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Original poster

To be raging at shortbread instead of pastries?

208 replies

pinotnow · 12/06/2025 09:40

I am at a conference type event. As a teacher I rarely get to come on this type of thing. I've looked forward to the pastries on arrival throughout the two hour drive. I'm here and there are no pastries. It's biscuits of a shortbread type, which I don't like anyway and are not appropriate as a substitute for pastries. I haven't eaten so it's going to be a long morning until lunch, which I now have concerns about anyway.

Why is everything so relentlessly fucking shit now?

OP posts:
Dominicus · 12/06/2025 16:28

Our Boss (probably expenses) used to buy the team pastries on Friday mornings occasionally or pizza at lunchtime. We all got a coffee and pastry on the morning after the Xmas party as thanks for making it in.
It really did make a difference to morale even though I’m sure we could all afford the occasional pastry ourselves.

MumbleBumbleAppleCrumble · 12/06/2025 16:21

Illegally18 · 12/06/2025 15:52

I love shortbread. If you have her recipe, I would be delighted to have it.....

Show quote history

Sadly, it’s not her recipe - which was actually her mother’s (my great grandmother was a cook in a stately home in the early 1900s) - that seems to be the thing, as that seems to just be the run of the mill shortbread recipe, it was her magic touch!

Disturbia81 · 12/06/2025 15:58

Everyone needs these little lifts in life to make things worthwhile, I would be disappointed too if it was the norm!

Disturbia81 · 12/06/2025 15:58

Everyone needs these little lifts in life to make things worthwhile, I would be disappointed too if it was the norm!

Disturbia81 · 12/06/2025 15:57

Everyone needs these little lifts in life to make things worthwhile, I would be disappointed too if it was the norm!

Disturbia81 · 12/06/2025 15:57

Everyone needs these little lifts in life to make things worthwhile, I would be disappointed too if it was the norm!

Mansionscoldandgrey · 12/06/2025 15:55

YANBU
I feel your pain (au chocolat), and I would be very croiss(ant) in your situation 😔

Illegally18 · 12/06/2025 15:52

MumbleBumbleAppleCrumble · 12/06/2025 09:49

Also, all those people saying that shortbread is shit. It’s like those people who say sex is a bit dull: you’re either crazy or you’re not doing it right. Good shortbread is the stuff of dreams. Soft, sweet, crumbly. My grandmother used to make the absolute best.

I love shortbread. If you have her recipe, I would be delighted to have it.....

AmazingBouncingFerret · 12/06/2025 15:40

My most recent was a big quarterly meet-up at some hotel right near St Paul’s cathedral. Had afternoon tea which included tiny little cheesecakes. I would have happily slapped the head of retail ops for the last New York style baked one.

I probably would have been very loud in my complaints if there had been no pastries first thing.

TheShadowOfTheWizard · 12/06/2025 15:38

I work at corporate events and this is what the organiser has agreed to and paid for. Likely cheaper than pastries too. I find our conference biccies much better than the ones from the shop, surprisingly so. Hope you got a good feed at lunch.

whatsappdoc · 12/06/2025 15:26

Hope you've filled in the feedback form and let them have both barrels. What is the world coming to?

FOJN · 12/06/2025 15:23

FreyjaOfTheNorth · 12/06/2025 14:31

relax! You’re about to be off work for 6 weeks. The rest of us would give you all the pastries in the world to trade places and have the summer off.

Like hell I would, not for twice pay and three times the summer holiday.

FOJN · 12/06/2025 15:21

pinotnow · 12/06/2025 13:18

No mints or foxes fruits on the tables either, ffs

Lunch has been OK aside from a weird beef kofta thing that looked like...well, you can guess. But now there's no fucking post Lunch tea or coffee. We're going to have to wait until 2 fucking 30 ..

OMG no post lunch tea or coffee? That is a scandal.

Call the Daily Mail, this demands a sad faced photo of you holding an empty mug and plate. Perhaps a MNetter more creative than I could prep a headline in readiness.

