Neiman-Marcus cookies...interesting e-mail

@foxyfire33 (10005)
United States
July 8, 2008 4:05pm CST
This is kind of long and might be viewed as a 'v' by some people, but it's not really. I just got this e-mail from a friend. It's a pretty interesting story. I kind of knew where it was leading before the point was actually made. I have no idea if there's any truth behind it...that's why I'm posting it in it's entirety here! Have you seen this before? Do you think it's true? Would you pay that kind of money for a recipe? If it is true, should Neiman_marcus refund the woman's money? Could a lawsuit be brought by either side?....see this really is a discussion! [b]When decent people get screwed over, this is the result! A little background: Neiman-Marcus, if you don't know already, is a very expensive store; I.e., they sell your typical $8.00 T-shirt for $50.00. Let's let them have it! THIS IS A TRUE STORY! My daughter and I had just finished a salad at a Neiman-Marcus Cafe in Dallas , and we decided to have a small dessert. Because both of us are such cookie lovers, we decided to try the 'Neiman-Marcus cookie.' It was so excellent that I asked if they would give me the recipe, and the waitress said with a small frown, 'I'm afraid not, but you can buy The Recipe.' Well, I asked how much, and she responded; "Only two fifty - it's a great deal!" I agreed to that, and told her to just add it to my Tab. Thirty days later, I received my VISA statement, and the Neiman-Marcus Charge was $285.00! I looked again, and I remembered I had only spent $9.95 for two salads and about $20.00 for a scarf.. As I glanced at the bottom of the statement, it said, " Cookie Recipe-$250.00. " That was outrageous! I called Neiman's Accounting Department and told them the waitress said it was " two fifty " , which clearly does not mean 'two hundred and fifty dollars' by any reasonable interpretation of the phrase. Neiman-Marcus refused to budge. They would not refund my money because, according to them, 'What the waitress told you is not our problem. You have already seen the Recipe. We absolutely will not refund your money at this point.' I explained to the Accounting Department lady the criminal statutes which govern fraud in the State of Texas I threatened to report them to the Better Business Bureau and the Texas Attorney General's office for engaging in fraud. I was basically told, " Do what you want. Don't bother thinking of how you can get even, and don't bother trying to get any of your money back.' I just said, 'Okay, you folks got my $250, and now I'm going to have $250 worth of fun.' I told her that I was going to see to it that every Cookie Lover in the United States with an e-mail account has a $250 cookie recipe from Neiman-Marcus...for free. She replied, 'I wish you wouldn't do this.' I said, 'Well, perhaps you should have thought of that before you ripped me off!' and slammed down the phone. So here it is! Please, please, please pass it on to everyone you can possibly think of. I paid $250 for this, and I don't want Neiman-Marcus to EVER make another penny off of this recipe! NEIMAN-MARCUS COOKIES (Recipe may be halved) 2 cups butter 24 oz. Chocolate chips 4 cups flour 2 cups brown sugar 2 tsp. Soda 1 tsp. Salt 2 cups sugar 1 - 8 oz. Hershey Bar (grated) 5 cups blended oatmeal 4 eggs 2 tsp.. Baking powder 2 tsp. Vanilla 3 cups chopped nuts (your choice) Measure oatmeal, and blend in a blender to a fine powder. Cream the butter and both sugars. Add eggs and vanilla, mix together with flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and soda. Add chocolate chips , Hershey bar, and nuts. Roll into balls, and place two inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees. Makes 112 cookies[/b] So there it is, what do you think?
3 people like this
21 responses
@lilybug (21107)
• United States
8 Jul 08
I am glad that she is sticking it to Neiman-Marcus. I personally so not think that recipe is worth $250. There is nothing special about that recipe.
1 person likes this
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
8 Jul 08
It is a pretty basic recipe...no "secret ingredient" that no one would have ever thought to put in a cookie. I'm also curious what happened to the waitress since it was her misleading statement that started it all.
1 person likes this
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
8 Jul 08
oops...see my 2nd comment on #1
1 person likes this
@lilybug (21107)
• United States
9 Jul 08
Oh, well so what if it was not true. It was funny!
1 person likes this
@DonnaLawson (4032)
• United States
9 Jul 08
Boy, oh boy, I have the recipe, maybe I can make a batch and start my own business.. How much does one of these very expensive hoity-toity cookies cost at Neiman Marcus. lol, I am going to go into business for myself.. I do have it saved on my computer so that I may make a batch, but to be honest with you, they can't be that much better than most cookies, even the ones baked by grandma.. Good going, I do hope you get your revenge on them big time, I can't stand a snob..
