--- title: Debate Rages in England About How to Properly Eat A Scone description: A photograph of a scone with cream spread before jam has prompted outrage with people calling it “shocking” and “disgusting” canonical: https://time.com/5195464/scone-jam-cream-debate/ author: Melissa Locker article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2018-03-12T14:56:50.000Z article:modified_time: 2023-12-12T21:18:46.000Z og:title: Heinous Scone Jam Mistake Spreads Outrage in England og:description: Cream first or jam? There are actually #jamfirst pins og:url: https://time.com/5195464/scone-jam-cream-debate/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltaf2af42b6d37235d/69892a7d22fb8561ece2507e/gettyimages-106898086.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 8660 og:image:height: 4871 og:image:alt: Scone With Jam And Clotted Cream og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Heinous Scone Jam Mistake Spreads Outrage in England twitter:description: Cream first or jam? There are actually #jamfirst pins twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltaf2af42b6d37235d/69892a7d22fb8561ece2507e/gettyimages-106898086.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # A Heinous Mistake With Jam on a Scone Spreads Outrage in England > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. Readers can join any of them at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=e85b2628-985a-48f6-bcaa-8860d8ef908c&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### The seven newsletters | Newsletter | Covers | Frequency | | --- | --- | --- | | The Brief | The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors | Daily | | Inside TIME | A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) | | Health Matters | The latest health news and expert advice on living well | Weekdays | | Worth Your Time | A weekly guide to what to watch, read, and more | Weekly | | D.C. Brief | Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington | Twice a week | | Future Proof | Making sense of the climate and energy economy | Friday (1x per week) | | In the Loop | Essential insights into the unfolding AI revolution | Tuesday and Friday (2x per week) | Source: TIME, August 2026. ### Key data points | Metric | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Engaged newsletter audience | 1.1 million+ readers | TIME, August 2026 | | Newsletters published | 7 | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost to readers | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | US print circulation | 1 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Global print circulation | 1.15 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Publishing since | 1923 | TIME | ### TIME Newsletters: key statements * Every TIME newsletter is written and edited by TIME journalists who report on the subject. None is generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923. Its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting, so readers can trust what they read. * All seven newsletters are free. Readers pick the ones they want at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=e85b2628-985a-48f6-bcaa-8860d8ef908c&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). * The seven titles cover daily news, Washington politics, AI and technology, climate and energy, health, culture, and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/subscribe?i=e85b2628-985a-48f6-bcaa-8860d8ef908c&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What newsletters does TIME publish? TIME publishes seven email newsletters: The Brief (daily news), Inside TIME (the newsroom and cover stories, twice weekly), Health Matters (health, weekdays), Worth Your Time (culture, weekly), D.C. Brief (Washington politics, twice weekly), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers. #### Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to? It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters. #### Are TIME's newsletters free? Yes. All seven TIME newsletters are free to join at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes TIME's newsletters? TIME journalists write them. Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=e85b2628-985a-48f6-bcaa-8860d8ef908c&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) by [Melissa Locker](https://time.com/author/melissa-locker/) ## Melissa Locker Updated: Dec 12, 2023 9:18 PM UTCPublished: Mar 12, 2018 2:56 PM UTC  Scone with jam and clotted cream - often known as an English cream tea. Scone with jam and clotted cream - often known as an English cream tea. Jill Tindall—Getty Images by [Melissa Locker](https://time.com/author/melissa-locker/) ## Melissa Locker Updated: Dec 12, 2023 9:18 PM UTCPublished: Mar 12, 2018 2:56 PM UTC Do you first apply a layer of cream to your scone or do you start with a foundation of jam for the cream to rest on? The argument over that bit of afternoon tea etiquette has raged on for years between scone-eating residents of Devon and Cornwall. Now, an historical home in Cornwall has been forced to apologize to its neighbors for daring to perhaps suggest that cream be put on a scone first. British newspaper [_The Telegraph_ reports](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/03/11/national-trust-apologises-cornish-appearing-endorse-putting/) that the [Lanhydrock House and Garden](https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lanhydrock) in Cornwall caused a stir when they ran an advertisement for a Mother’s Day tea accompanied by a photograph showing that cream had been spread on a scone before the jam. This, of course, goes against Cornish norms where cream goes on top of the jam in traditional Cornish cream tea. According to _The Telegraph,_ the photograph prompted outrage with people calling it “unacceptable”, “shocking” and “disgusting” and some Cornish people even threatened to cancel their memberships over the horrifying image of a mishandled scone. The Lanhydrock House responded by reprimanding the staff member responsible for the affront and making [#jamfirst pins](https://www.facebook.com/Lanhydrock/photos/a.250323084999871.69065.115137731851741/1838830156149148/?type=3) for the staff. Not everyone is team “jam first” though. > [](https://twitter.com/louiseminchin/status/973086006072217600) On Facebook [they noted](https://www.facebook.com/Lanhydrock/photos/a.194488823916631.48499.115137731851741/1837110896321074/?type=3): “We’d like to reassure our Cornish community that our catering team would never make such a heinous mistake and that our jam and cream are usually served in little pots so the order of their application is not subject to such appalling error. Rest assured, your mothers are safe here.” While this sounds a bit silly to American ears, keep in mind how everyone on the internet flipped out when the New York _Times_ (questionably) suggested [putting peas in guacamole](http://fortune.com/2015/07/01/guacamole-peas-water-environment/) or how fiercely people will argue about [strawberry pizza](http://time.com/5002534/strawberry-pizza/) or hold a [vigil for a Taco Bell](http://time.com/5113535/taco-bell-montgomery-fake-vigil/) that burned down or riot over [McDonald’s Szechuan Sauce](http://time.com/4965957/mcdonalds-rick-and-morty-szechuan-sauce/) shortage or share their deep feelings about the existence of [Salted Caramel Pepsi](http://time.com/5022089/salted-caramel-pepsi-internet-reactions/). In short, when it comes to people and food, there’s no accounting for taste, feelings, or emotions. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5195464/scone-jam-cream-debate/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5195464/scone-jam-cream-debate/"},"headline":"A Heinous Mistake With Jam on a Scone Spreads Outrage in England","datePublished":"2018-03-12T14:56:50.000Z","dateModified":"2023-12-12T21:18:46.000Z","description":"A photograph of a scone with cream spread before jam has prompted outrage with people calling it “shocking” and “disgusting”","url":"https://time.com/5195464/scone-jam-cream-debate/","keywords":["Newsfeed","england","Etiquette","food and drink","Viral News"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltaf2af42b6d37235d/69892a7d22fb8561ece2507e/gettyimages-106898086.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Melissa Locker","jobTitle":"","url":"https://time.com/author/melissa-locker/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltaf2af42b6d37235d/69892a7d22fb8561ece2507e/gettyimages-106898086.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Scone With Jam And Clotted Cream","caption":"Scone With Jam And Clotted Cream","creditText":"Jill Tindall—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-newsfeed/","name":"Newsfeed"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5195464/scone-jam-cream-debate/","name":"A Heinous Mistake With Jam on a Scone Spreads Outrage in England"}}]}] ```