MumbleBumbleAppleCrumble · 12/06/2025 15:20

pinotnow · 12/06/2025 13:18

No mints or foxes fruits on the tables either, ffs

Lunch has been OK aside from a weird beef kofta thing that looked like...well, you can guess. But now there's no fucking post Lunch tea or coffee. We're going to have to wait until 2 fucking 30 ..

Must admit that if I have to go to a conference the first thing I do is look at what’s one and plan possible coffee shop, etc. escapes. ‘Well the first two bits look interesting, but might skip the third and find somewhere for a quick coffee, back for 4, then lunch, but 5 looks eye wateringly dull (post lunch stroll?) and back for the rest of it. Oooh, and tomorrow has a mid- morning group work session… oh but isn’t there that gallery I’ve been wanting to visit just round the corner from here…’

chocolatemademefat · 12/06/2025 15:12

I can only pray you get over the trauma! 😉

Slatterndisgrace · 12/06/2025 15:09

FluffykinsTheFerociousFeralFelineFury · 12/06/2025 15:07

Will these help?

Cruel.

FluffykinsTheFerociousFeralFelineFury · 12/06/2025 15:07

Will these help?

To be raging at shortbread instead of pastries?
rosemarble · 12/06/2025 14:47

FreyjaOfTheNorth · 12/06/2025 14:31

relax! You’re about to be off work for 6 weeks. The rest of us would give you all the pastries in the world to trade places and have the summer off.

You could train to be a teacher.

Oh and please don't speak for the rest of us.

FreyjaOfTheNorth · 12/06/2025 14:31

relax! You’re about to be off work for 6 weeks. The rest of us would give you all the pastries in the world to trade places and have the summer off.

Gyozas · 12/06/2025 14:19

Shortbread is delicious! I make it and it’s so buttery, and then I dunk it in chocolate. So good.

But probably if you’ve your heart set on stale-and-yet-strangely-damp conference pastries, then shortbread might be a bit of a disappointment.

MyKingdomForACat · 12/06/2025 14:01

Lonelydave · 12/06/2025 13:27

Many, many moons ago, when I was working in the city, after a particularly hectic 48 hours, servers going down, deals closing over night, time bars on lots of things, we had to attend a general conference/security thingy hosted by the City corporation - fortunately, these we the days when you could still purchase hip flasks and local establishments were happy to fill them up!

Show quote history

Nice one ❤️

Slatterndisgrace · 12/06/2025 13:55

pinotnow · 12/06/2025 13:18

No mints or foxes fruits on the tables either, ffs

Lunch has been OK aside from a weird beef kofta thing that looked like...well, you can guess. But now there's no fucking post Lunch tea or coffee. We're going to have to wait until 2 fucking 30 ..

I hope you’ve fucking well told them.

RuledbytheWashingMachine · 12/06/2025 13:43

I absolutely agree!

We are members of a food network which is supposedly all about quality local produce. So think top chefs, craft gin, artisanal bakeries, fancy delis etc.

At the last meeting, they arranged a buffet comprised of kids birthday / frozen beige food 🤮

Lonelydave · 12/06/2025 13:29

pinotnow · 12/06/2025 13:18

No mints or foxes fruits on the tables either, ffs

Lunch has been OK aside from a weird beef kofta thing that looked like...well, you can guess. But now there's no fucking post Lunch tea or coffee. We're going to have to wait until 2 fucking 30 ..

This is now the thin end of the wedge, what on earth is the world coming to? I'd start taking photographs now, and be forewarning HR.....

Lonelydave · 12/06/2025 13:27

MyKingdomForACat · 12/06/2025 12:45

Is there gin?

Many, many moons ago, when I was working in the city, after a particularly hectic 48 hours, servers going down, deals closing over night, time bars on lots of things, we had to attend a general conference/security thingy hosted by the City corporation - fortunately, these we the days when you could still purchase hip flasks and local establishments were happy to fill them up!