The Cream Tea of Champions!

Rachel Hammond reviewed our recent Chat and Eat evening – a delicious and informal cream tea hosted at The Waymarker near Constantine. 
I wasn’t sure what to expect from a Potluck Cornwall evening. I’d heard good things about the Cornwall foodie club and was inspired to attend a Persian evening after reading Taor’s blog back in January. That turned out to be one of my best 5 minutes online – it led to a really memorable evening with delicious food and new friends made.
And that is the ethos of Potluck Cornwall: people making new connections and a room humming with glorious tastes and lively chatter. And all of it born from a shared love of food. As a self-confessed cream tea connoisseur I was delighted to be invited to the event at The Waymarker. This is a lovely restaurant in a stunning location with a strong reputation for good food – and a top-notch cream tea. I was not at all disappointed... but more of that later!

The Waymarker situated outside Constantine, between Penryn and Gweek, The Waymarker is set in one of Cornwall’s secret rural locations. Wildlife thrives and Rhiannon has done a fantastic job of making nature welcome. The birdsong was loud and a heady backdrop to a warm spring night and we were lucky enough to be treated to the sight of a red woodpecker soon after our arrival.

Potluck Cornwall Nights offer a chance to sample lovely food, but Taor also arranges for a guest speaker to join the group. Often with a foodie focus, the talk lends an additional dimension to the evenings and are great conversation starters themselves!
Our food on this night was a Cream Tea, and the guest speaker was Neil from Bordh Tables, who makes bespoke tables using surfboard technology. This was a hugely entertaining interlude and my own take-away from the night was simple. JFDI*: a mantra for anyone with a bright idea. Especially if it comes after a night with friends on a beach and fueled with beer. And yes, I have had a couple of those over the years… 

No cream tea in Cornwall is complete without an assembly discussion. And, having spent many of my early years in Devon, I sometimes forget to fly the flag for team Jam First. And it turns out Neil is Plymothian so our table talk gave way to some lively debate about the merits of jam first – or otherwise.

Whichever way they were eaten, the scones were met with universal approval – and I can see why The Waymarker has won awards! As you can see from the photographs, portions are generous and the cinnamon version delicious beyond belief. Boddingtons Jam and Roddas cream are, for me, the very best toppings for a scone and so I was delighted to see both of these on the menu.
With teacups refilled and drained and with the night drawing in, our evening was coming to a close. Friendships were formed, the chatter was light-hearted and it seemed a shame for the night to pass. I spoke with several people who were regulars at events and others, like myself, who were first- timers. We all agreed that it was a fantastic night and a lovely way to informally meet people.

Taor’s enthusiasm for shared food experiences and Rhiannon’s pride in her cosy restaurant were infectious. The evening was a treat from start to finish and very well organised, it ran without a hitch. And now that The Waymarker is on my map, I will certainly be making return visits, for bird watching, for cakes or cream teas – and most likely for a roast with visiting friends!

This was my first taste of a Potluck Cornwall foodie evening – but it certainly won’t be the last.

*JFDI: a mantra to live by. Just ****** Do It!

Rachel is a freelance writer for MumsNet Local and writes lifestyle blogs for local businesses

Contact her at hammond35@outlook.com

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