It is a question that has the ability to provoke fierce arguments between even the closest of friends: How do you pronounce the word ‘scone’?
But cooking doyenne Mary Berry might have just put an end to the decades of disagreement by declaring it must rhyme with ‘gone’.
The 83-year-old TV star divided fans when she shared her opinion on tonight’s episode of her new BBC show, Britain’s Best Home Cook.
Some declared the ‘debate was over’ because the ‘queen of baking had spoken’. But others hit back in impassioned tweets, insisting that it should rhyme with ‘cone’.
The former Great British Bake Off Host then managed to spark a second debate when she refused to dip a stone into a bowl of soup, quipping: ‘I’m not a dunker’.
Mary Berry divided fans when she shared her opinion on tonight’s episode of her new show, Britain’s Best Home Cook. Some declared she had put an end to decades of disagreement
Claudia Winkleman presented the second round of the culinary contest where contestants were tasked with making dishes with fish, squash and a roulade.
In the squash challenge Katie produced a bowl of butternut squash and pancetta soup with a savoury cheese and butternut squash scone.
As Mary picked up the scone to break off a bite, she asked Katie: ‘Are we a “scone” or a “scone”?’
Katie confirmed she rhymed the word with gone and Mary responded: ‘I’m “scone” too.’
Mary Berry said that she believed that ‘scone’ rhymed with ‘gone’ rather than ‘cone’
Viewers tweeted passionately on both sides, arguing fiercely from both
But her co-hosts, produce expert Chris Bevan and chef Dan Doherty, both disagreed, saying scone rhymed with cone.
Viewers watching at home were quick to join in the debate. One tweeted: ‘Mary berry has ended the debate on how to pronounce scone (as in gone).’
‘Mary Berry pronounces “scone” like “gone” or “scon”. Not “stone” or “throne”. There we go. The Queen of baking has spoken,’ wrote another.
Another said: ‘It’s scone… as in gone. Not scone… as in stone.’
But others were firmly with Chris and Dan: ‘Scone rhymes with stone and bone. Otherwise, if it was a scon it would have to be a ston or a bon.’
‘Scone as in bone. It’s the magic e rule, did people not learn this at school?’ said another.
Fresh disagreement arose when Mary revealed she would not dunk the scone into the accompanying soup.
The pronunciation
As her co-hosts tucked into the flavoursome dish, Mary quipped: ‘I am not a dunker, by the way.’
One viewer joked: ‘Mary – not a dunker. What kind of monster is she?’
However all judges agreed that Katie’s soup was very impressive and she later made it to the next round, with her fellow contestant Q being sent home.
In the past many have assumed that the pronunciation of the word ‘scone’ comes down to social class with ‘scone rhyme with cone’ considered more posh.
The former Great British Bake Off Host then managed to spark a second debate when she refused to dip a stone into a bowl of soup, quipping: ‘I’m not a dunker’
The savoury cheese scone was the perfect accompaniment to the soup but Mary refused to dip it in the bowl
It caused a huge debate on Twitter as people tried to figure out the ‘correct’ way, with others joking about Mary Berry not being a ‘dunker’
A 2016 YouGov poll however stated the key to was all down to where you grew up.
Those who rhyme the word with gone predominantly live in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the North of England, whereas those who pronounce it like cone are found in Southern Ireland, London and the Midlands.
The rest of the country is a mixture of both – including Somerset, where Mary is from.
Britain’s Best Home Cook returns next Tuesday on BBC One at 8pm