Food for Thought by Tricia Phillips

Butter, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour, blended oatmeal, salt, baking soda, chocolate chips, and chopped nuts: these are the ingredients in the famous Neimen Marcus cookie recipe.  I'm sure at some point you have heard the story of the $250 cookie recipe.  Yes, there is an Urban Legend about this famous cookie recipe, which you can read here

I love the idea that food and story go together.  How often do we as social beings gather around a table or in the kitchen to swap stories of our lives?  It is only natural to combine the two things together.

In many a story there is a magic food that must be consumed.  Alice's mushrooms for example, "One side will make you grow big, and one side will make you small."  There are plenty feasts that are fit for kings and often are prepared with the finest ingredients.

There are numerous versions of tale type 2025 "The Run Away Pancake".  Umm, pancakes! I mean who doesn't like a movable feast?  We are a nation of fast food chains, so why not get a little exercise and work for a little stinky cheese, some gingerbread, or a fresh fluffy warm tortilla.

Here's a little bit of food for thought.  What stories will you tell at the dinner table?

4 responses to “Food for Thought by Tricia Phillips”

  1. Eva V. Avatar
    Eva V.

    Amen to that and after your presentation Thursday and went and bought fresh made tortillas and slathered them in butter
    $250 cookies Bah humbug
    Good presentation and I’m going to looking to try my hand at Mayan rabbit trickster tales. Very inspirationl
    Eva V.

  2. Marian Giannatti Avatar
    Marian Giannatti

    So very well done Trish! I loved all of your stories. I could smell the tortillas cooking, and I saw the “snow” all over the yard. Such wonderful imagery woven with culture, humor and thoughtfulness. I really must learn how to make tortillas! Thank you!

  3. Gail Kimzin Avatar
    Gail Kimzin

    I have to admit that I was tricked by the Neiman Marcus cookie recipe. I read about it and, unknowingly, thought it to be true. I brought it to my ESL high school class. We read it and felt disgruntled. We took it to the next step and sent a letter to headquarters of Neiman Marcus. Shortly, thereafter, I was commenting about the letter that my class had written about the $250.00 cookie recipe when someone enlightened me about this urban legend. That evening, I made that recipe. The following day, I told my class about the spoof. We enjoyed the cookies and laughed ourselves silly. By the way, it is the absolute best chocolate chip cookie recipe ever!! And by the way #2, urban legends make great stories to tell!

  4. Crystal Gale Avatar
    Crystal Gale

    How did I miss this post?! What fun! Food and story do indeed make wonderful partners. I just had to laugh again at the image of the stinky cheese man. Turn off the phone. Let the joy of story and yummy food facilitate satisfying, meaningful encounters with your fellow human! Trish, it’s a battle cry!

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