1 person likes this
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
9 Jul 08
It wasn't me...it was just an email...apparently others have made them and said they were "alright".
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
9 Jul 08
This has GOT to be one of the first chain emails I ever got,and that's going back maybe 10 years !
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
9 Jul 08
Thanks for sharing.
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
10 Jul 08
Even if the story were true, Who would sign a credit card voucher in a restaurant without noticing an overcharge of $250? (I think this story predates electronic authorisation machines..)
@MH4444 (2161)
• United States
9 Jul 08
Well, thanks for the recipe anyway. Wow, that's odd. First of all, I can't believe they actually sell the recipe. Second, that's really pricey for a recipe. Then, perhaps the waitress stole the money herself? I will have to try the recipe. (I never got into name brand myself).
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
9 Jul 08
Even if it had been true, I thought it was a lot for a recipe too...even if it is supposed to be a big fancy name brand. I mean would a person with $250 to spend on a recipe even have any interest in actually baking cookies themselves? Probably not...maybe their personal chef would do it though, otherwise it seems like they'd just have a box of cookies delivered to them.
@MH4444 (2161)
• United States
9 Jul 08
Yes, and more to the point: The fact that they just love cookies and then hate Neiman Marcus and yet.... You get the point. I got that it wasn't a real story; just email. Still, I don't think the situation would really happen you know?
@freedomg (1684)
• United States
9 Jul 08
I love it! You are well within your rights to be mad as heck and to post this recipe. I've printed it out so I'll have it if they delete you. Be careful though that you don't get sued. Good luck and never change. You rock!
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
9 Jul 08
It wasn't me, it was an email I got. Everyone has been quite content pointing out that it isn't true at all. But yes, if the woman in the story was real and the events in the email actually happened...then yes, she had every right to be mad and do what she did.
@MH4444 (2161)
• United States
9 Jul 08
Great response. I'd rate this one tops myself if it were me.
@Marley76 (109)
• United States
9 Jul 08
I hate to be the party pooper, but this email is a Fake. I even saw a show on the Discovery channel or one of those channels cant remember which, that talked about how this was not true and it never happened. It was some show about Urban Legends. I got the email about 5 years ago. I made the cookies and they were Okay. Not the best, not the worst. I think I still have the recipe somewhere. I never passed it on though. I really don't care that it is not real, it is about COOKIES!! And I love those. So enjoy the cookies.
1 person likes this
@missybal (4490)
• United States
9 Jul 08
That is what they call a $250 recipe??? Well it sounds okay not all that complicated. I'm going to make some tomorrow and then send this story and the recipe to everyone I know! That is what I call poetic justice!!! Love this discussion, good job!!!
@missybal (4490)
• United States
9 Jul 08
Okay so I fell for it! Usually I read more than the topic but didn't this time before posting however I have seen a lot of things priced beyond belief and really this story is not that far of a stretch. I've heard of recipes costing an arm and a leg... just think what the cost would be for the recipe for coca-cola. For a recipe I would never pay a cent no matter what it was. You can find tons for free. However I would think maybe they would sell the recipe for only $2.50 and I would be one of those people who would think when someone says two fifty for a recipe they mean $2.50 not $250.
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
9 Jul 08
LOL...yeah sorry about that! While doing the copy/paste part I intended to revise what I wrote and go to snopes but I forgot until after I hit the post button. Any way I'm sure there are free recipes out there that are so similar to "trade marked" ones that it would be pretty stupid to pay $250 or even $2.50 for a recipe. And I agree that the wording in the story does seem misleading if it had really happened.
@GardenGerty (157546)
• United States
9 Jul 08
This e mail has gone around many times. It is not true at all. Snopes.com is where I learned that. I think it makes a pretty good cookie, though.
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
9 Jul 08
I have heard...
@wachit14 (3595)
• United States
9 Jul 08
I always check Snopes.com before I decide if a story is true or not, and sure enough, this one is false. However, the cookie recipe sounds delicious and one I've never seen before. Thanks for posting it.
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
9 Jul 08
You're welcome
@guss2000 (2232)
• United States
11 Jul 08
I'm not sure if this is true or not. I think i read something like this a while back-- but it was for a different company-- perhaps Nordstrom? I feel like going to snopes and looking it up.
@snowy22315 (169834)
• United States
8 Jul 08
I will use it and enjoy it. I will also boycott Neiman Marcus for you. I dont really shop there so it will be easy for me. I would post it wherever I can to make up for their skullduggery. That really bites!! I wouldnt give up on the attorney generals office either.
