For YWCA, A Chocolate Chip Cookie Revival

Stratford student Patricia Walls of Oxon Hill, seeking what she called "an infusion of flavors and textures," added graham cracker crumbs, blackstrap molasses and white chocolate bits to her batter.

Paralegal Sarah Croake created a cookie combining bits of salty pretzels, peanut butter and chocolate.

Ann Brown, a former neonatal nurse who works as a volunteer pastry chef at a homeless shelter, incorporated Guittard chocolate bits and roasted hazelnuts.

As flour was scooped and eggs were cracked, contestants remained amiable.

"I've seen competitions get pretty nasty," commented Dan Traster, dean of the cooking school. "We gave the contestants lots of time -- 1 hour and 45 minutes. We wanted the winner to be the best recipe, not the most polished cook."

Each baker picked her best-looking specimens and arranged them on a plate with her identification number for the judges. The rest were gathered on large platters for general tasting.

In the judging room, the nine judges were given rating sheets to assess each cookie's taste, creativity, appearance and overall excellence on a scale of 1 to 5.

National Public Radio senior news analyst Cokie Roberts said she didn't have a particular tasting technique because "I never did this before."

Shields said he has been to the Iowa State Fair, "so I know what I am doing." He took a large bite and gobbled down the whole cookie. "This is an enormous responsibility," he said.

Husband and wife jazz musicians Davey Yarborough and Esther Williams shared their cookies.

The culinary professional judges -- Stratford's Traster, chef Janis McLean of the Red Dog Cafe in Silver Spring and retired baker Dorothy Schoeneman -- took small bites and stopped to contemplate.

Soon the pace of tasting slowed. Shields, still eating whole cookies, approached No. 9, groaned and said, "I can't keep up the pace."