No stay in Devon is complete without a traditional Cream Tea so what better way to start your holiday at Twistgates Farm Cottages than to enjoy the one we offer you?  The freshly baked scones are made in the aga, the clotted cream is as local as possible and the jam is homemade here at Twistgates.

We grow our own soft fruit, mainly strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries and blackcurrants. Sometimes it’s a bit of a battle between us and the blackbirds as to who gets to them first, and now Basil (the golden retriever) has been added to the competition as he has developed a liking for gooseberries that he helps himself to if given the chance. The strawberry crop isn’t large this year – most of the plants are either too young or too old, but we have a bumper crop of blackcurrants so there will be home-made jam!!!

The scone recipe I use comes from an old and very dog-eared cookery book of my mother’s and the strawberry jam recipe is one that I was introduced to when I went on a Jam and Pickle making course at nearby River Cottage. We’re only 25 minutes to Axminster, aka Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall territory, so if you are a foodie visit their website and include a visit  when on a holiday or short break here in one of our self-catering cottages.

And finally, what is the correct way to eat a cream tea – cream before jam or jam before cream? Personally, I think there is only one way, and that’s the Devon way of cream before jam (but it tastes good the other way).