NT they've really gone and done it now!

No rosesarered I'm new to posting on here - I came on for a bit before joining but am finding posting a bit different - you have to think harder about what people mean or why they've said it if you are going to post rather than if you're just reading and maybe composing a reply in your head. I referred to the Guardian because someone else had posted the link and the article summed up my views on this issue. I don't think any paper or TV channel or radio station is perfect although some are ( much) better than others but I do still miss the Independent. What I still find tricky on here is sometimes knowing when something is meant to be amusing - I'm trying to remember to use if I'm ( trying ) to be funny. Also it's disconcerting if you ask a question and don't get an answer. The other thing is it being obvious ( I think) that there's some history and back story and have no idea what it is

Will a certain purveyor of country clothing in Penrith will be sweating in case the NT leap on them for their Cragside bobble hat, I wonder?

Sunflower seeds, nuts, muesli?......are we all budgies?
Bring back cream teas.

Are you a new poster Maryeliza or have you passed this way before?If you are new, then welcome.
We are not all serious ( all the time) on here, nor do we all revere The Guardian.Or even read it.

Just think of all the placenames in England they could try to patent.
Actually, I hope they haven't already!

Tizliz
Potty!!

I thought of joining the NT but who's to say what madness they'll do next? Perhaps we'll all be having to wear lanyards and only eat raw veg in their cafes. What a weird bunch at the top - a bit out of touch if you ask me [which noone has!]

The National Trust of Scotland can be equally controversial

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-40842674

I have sunflower seeds on my oat muesli breakfast along with other seeds, dried fruit, nuts - but no sugar or golden syrup so it is not a deconstructed flapjack.

suzieD why indeed!

We went to one property, it was quite a walk down to the house from the car park and the light lunch menu looked very good. We ordered lunch, sat outside and waited and waited. Eventually went in and asked a waitress but she had no idea where our lunch was, said she would chase it up. Waited and waited then went and asked for the manager who said our order had been 'forgotten'. Lunch arrived eventually and the manager said 'I apologise, next time you come here ask for me and you can have afternoon tea free of charge'.
As we've not been back we haven't had our tea and doubt anyone will remember.

Not even a free flapjack.

Also meant to say MB that I was really amused by your OP - I did see it was tongue in cheek and was surprised at some of the more poker faced responses to it. I just don't get GN humour - a funny topic is treated seriously and a serious topic is treated in an inappropriately light hearted way in my opinion. So far it's been safe on the Glen Campbell thread

My OP was
#righteousindignation

I'm not sure all the comments on here were tongue in cheek - they certainly weren't on the other two threads. The Guardian article got it just right in my opinion.

Me neither RAR - not an NT member either but usually visit a property on their annual open day. National Heritage also have an open weekend annually.

Is there a need for a "tongue in cheek" emoticon Maryeliza or is the Grauniad just being pedantic?
"Hysteria" over a flapjack? Perish the thought.

Thanks for the link durhamjen - sums up many of the comments here and on the other two threads.

Why are NT and EH tearooms so slow in service and so expensive? We always take a flask/ picnic when we go to a property. When in Italy recently I discovered NT members could get in free at the Italian equivalent. We went to a gorgeous villa in Milan ( Villa Necchi if you are ever in that neck of the woods), the cafe there was a proper restaurant in a beautiful conservatory, white table cloths, handsome waiters, a wine list etc and full of people who make it a lunch destination. It was brilliant, so unlike our own dear NT tearooms.

By the way, I also use sunflower seeds. Super delicious.

Dare I say I sometimes use carob?

I tell you what is delicious; use a flapjack recipe, then put half of it in the tin, cover with cooked dried apricots or dates, then cover with the rest of the flapjack mixture.
Dried apricot is the one I preferred.

Cranks uses sugar, as does Bero.

If that's all it is, why are people complaining about them reducing sugar by 20%?

Oh dj, did you actually read the link? They're putting seeds and things in...

"The new version, introduced in recent months, contains only 165g (3oz) of golden syrup and 135g (5oz) of caster sugar, and features pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and poppy seeds plus chopped apricots and liquidised peaches."

That is not a flapjack. It sounds delicious but it's not a flapjack [grrr]

Beetroot chocolate cake, courgette and lime cake, carrot cake, all part of your 5 (or 7 or 10) a day

No sugar in a traditional flapjack, just golden syrup.
And probably not nuts although I love DIL's version with chunky nuts. And chopped apricots.

I never used butter, by the way, to make it suitable for vegans.

Very kind of you to tell me what flapjack is, Monica.
If that's all it is, why are people complaining about them reducing sugar by 20%? Sugar is superfluous according to you.
If they'd talked to their visitors, I doubt whether any of them would have suggested putting beetroot in chocolate cake, but that's where I first tasted it, and it was and is delicious.

dj. A flap jack is essentially oats butter and syrup, and should be meltingly buttery and syrupy when put in the mouth, which I am sure yours were, all you needed to do if you cut the sugar, was up the butter, A few extras can be stirred into flapjacks; dried, fruit or a few nuts, or even chocolate on top, although some purists would 'tut' over that.

The item the NT want to replace it with sounds delicious but by the time they have added all their extras, it really isn't a flapjack anymore and should not be so described.

Like most people, I only eat the occasional flapjack, so the amount of sugar in it, when added to the amount of sugar I usually eat, is unlikely to exceed any government approved limit.

What the National Trust doesn't seem to understand is that
its cafes are discretionary eating venues and account for an insignificant proportion of its visitors food consumption in a year. Eating in their cafes is a small treat as part of a day out, for most probably less than 6 times a year.

When you go there most people want something, naughty but nice - a scone with lots of jam and cream, a rich cake, or possibly just a nice lunch that is better than a bought sandwich and you do not have to prepare it yourself.

If they tried talking to their visitors, instead of just giving us what they think is good for us, we would all be a lot happier.