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
8 Jul 08
Oh, it wasn't me! I just got the email from someone else. I do hope she persues it further if this is a true story.
1 person likes this
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
8 Jul 08
lol...check out my 2nd comment to #1...I made a blunder
1 person likes this
• United States
9 Jul 08
Ya my mom received this email a couple of years ago. We printed it off and made are own batch and it was wonderful so now we make up lots so we can freeze them and eat them during the hot summer days cold.
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
9 Jul 08
Wow, that's a great idea for any cookie recipe! Thanks for sharing that.
• United States
9 Jul 08
ya its a great idea. As a kid growing up I always looked forward to getting one of moms cookies out oft the freezer.
• Alexandria, Virginia
9 Jul 08
assuming you are not making thiw up, challenge the matter with your credit card as an unauthorized charge i do no think commercial places are selling their propietary information
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
9 Jul 08
Try reading next time
@Marley76 (109)
• United States
9 Jul 08
I hate to be the part pooper but this is a fake email. I has been going around for year. I think I even saw something on the Discovry Channel how this is not real and it never happened. It was some show on Urban Legends. I got this email about 7 years ago. I didn't pass it on but I made the cookies. They were okay. Not the best cookies, not the worst. So it may not be real but hey its for cookies so who cares.
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
9 Jul 08
You weren't a party pooper several others already pointed out that fact as did I before them. The recipe sounds good but maybe not amazingly good, just ordinary.
@ebsharer (5515)
• United States
8 Jul 08
Sorry but its not a real receipe. I shouldn't say it like that you can really use it. It really will make cookies but its not really from Neiman-Marcus. Here is a link to tell you more about it... http://www.snopes.com/business/consumer/cookie.asp
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
9 Jul 08
Yep, we already established that. Thanks!
@Trace86 (5030)
• United States
8 Jul 08
http://www.snopes.com/business/consumer/cookie.asp I know that it is a fake story, but do you think the recipe is any good? It would be great if it were true, wouldn't it? Will you try it and let us know? I can't bake to save my life, so I would ruin them to start with. I wonder how the dough would taste raw. That is one of my favorite treats.
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
8 Jul 08
Yeah I already checked snopes...forgot about it until after I hit the "post discussion" button. I tend to mess up when I divide recipes so I'm a little scared to try....and I don't know what I'd do with 112 cookies if they turned out to be hoorible! I might get brave and try it, I just haven't decided yet.
1 person likes this
• United States
11 Jul 08
sounds like a mighty fine cookie to me :))) I love the ground oatmeal i think I shall have to try this 250.00 recipe
• United States
8 Jul 08
Foxy I got this recipe when this was on the net about two years ago. OMG talk about some good cookies, they are melt in your mouth yummy lisceous One hint I will give you, Keep the cook time to the lowest amount, this way they are soft. You just have to try them. Hugs Marilyn
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
9 Jul 08
I do like soft, melt in your mouth cookies! Maybe I will do up a batch in a couple weeks when I have the extra money for the ingredients. Thanks for sharing your experience.
1 person likes this
• South Africa
9 Jul 08
Ok, I'm going ignore the fact that this letter has been proven false on Snopes and talk about the silly woman in it because that is the point I find interesting. In what way does "two fifty" not mean $250? Does she really expect to get what would usually be described as a trade secret for less than the cookie probably cost? If she was stupid enough to agree to pay the price for an overpriced cookie recipe, that is in no way the person who sold it to her's fault. She knew it was an expensive place when she walked in. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn't true.
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
9 Jul 08
You make a very valid point. It seems ridiculous to think anything would cost $2.50 at an expensive place. As to what "two fifty" means...I can see it going either way. I think when words like that are used a person needs to take into context the location. If in the story the waitress had said "twenty-five" which the woman took to mean $25 but was then charged $2500 I can better understand why it would seem like a scam.
@cjgrooms (4456)
• United States
8 Jul 08
I have seen this several years ago, I thought then and still think that the women was ripped off and since she did pay for it and pay dearly Neiman-Marcus shouldn't have a chance in hades of suing her.But this is America so who knows?
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
9 Jul 08
Well chalk this one up to "should have checked snopes before I posted" but it still could have been an interesting discussion if more people would ignore the fact that it isn't true...oh well. But my opinion is...if you pay for ownership of something, it should be yours to use in whatever way you wish. I know a loty of things don't work that way but I think they should to at least some degree.