With their crumbly texture and smeared with clotted cream and jam, scones are a favourite treat with Brits across the UK.
But despite dating back to the early 1500s, one question remains – should you put the cream or jam on first?
Now, ChatGPT claims to have settled the debate, just in time for King Charles’ coronation.
The AI chatbot says it would opt for the ‘Devon method’ of putting the clotted cream on the scone first, followed by the jam on top.
Its choice has enraged many scone fans on Twitter, with comedian Dawn French replying: ‘You are a robot with no taste (literally & figuratively) & no respect for all that is holy. And right.’
With their crumbly texture and smeared with clotted cream and jam, scones are a favourite treat with Brits across the UK. But despite dating back to the early 1500s, one question remains – should you put the cream or jam on first?
The AI chatbot says it would opt for the ‘Devon method’ of putting the clotted cream on the scone first, followed by the jam on top
The big question was posed to ChatGPT by the @VeryBritishProblems Twitter account.
It replied: ‘As an AI language model, I don’t actually have the ability to eat scones or have a personal preference, but if I had to choose between the two methods, I would probably go for the Devon method of putting the clotted cream on the scone first, followed by the jam on top.
‘I think it’s because the cream acts as a base, allowing the jam to spread more easily and making for a smoother overall taste.
‘However, again, it’s really up to personal prefernce, and both methods have their merits.’
Many viewers agreed with ChatGPT’s decision, including one who quipped ‘that’s our boy!’
Another added: ‘See the logic doesn’t lie, this is what we’ve been trying to tell people for decades, Devon way is best and most logical.
‘That said, it all ends in the mouth and tastes the same anyways.’
However, not everyone – including Dawn French – is in agreement with the AI bot.
One user replied: ‘AI thinking that cream is basically a “base”, like butter or any other kind of spread, means I simply can’t trust AI.’
Another added: ‘It’s wrong. I understand [its] logic but it’s been scientifically tested that jam first & cream on top is better.’
Its choice has enraged many scone fans on Twitter, with comedian Dawn French jokingly replying: ‘You are a robot with no taste (literally & figuratively) & no respect for all that is holy. And right’
One user replied: ‘AI thinking that cream is basically a “base”, like butter or any other kind of spread, means I simply can’t trust AI’
Another added: ‘See the logic doesn’t lie, this is what we’ve been trying to tell people for decades, Devon way is best and most logical. That said, it all ends in the mouth and tastes the same anyways’
And one joked: ‘Just proves that chatgpt has a long way to go still.’
The debate is just the latest shot fired in the long and hotly contested cream tea conflict.
In 2010, campaigners from Devon applied to have the ‘Devon cream tea’ given Protected Designation of Origin under EU law.
The move sparked a row with Cornwall about which county first invented the traditional afternoon combination of tea, scones, clotted cream and jam.
In 2018 the National Trust angered its Cornish supporters by promoting a Mother’s Day cream tea at a Cornish property with a picture of a scone with cream spread beneath the jam – the Devon way.
In a statement, Lanhydrock House and Garden apologised for ‘any offence caused’ by the photo.
A spokesman added: ‘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.’
