In search of the ultimate cream tea #1
Here at Dumpling HQ we’re constantly on the lookout for the ultimate cream tea. It’s becoming something of an obsession in fact. Everyone has their own criteria for scone based greatness and here are our must haves:
1. Warm scone. Homemade, obvs.
2. Plain not fruity. I know, I know, I’m partial to a fruit scone too but…
3. Strawberry jam. Lots!
4. Clotted cream. Essential!
5. China crockery.
6. A relaxing atmosphere with that I’m-on-my-hols vibe.
Which brings us rather neatly to our recent visit to Worth Matravers Tea & Supper Room. Like most of our discoveries it was a happy accident. We’d actually come to this part of the county to visit the caves at nearby Winspit. But not realising ‘nearby’ actually meant a mile and half hike (that seemed like ten when accompanying three kids age 12, 8 and 4) by the time we were heading back to our car we were in desperate sweaty need of a calming pot of tea and something cake-like (hard drugs not being easy to come by in this part of Dorset). So it was something of a pleasant surprise to find this little gem more than fit the bill. It’s been here forever apparently and it’s reputation is already known in foodie circles but to us virgin Dumplings, after an afternoon refereeing our children fighting and stopping them falling off precipitous cliffs and assuring them that no, this is so much better than Xbox, it was a welcome revelation of biblical proportions.
Inside is all bunting and delicate crockery, ‘chintzy’ is probably the right word for it but in a really good way.
But as tempting as all this was, it was too nice a day to be stuck indoors so we marched the kids through to the exquisite, flowered tea garden out the back and proceeded to stuff our faces with superb scones that ticked all of the above criteria. Not even our youngest getting locked in the outside toilet and serenading the other customers with a loud medley from Frozen while awaiting help could spoil our visit.
If feeling sick is the mark of a good meal, as Mrs. Dumpling constantly assures me it is, then this was a VERY good meal indeed.
The best cream tea in Dorset then? Mmm, possibly.
The search continues…
PS: They do evening meals too. Now where did I put our babysitter’s number…?
Worth Matravers Tea & Supper Room
Worth Matravers
Swanage
Dorset
BH19 3LQ
T: 01929 439 368
Dorset Dumpling 