Jam on cream or cream on jam? Maitland's Marise Coyle has weighed in to the great "scone etiquette" debate and reckons it's jam first with cream on top.
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And she should know.
The mother of two (plus two adored whippets) has been baking scones for years, and since August 2020 has been delivering them to an appreciative Maitland community through her home business, Boxed Scones.
Two box sizes are offered - the small box has 10 scones and the large has 24 - and during lockdown delivery is within the Maitland local government area only.
She hopes that will change as soon as restrictions lift.
Coyle makes and sells five flavours: plain, chocolate chunk, white chocolate and cranberry, date, and caramilk.
Her personal favourite? The plain scone.
"I always have fond memories of Nan baking scones. I would just sit and watch her make them - and eat them, of course," Coyle told Food & Wine.
"My Mum was a great home cook but it was the one thing she said she could never master, so if we had scones it was Nan who always baked them.
"It's a lovely memory I hold. It takes me back to her kitchen in Sydney."
Coyle, who says she worked in hospitality in her "younger years", came up with the Boxed Scones idea during last year's COVID lockdown.
"I've been baking scones for years, always for my family or as gifts. A little special delivery to friends to let them know I was thinking of them," she said.
"Not many people knew I baked but it was always something that I liked doing and I was good at it.
"When COVID hit I had plenty of time at home, so I thought I'd put myself out there and start doing it professionally and see if people wanted it."
It turned out they did.
"Business is going well and we definitely get a lot more orders during a lockdown. I have a lot of returning customers," she said.
"I would love it to be a full-time thing - I'm working on it. At the moment I'm baking Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
"The scones are baked fresh each day and delivered in the morning.
"I definitely have plans to grow the business. I have the most beautiful little scone trailer and it's completely set up to bake fresh scones on-site.
"I'm looking forward to markets happening again and that's where I'll be serving up my scones just out of the oven with a choice of jams and cream."
She says the secret to a good scone - without giving too much away - is the correct temperature.
"All my ingredients are cold. The butter, especially, has to be cold, and I handle them as little as possible."
Email boxedscones@gmail.com to order, or follow Boxed Scones on Instagram and Facebook.
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