FREquently asked questions

1. Who are the "Solomons" in Solomon's Gourmet Cookies?
2. Your products look like brownies. Why do you call them cookies?
3. Where can I get Solomon's Gourmet Cookies?
4. How are shipping charges calculated? Why don't you offer Free Shipping?
5. Are your products Kosher?
6. Do you make gluten/dairy/sugar free products?

1. Who are the "Solomons" in Solomon's Gourmet Cookies?

Solomon's Gourmet Cookies, LLC was started by Jason, Adam, and Lynn Tenenbaum and Sandra Sweet in 2003. However, our tradition and recipes go back much, much further - to the early 1900's, in fact! Jason and Adam's great-grandfather (Lynn and Sandy's grandfather), Samuel Middel, owned a small food company in Chicago. He developed a line of healthy cookie products for his customers and especially his daughters Frieda and Evelyn. In the 1940's Frieda's and Evelyn's husbands, Aaron Solomon and Al Levenberg, respectively, took over the business and changed the name of Samuel's company to MI-DEL®, in honor of Frieda and Evelyn's parents. (Aaron and Al sold the company in the 1970's, but the brand continues to this day, owned by PANOS Brands).

Meanwhile, Frieda Solomon's love of cookies continued, and she began developing cookie recipes over her lifetime. After many years, her daughters, Sandy and Lynn, collected all of the recipes so that they wouldn't be lost. They began selling in the Northern Suburbs of Chicago under the name That's The Way The Cookie Crumbles™. In 2003, Jason and Adam decided, with the help of their mom Lynn to broaden the concept, and in line with family tradition re-named the company Solomon's Gourmet Cookies. For more information and pictures of the family, go to our detailed History Section.

2. Your products look like brownies. Why do you call them cookies?

Solomon's Gourmet Cookies specializes in unique cookies, brownies, and bars, but we do collectively refer to them all as "cookies." Simply put, when Frieda and Aaron Solomon's children and grandchildren were growing up, Frieda's delicious recipes were a staple of their lives. Jason's first word was, in fact, "cookie!" Everyone in the family always referred to them as cookies, and it was years before they each realized that not everyone had these delicious treats as part of their family's dessert lexicon. So, today we still lovingly refer to all of our products as cookies. To keep things simple, though, on our website we have two categories - "Bars and Brownies" and "Traditional Cookies." Bars and Brownies refer to Frieda's unique brand of delicious cookies, brownies, and bars, and Traditional Cookies are based on our family recipe for these timeless treats. Whatever you call them, you're sure to enjoy them all!

3. Where can I get Solomon's Gourmet Cookies?

Solomon's Gourmet Cookies used to only be available to friends, family and colleagues of the Solomon/Tenenbaum clan. Now, however, they're available for everyone to enjoy! You can order our products from our website, and have them shipped anywhere throughout the United States.

We also have a sandwich shop/cafe in Chicago at 2222 N Elston Ave. Many of our "delicates" that don't hold up to the rigors of shipping are available there as well.

Our products are also sold in stores throughout the Chicagoland area and Midwest. We are currently carried in:

Sunset Foods
Happy Foods
Garden Fresh Market
A&G Fresh Market
Inbodens's
Caputo's

Solomon's Gourmet Cookies are also proudly served at

Steppenwolf Theater

If our products are not in your favorite store near you, be sure to ask them to stock Solomon's Gourmet Cookies!

4. How are shipping charges calculated? Why don't you offer Free Shipping?

We don't believe there is such a thing as Free Shipping. When you shop online, shipping is either included in the price of the item or added on separately. At Solomon's Gourmet Cookies, we add shipping charges separately, but we do not use a (often inflated) Flat Rate. Our shipping charges are based on the rates obtained directly from FedEx to ship your package from Chicago to the recipient's location. The shipping charges are calculated for each and every order so you pay only what it costs to ship to your location, not some inflated flat rate to cover the shipping charges to any possible location within the US.

Because of that, you'll find that our products are often less expensive than our competitors, even when you factor in shipping! Don't believe us? See the table below. These prices are taken from our competitor's websites as of March 2008, and are all are based on bars and brownies ranging from 2-3 oz in size.

For full details on our shipping policy, please visit our Terms and Conditions page.

5. Are your products Kosher?

Yes, our products are all certified Kosher Dairy by the Chicago Rabbinical Council. Our letter of certification is available here.

6. Do you make gluten/dairy/sugar free products?

Solomon's Gourmet Cookies makes the best, highest quality, and delicious cookies, brownies, and bars according to recipes developed and handed down by Frieda Solomon. Of course, part of the reason they taste so good is that they have flour, butter, and sugar in them. Until we can produce Frieda's recipes to the same quality standards without these key ingredients, we will be unable to offer gluten, dairy, or sugar free products.

Trademark Information
MI-DEL® is a registered trademark of PANOS Brands
Mrs. Fields® is a registered trademark of Mrs. Fields Gifts Inc.