Posted 10:56 am Sunday, November 14, 2010
Grand Saline Spreads World-Record PB&J Sandwich
By MELISSA CROWE
Staff Writer
GRAND SALINE — Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches never tasted so sweet.
Mixed with 292 pounds of peanut butter, 340 pounds of grape jelly and 710 pounds of fresh bread, East Texans scarfed down a world record Saturday afternoon at the Great American Peanut Butter Festival in downtown Grand Saline.
Staff Writer
GRAND SALINE — Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches never tasted so sweet.
Mixed with 292 pounds of peanut butter, 340 pounds of grape jelly and 710 pounds of fresh bread, East Texans scarfed down a world record Saturday afternoon at the Great American Peanut Butter Festival in downtown Grand Saline.
The world record sandwich topped Oklahoma City's 950-pounder, built Sept. 7, 2002, by nearly 400 pounds.
Grand Saline's world-record-breaking sandwich weighed in at a whopping 1,342 pounds and was certified by The National Peanut Board, based in Atlanta, Ga.
Building a sandwich that big did not come easy.
Keith Parsons, owner of Nutty's Gourmet Peanut Butter, said the plan was “fool-proof.” However, drama at the end of the sandwich-building process threatened the town's success.
The sandwich team baked two pieces of 8-by-12-foot bread early that morning.
Grand Saline's world-record-breaking sandwich weighed in at a whopping 1,342 pounds and was certified by The National Peanut Board, based in Atlanta, Ga.
Building a sandwich that big did not come easy.
Keith Parsons, owner of Nutty's Gourmet Peanut Butter, said the plan was “fool-proof.” However, drama at the end of the sandwich-building process threatened the town's success.
The sandwich team baked two pieces of 8-by-12-foot bread early that morning.
One piece was perched precariously on custom-made braces to slide on top, with a slip of plastic running across the end of the brace.
Not only did the bread seem to stick to the custom-made pan, but the plastic got between the top bread and the jelly and peanut butter, spread out from 14 buckets with a rake and hoe.
Although the top piece was laid across the sandwich in strips and fragments, it came together.
Parsons joked about the incident. The drama made for a more fun experience, he said.
“We were able to navigate through that,” he said. “All's well that ends well.”
Not only did the bread seem to stick to the custom-made pan, but the plastic got between the top bread and the jelly and peanut butter, spread out from 14 buckets with a rake and hoe.
Although the top piece was laid across the sandwich in strips and fragments, it came together.
Parsons joked about the incident. The drama made for a more fun experience, he said.
“We were able to navigate through that,” he said. “All's well that ends well.”
While the sandwich is the biggest in the world, Anna Fite, of Grand Saline, said the crowd was bigger than any other festival in the town.
“This has been good for Grand Saline,” she said. “And, of course, everyone loves peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.”
Parsons said because peanut butter is such a “comfort food” and because most people grow up eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, the novelty of the event drew a huge, multigenerational crowd.
A Grand Saline police officer estimated about 4,000 people in attendance.
Festival activities kicked off with the naming of the festival's first Great American Peanut Butter Queen on Friday evening.
“This has been good for Grand Saline,” she said. “And, of course, everyone loves peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.”
Parsons said because peanut butter is such a “comfort food” and because most people grow up eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, the novelty of the event drew a huge, multigenerational crowd.
A Grand Saline police officer estimated about 4,000 people in attendance.
Festival activities kicked off with the naming of the festival's first Great American Peanut Butter Queen on Friday evening.
Saturday's festivities began with a peanut butter pancake breakfast and a parade later that morning.
There were carnival with rides and midway games, peanut sack races and peanut-spitting contests, a music stage showcasing regional talent and vendors from as far away as Connecticut. But the piece de resistance unquestionably was the building of the sandwich.
After the sandwich was built, festival-goers were able to pay $2 for a slice of the sandwich.
Even though John Parham, 11, said he likes plain peanut butter, no jelly, sandwiches best, he wanted to try a little piece of the world-record sandwich.
“Just a corner would be like three sandwiches,” he said.
Proceeds from the slice sale benefit the Main Street special projects fund to help with community projects such as the education center and matching grants.
There were carnival with rides and midway games, peanut sack races and peanut-spitting contests, a music stage showcasing regional talent and vendors from as far away as Connecticut. But the piece de resistance unquestionably was the building of the sandwich.
After the sandwich was built, festival-goers were able to pay $2 for a slice of the sandwich.
Even though John Parham, 11, said he likes plain peanut butter, no jelly, sandwiches best, he wanted to try a little piece of the world-record sandwich.
“Just a corner would be like three sandwiches,” he said.
Proceeds from the slice sale benefit the Main Street special projects fund to help with community projects such as the education center and matching grants.
The festival also was a food-raiser for the East Texas Food Bank.
“We hope that we made people proud in our community and hopefully all over Texas,” Parsons said.
While “everything's always bigger in Texas,” Parsons said he hopes the title will “bring recognition to our small community.”
He wants to hold another peanut butter festival next year and tackle another challenge.
“Anyone want to enter a peanut butter-eating contest?” Parsons said.
“We hope that we made people proud in our community and hopefully all over Texas,” Parsons said.
While “everything's always bigger in Texas,” Parsons said he hopes the title will “bring recognition to our small community.”
He wants to hold another peanut butter festival next year and tackle another challenge.
“Anyone want to enter a peanut butter-eating contest?” Parsons said.
