BreakTheChain.org
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That's One Expensive CookieDate Added: Nov. 17, 2007
How much would you pay for a great cookie recipe? Would you believe some stores charge as much as $250 for their recipes, but you can have the same recipe for FREE and strike a blow against a heartless corporate giant. Yeah, right! Subject: Fwd: Neiman-Marcus Cookie Recipe - For Free THIS IS NOT A JOKE ::: PLEASE READ AND FORWARD TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW My daughter and I had just finished a salad at a Neiman-Marcus Café In Dallas and 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 with approval, just add it to my tab I told her. Thirty days later, I received my VISA statement and it 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 Dept. and told them the waitress said It was "two-fifty," which clearly does not mean "two hundred and fifty dollars" by any POSSIBLE* 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 you money at this point." I explained to her the criminal statues which govern fraud in Texas. I threatened To refer them to the Better Business Bureau and the State Attorney General Office for engaging in fraud. I was basically told, "Do what you want, it doesn't matter, we're not refunding your money." I waited, thinking of how I could get even, or even try and get any of my money back. I just said, "Okay, you folks got my $250, and now I'm going to have $250.00 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 $250.00 cookie recipe from Neiman-Marcus...for free. She replied, "I wish You wouldn't do this." I said, "Well, you should have thought of that before you ripped me off," and slammed down the phone on her. So here it is!!! Please, please, please pass it on to everyone you can possibly think of. I paid $250 for this...I don't want Neiman-Marcus to *ever* get another cent for this recipe. NEIMAN MARCUS COOKIES (Recipe may be halved) 2 cups butter
* 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. PLEASE SEND TO EVERY PERSON YOU KNOW WHO HAS
Stories of the trusting person who was duped into paying too much for a recipe, but gets revenge by sharing that recipe with everyone for free, have been around for a long time. The roots of this particular version can be traced back to 1948. In the 1960's, the evil corporate giant became the world-famous Waldorf Astoria hotel and the too-expensive recipe for their famous Red Velvet Cake. In the 1970's, it became a cookie recipe from Debbie Fields (of Mrs. Fields' Cookies fame). The Neiman-Marcus version surfaced in the '80s. As with all urban legends, the story above is meant to teach a lesson while celebrating the ability of the "little man" to overcome oppression of any form. This tale tells us to not trust salespeople and to always be careful what charges we authorize on our credit cards. We revel in the story-teller's frustration trying to get retribution from the retail giant because, well, who among us haven't been in a similar situation. Urban legends like this one survive and grow because we want them to be true! But it's not. Perhaps the most telling evidence against it is that Neiman-Marcus didn't even have a "Neiman-Marcus" cookie before this rumor started. The company created their cookie as a response to this e-rumor. Their recipe - which they invite you to copy and share - is posted on their web site. Break this Chain... and save some cookies for me. References: Snopes.com, Neiman-Marcus |