ROCKLAND — Clifford (Kip) Burkett, Jr., of Rockland, born in 1928, turned 84 on Oct. 22. And that is where our story ends. Well, sort of. To get to the end, we need to have a beginning, so a little background information is in order before we tell you a spine tingling tale of mystery, intrigue, and espionage.

Okay, I made that last part up, but I was rolling with it. PenBayPilot.com spent a few minutes with Kip at his home on Talbot Avenue.  I will tell you a very interesting story of his and Rockland’s Milano (mint) cookie connection, but you still get the background information of one man’s very good life.

Why the nickname Kip?

“Kip was my father’s nickname," he said. "He was a chef on yachts. I’m a junior so I took the nickname, too.”

There is a rule if you want to eat a cookie: “You must have five of them. If someone eats just one, it fouls up my count for a week. My grandchildren understand this and they don’t mind eating five.”

Kip graduated from Camden High School’s class of 1946. He went immediately into the army were he served with the 1st Calvary Division, 7th Regiment. “Custer’s old regiment,” he mused, though they rode tanks instead of horses. College followed the army and a career in education began.

“In 1952 I took a job in Washburn, Maine, teaching biology, U.S. history and physical education to seventh and eighth graders," he said. "After three years, I took over the principal’s job and served the school for another eight years in that capacity. Back then, grades seven through 12 were all in one room.”

In the fall of 1963, Kip moved to Fort Kent to assume the principal’s position at the then Fort Kent Community High School. 1975 brought a move to Rockland and Rockland District High School for one and half years as principal before retiring from education. An 11-year stint at Coffin’s Clothing Store on Main St. in Rockland followed.

The pivotal year in Kip's life was 1974. That was the year his wife, Lorraine, bought home the first bag of Pepperidge Farm’s Milano Mint cookies. It started a love affair that endures even today and brought him some fame and recognition with Pepperidge Farm. You see, it’s not that he eats the cookies; Kip has eaten a bag of Milano Mint cookies a day since 1974.

Okay, so let’s do the math:

There are three trays of five cookies each in a bag of Milanos, which totals 15 cookies per bag. Kip enjoys five cookies at lunch, after dinner and a bedtime snack.

A bag a day for 38 years equals 13,870 bags of cookies.

And 13,870 bags times 15 cookies per bag equals 208,050 cookies.

A bag of Milanos today costs $3.69, but it wasn’t always that price. Over the years it averages out to approximately $3 a bag, which, in turn, equals $41,610.

And to take it a step further for those who are nutritionally aware, 208,050 cookies equals:
728,175 grams of fat.
832,200 grams of sugar.
1,664,400 grams of carbohydrates
6,761,625 milligrams of sodium.
13,523,250 calories.

Kip’s son, Steve, sent these facts to Pepperidge Farm and the company responded with a letter from the president of the company thanking him for being their “best customer ever,” a birthday card and two cases of cookies.

Kip says there’s a rule if you want to eat a cookie: “You must have five of them. If someone eats just one, it fouls up my count for a week. My grandchildren understand this and they don’t mind eating five.”

And what does his doctor say about the cookie habit?

“I didn’t ask if I could and no one told me not to," he said. "My health is okay, but I know it’s a lot of calories when you add it all up. I’ve always been active. I played golf this morning and shot 105 for 18 holes.”

Is it your favorite dessert?

“It’s not like I don’t like apple pie and ice cream I do. After I finish a meal I automatically head for the cupboard. A mint Milano and a glass of milk is just tough to beat. They’re just darn good cookies.”

What’s your favorite meal to finish off with a Milano?

“They’ve never let me down after any meal. I think broiled salmon, peas and a potato would be a good combination. Yeah, that’s a pretty good meal to finish off with a few Milanos. I love broiled salmon.”

What’s the biggest change you’ve seen on Main Street in Rockland?

“Main Street? Commercial to touristy has been the biggest change. Hardware stores, markets, doctors and lawyers were all on Main Street. The whole city has changed. It used to be a very active waterfront. All you see is visitors downtown now.”

Just in case you want to know more:

About the Milano cookie.

Pepperidge Farm corporate website

Pepperidge Farm on Wikipedia