Letters to Cookies by Bess

I’ve mentioned in a few of my previous blog posts that my father saved just about every piece of paper and picture related to the republishing of Cookies by Bess in 1980. I’ve also mentioned that last summer, when my parents and I really started solidifying our plans to re-brand Cookies by Bess again, my father sent me EVERY one of those pieces of paper and pictures including hundreds of Letters to Cookies by Bess. It was a “passing of the torch” if you will.

Of all the papers and pictures I received, I had the most fun reading the Letters to Cookies by Bess from fans all across the country wanting to purchase a Cookies by Bess cookie book. Letters came from 36 states (including Hawaii!) and Washington, DC, 3 Providences in Canada, Mexico, and even Puerto Rico!

At the time, (between 1980 and 1986) unless you saw the cookie book in a book store or department store in WI or MN, writing a letter was the only way to order a Cookies by Bess cookie book. You had to hand write a check (please don’t send cash) and drop your letter in the (snail) mail.

There was no internet, no Amazon, and no PayPal or Apple Pay. My parents set up a P.O. Box at the Post Office just for Cookies by Bess letters. It became our daily routine to stop by the Post Office to pick up all the Cookies by Bess mail. And believe it or not, we had TONS of it!

On a daily basis, we received letters upon letters from grandmothers and grandfathers, mothers and daughters and everyone else requesting a copy of Cookies by Bess.

Each letter came with a note from the sender a long with a check for $6.00 to cover the cost of the cookie book ($5.00) and shipping/handling ($1.00). My parents and I read every letter and responded to many of them with a personal note back to answer questions or sending a “Thank you for your order”. When Grandma Bess and Grandpa Abe were visiting, they read the letters too. Bess even answered some with a personal note!

I am sure you won’t be surprised when I tell you that my father kept just about every letter…and last summer, sent them ALL to me! I had a great time reading each one again, almost 40 years later. As I read each letter, I set aside a those that I think are so special or one reason or another  I want to share some of them with all of you.

Here is a sampling of those special letters. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do, even after reading them over and over. I am not going to list who they are from, but I will list the date we received the letter and the city and state they came from.

August 17, 1980 – Albert Mea, MN
“I’m looking forward to adding recipes from you to my list of favorite cookies. I think all folks love to make and to eat cookies and I love to experiment with recipes. I’m retired and have an apartment in a retirement home but still love to bake. Every new resident here gets an official welcome with something that has been ‘stirred up from scratch’ – either cookies, muffins, or coffee cakes.”

November 25, 1980 – Shawano, WI
“Enclosed is $6.00 to cover the cost of Cookies by Bess plus a one-dollar handling fee.
“P.S. I am a Home Ec. teacher and very anxious to receive it so my 8th grade students can select recipes for their Christmas baking. Your promptness will be appreciated!”

December 1, 1980 – New Holstein, WI
“Dear Bess, will you please send me your cookie book for $6.00. I hope the book will be worth the money because I’m on social security and I hate to spend my money if it is not worth it. I’m getting it for my sister who is deaf. She loves to bake.”

March 20, 1981 – Cordova, AL
“I received an order from Miles Kimball and a lot of newspaper was packed in the package. It was the Menomonee Falls Post. I saw some cookie recipes and began reading them, they sounded good, then I read where you could order the Cookie recipe book for $5.00 plus $1.00 postage and gave the address.  This paper was dated 12/4/1980.  I’m taking a chance and ordering it hoping I will get it. If you will not accept a check please sent it back and I will send a money order. Thank you.”

January 8, 1981 – Chicago, IL
“Dear Bess Hoffman, somehow my husband got Channel 4 on our TV and saw you making some cookies. He was so impressed that we are giving this book to our children.”

May 14, 1980 – Oak Lawn, IL
“Enclosed please find my check for $5.00 plus $1.00 postage for the ‘Cookies by Bess’ cookbook. This will be a gift for my granddaughter and it appears to be very good according to the Chicago Sunday Tribune of last week or so. Please mail it to me as soon as possible.”

November 25, 1980 – Reedsville, RI
“Dear Bess, I’d like to received your cookies recipes book. I think it is wonderful that you bake with butter we are dairy farmers and think that is great. Thank you.”

July 20, 1981 – Shawano, WI
“Please send 1 (one) copy of your book to XXXXXXX. Enclosed find check for $6.00. I got three books at Xmas time, making cookies for all my females in the family with samples from your cookbook. They loved it as I do. I am a single male who moved from the Big City to a small town. If it weren’t for your cookbook I would have gone mad without anything to do. Thanks.”

