The Neiman-Marcus Cookie Recipe

If you have had an email address for any length of time you have likely seen this recipe at some point.  I had seen it quite some time ago and had a viewer send it to me recently.  I wanted to add it thinking it would make a great addition to "Tasha's Tasty Treats".  After a little research I found that this email was and urban legend.  Neiman Marcus had never even sold chocolate chip cookies prior to the chain letter but they did create their own recipe, The REAL Neiman Marcus Cookie Recipe, in response.

Regardless of its origin, it is an amusing story and from what I have read, the recipe actually makes good cookies.  If you want to give it a try, the recipe and the story goes like this...

My daughter and I had just finished a salad at a Neiman-Marcus Cafe 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!!!

NEIMAN MARCUS COOKIES
(Recipe may be halved)