Monday, August 28, 2006

Radio4 goes silly on cream teas

Woke this morning as usual to the Today programme on BBC Radio Four.

At least I think I was awake.

Top presenter Jim Naughtie was covering the story on everyone's lips...no, not the explosion in a Turkish resort which has injured an unknown number of British holidaymakers, nor the latest British soldier killed in action...

In a prime spot on the nation's premiere agenda-setting news programme, the subject under scrutiny was...scones. Or more precisely - and bizarrely - what goes on them. And when.

I kid you not.

Jim Naughtie spent several minutes interviewing a panel of "experts" who argued whether strawberry jam should be spread first on the scone, followed by clotted cream, or vice-versa.

I know it's supposed to be the silly season with not much real news around, and I don't want to be a grumpy old man...

But surely the time and place for a debate on scones is not prime time Today programme.

At this rate, tomorrow Jim could fill a few minutes with: the great British cuppa, milk or tea-bag first.

Next day: Jim Naughtie discovers which came first, the chicken or the egg...

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Phil, I think you have identified why we like Radio 4 so much.

fairdealphil said...

so what's the answer brynley? jam or cream?

Anonymous said...

I think The Jam have the edge.

Anonymous said...

i always put cream first, then the jam, if real cornwall clotted cream is available. if not, i spin into an uncontrollable rage.

Anonymous said...

tim, I'm sending you on an anger management course until your uncontrollable rage is scone.

Anonymous said...

Tea bag! The water must be boiling to make tea: no milk until tea is made!

As for scones: jam then cream. With Rodda's cream, though, it can easily be the other way round. Flabby cream will fall off and take the jam with it if put on first.

Mark
(just back from Cornwall)

Anonymous said...

You see, Phil, you're wrong about the relative importance of cream teas. There have been more responses about this than about anything else in your Blog!

fairdealphil said...

Samantha

Bruno the Champion donkey is not doing too bad for responses either...

Bet he likes cream teas!