November 20, 1981- Shaker Heights, OH
“Dear Mrs. Hoffman, I just received you book “Cookies by Bess as a gift from a friend and I love it! I’ve looked for years for a really good oatmeal raisin cookie recipe and I think your Sour Cream Oatmeal Cookie recipe is the best I’ve ever found. My little girl and her friends think it is the best cookies they’ve ever eaten!  I’d like to give your book to my three sisters for Christmas as they are cookie lovers too. I have no idea of the price, so I’ve enclosed a check for five dollars ($5.00) as a deposit. Please send me 3 copies of ‘Cookies by Bess’ 1980 edition. “

November 24, 1980 – New Holstein, WI
“Dear Madame, please find enclosed check of six dollars for one of your cookie books. Hope you have a lot of new recipes in it that I don’t have. Please mail right away, as I want to start baking. I usually bake 35 to 40 pounds each year, for my daughter and grandchildren, friend for Christmas gifts. I have close to 200 cook books. Happy Holiday to you and yours.”

August 5, 1980 – Mankato, MN
“Dear Ms. Hoffman, I wish to acknowledge receipt of your letter of July 30, 1980. By way of explanation, I am an attorney, semi-retired; and one of my hobbies is cooking. I have a nine-year-old grandson whose objective in life is to be a chef and that is all he says he wants to be and he does much of the more simpler cooking around his home. One of these books will be given to him as a gift from his grandfather. He has entered three items in our local fair in the 4-H Department. They are Apple Crisp, Oatmeal Cookies, and one other cooky which I cannot remember. So, you see they boy is really interested in what he is doing.
It was nice to hear from you. I probably will be ordering more of your cookbooks later on this summer for fall.”

June 12, 1980 – Milwaukee, WI
“I found the article in the ‘Milwaukee Sentinel’ about ‘The Cookie Lady’, very interesting. The children in our neighborhood have given my the same title. In the past year I baked 3000 cookies for my son’s Bar Mitzvah. Everyone was a taster. I am really excited about Mrs. Hoffman’s new book. The book will be enjoyed by our neighborhood. Thank you.”

January 8, 1981 – Shreve, OH
“Enclosed find a $5.00 money order and $1.00 cash for which please send me one book Cookies by Bess. I would appreciate Bess signing the book. My hobbies are collecting cookie cutters and cookie cookbooks. I have her first book ‘Cookies by Bess’ printed in 1963 and I enjoy it very much.”

January 28, 1984 – Oshkosh, WI
“Where can I purchase your cookie book by Bess Hoffman? I have been using a friend’s book and every cooky recipe has been excellent and I’d like to purchase one.”

February 6, 1984 – Sewickley, PA
“Dear Bess, enclosing a check of $6.00 for you to send me your cookie book. But would you send it to me as soon as you can because I have a wedding to bake for my granddaughter is getting married. As you know I want to do the best for her. And I know you have the best. Please rush it for me. Thank you.”

January 29, 1983 – San Leandro, CA
“Dear Mrs. Hoffman, my mother-in-law gave me your delicious cookie book for Christmas. She was so impressed by you she knew your cookies would be great! So far we enjoyed your sugar cookies and Czechoslovakian cookies which my mom really liked. I have one problem Mrs. Hoffman and hope you can help me, my husband loves very moist chewy rich cookies or bars and I honestly can’t tell which ones they are and I read every recipe! Could you please write to me sometime and let me know which cookies he would like? I’d really appreciate it if you could find the time to do this. Thank you so much!”

September 8, 1980 – Long Beach, CA
“Dear Bess, sorry I’m so slow to order this cookie book. Hope you have one left. I know I’ll just get fat making them. Thank you.”

So, there you have it! From California to Alabama to Pennsylvania and most places in between, it seems that Cookies by Bess touched a nerve with all those baker’s way back in the 1980’s.

These letters are just a small sampling of the hundreds of letters we received back then. Believe it or not, Grandma Bess also received letters in the early 1960’s when she first published Cookies by Bess. Below are two letters I found sent to Bess directly to her home in Wausau, WI.

October 16, 1962 – Mayville, WI
“Dear Bess, I like your cookie recipes fine and bake from it often. This last week I made cookies from it and they turned out very good. Also baked some for our fair and got 1st price on the Molasses Cookies.”

October 26, 1963 – Green Bay, WI
“Dear Bess, ‘Cookies by Bess’ is about the best booklet I have seen. The recipes are simple and easy to follow, as well as easy to read. And such an assortment! One does not need any other cooky recipe besides this booklet. I will make good use of it because I bake more now than ever before with a son away at school. Well, I guess you know what it’s like. Thank you so much. I hope I will have the opportunity of meeting you in person in the near future.”

This journey of Cookies by Bess has been so much fun for me. I’ve had the opportunity to spend time with my Grandma and get to know her better even though she has been gone for many years. What a treat to read these letters and discover how much her passion for baking cookies touched so many in such a personal way. I truly think Bess Hoffman made people happy with Cookies by Bess and now she and everyone she touched is making me happy 30, 40, 50 years later.

I will keep on baking the recipes from Cookies by Bess until I’ve baked them all. It has been and will continue to be a journey, but one I’ve gladly taken on and one that is fun and makes me happy. I hope you all will stay with me on this journey and try some of Bess’ cookie recipes along the way. It is a bit addicting this cookie baking thing…?

My best to you all!

XXOO,

Janet