"Think what a better world it would be if we all, the whole world, had cookies and milk about three o'clock every afternoon and then lay down on our blankets for a nap." -- Congresswoman Barbara Jordan

To commemorate the days when the YWCA's famous chocolate chip cookies attracted many of discerning tastes the YWCA held a Chocolate Chip Cookie Bakeoff on July 12th at Stratford University. It was a huge success. Imagine ten women baking away in a state-of-the-art stainless steel kitchen competing against each other for the winner YWCA Centennial Chocolate Chip Cookie. Everyone shared tools and assisted each other when help was needed.

While the contestants were in the kitchen, guests and Bakeoff judges mingled in the reception area enjoying milk and treats. At the perfect moment when the aroma of baking cookies filled the air, Orysia Stanchak, YWCA Executive Director, introduced each contestant. Some women had been baking all their lives, some only recently. Some were professional bakers, for others it was a relaxing hobby. Their cookies also varied from the tried and true, traditional chocolate chip cookie to a cookie with dark and white chocolate with pieces of apricots and walnuts and a twist of orange. However, all the cookies were rich and decadent.

Once all the cookies were finished baking, each contestant pulled a number from a cookie jar in order to prevent judging bias and presented their batch to the judges. With watering mouths and beaming eyes, each judge was given instructions on how to rate each cookie and a glass of milk was offered to cleanse the palette. Political pundit and Bakeoff judge Mark Shields started out by eating whole cookies, but by his sixth and seventh cookies, he decided it would be a good idea to cut back to at least a half a cookie at a time. Sounds like, "mmmmm" were heard and words such as "wow, that's good" and "oh, my gosh" described each judges' level of satisfaction. They all took the judging very seriously because each one knew of the past reputation of the YWCA chocolate chip cookie and wanted to make sure one was chosen today that at least lived up to the original cookies' standards.

While scores were being tallied, guests were also able to revel in the reverie of eating chocolate chip cookies. Orysia announced the second runner-up, Sarah Croake, whose cookie was made of peanut butter and crunchy bits of pretzel. She then announced the first runner-up, Ann Brown, who baked a chocolate chip cookie with roasted hazel nuts. Everyone waited with anticipation as Orysia announced the winning baker, Patricia Wells, whose "New Fashioned Chocolate Chip Cookie" made with "a delightful infusion of flavors and textures to please the palate" is now the YWCA Centennial Chocolate Chip Cookie.

The YWCA will sell limited quantities of its new chocolate chip cookie in boxes of 12, two to three ounce cookies after its birthday party on September 28th. You can pre-order your box today by clicking here to complete and submit the online order form. Price per box has not yet been determined, but those who pre-order will be contacted in September to confirm their order and process payment. All proceeds from the sale of the cookies will go to support YWCA National Capital Area programs serving women and girls in the greater Washington metropolitan area. For more information on the YWCA Centennial Chocolate Chip Cookie, please email ywca@ywcanca.org or call (202) 626-0700.

YWCA Cookie History

Even before Mrs. Field's cookies there was the original YWCA chocolate chip cookie. The YWCA National Capital Area used to sell thousands in one day and fans included former First Lady Barbara Bush and Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. With the demolition of the old YWCA headquarters on K Street came the end of on-site baking because the new 9th Street location did not have a commercial kitchen. Many protested the end of the cookie and some requested the recipe itself, but that was a secret not to be told. Since 1951, the recipe was a closely held secret between four YWCA women and was never written down. Many people tried to guess at its ingredients, but could never figure it out. The cookies were so popular, in fact, a 1981 New York Times article quoted a YWCA staff person as saying "you'd think we were giving away gold instead of selling cookies." Because there was such an outcry of "what about the cookies" when the YWCA moved, the organization decided to partner with area bakeries. Dorothy Schoeneman of Vienna, VA and then owner of the Vienna Bakery became the new baker. She describes the original cookie as moist, chewy, extra sweet and very chocolaty. Only the purest ingredients. When Dorothy took over the baking of the cookies, it was the goal of the YWCA to use proceeds from the sale of the cookies to support it's programs, but unfortunately they were not profitable. Taste was sacrificed when the batter was increased to make larger batches of cookies. It was also difficult for the small Vienna Bakery to package and ship the cookie in a fast and economical way. Twenty-three years later, in its centennial year, the YWCA commemorates this delicious tradition through a chocolate chip cookie bakeoff.

Thanks to the following who made the Bakeoff possible:

BAKEOFF CONTESTANTS
Stacey Blisset Boyd, culinary arts student and full-time mom
Ann Marie Brown, retired neonatal nurse and volunteer baker
Terrie Lee Burke, pastry chef
Casey Campbell, interior designer
Sarah Croake, paralegal
Kate Farrar, nonprofit project associate
Christine Lee, attorney
Natalia Kost-Lupichuk, baker
Pamela Parker, legal secretary
Patricia Walls, culinary arts student

BAKEOFF JUDGES
Nancy Kilpatrick, Department of Health and Human Services
Janis McLean, Owner of the Red Dog Cafe
Cokie Roberts, senior news analyst
Dorothy Schoeneman, baker
Mark Shields, political pundit
Orysia Stanchak, Executive Director, YWCA National Capital Area
Daniel Traster, Dean, Stratford University
Davey Yarborough, jazz musician
Esther Williams, musician

CENTENNIAL SPONSORS
Diamond Sponsor
Debbie LeHardy & Company

Gold Sponsor
Pepco

Silver Sponsors
Bank of America
Big Fish
CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield
Fannie Mae Foundation

Copper Sponsors
EuroMotorcars
Bryan Cave, LLP
DC Lottery

BAKEOFF IN-KIND DONATIONS

American Plant Food Company
Culinary Classics
Equinox Restaurant
Great American Restaurants
Maggiano's Little Italy
The Mendonca Family
Panera Bread
Robert Andrew, the Salon & Spa
Thomas Scott Salon & Spa
Whole Foods Market
Wholesale Diamond Consultants

SPECIAL THANKS TO
Lisa Murphey and the Damascus YWomen
Marigail Barcome
Dean Daniel Traster and Stratford University