!”

But afternoon tea expert Jane Malyon criticized the card, convinced they appeared to be Devon.

“The artist could have drawn it differently, with less bias – so we can assume the artist prefers sweetness first!” she said.

“That doesn’t make it ‘correct’, but it represents the Cornish vision!

“The sweetness (goes on) first to act as a barrier to the cream melting if it’s a hot scone,” she added.

“(So) theoretically (you can) get more cream on top in a cup, with the ability to show off its ultimate glory.

“On the other hand, nobody puts the dairy side on top of jam on toast – that would be crazy – so that’s the argument for cream in the first place.

“In reality, it’s the viscosity or thickness of the jam and cream that makes the difference. If you have – sacrilege – whipped cream from an aerosol, it must go on top.

She added: “So if your cream is strong and hard, it’s easier to put it on first.”

The afternoon tea expert asked that the card be changed from “vs” to “and”, reasoning that she would accept either option.

“The only thing I tell him is not to make a scone burger. Take your cream/yolk any way you like, but don’t put the two halves back together, she exclaimed.

Citing various surveys she had carried out, Jane claimed that the first way of Cornish jam was much more popular.

“But there’s still a lot of people who love cream first … and maybe about 15% who love butter first before cream or jam,” she continued.

MailOnline has approached Latitude 50 Living for comment.