Ice lollies have brought great joy to the world and in recent weeks their ability to rehydrate sweltering bodies has been recognised as potentially lifesaving.
It was 25 years ago this month that Jan van den Berg had his own moment in the sun when he claimed the record for the world’s largest ice lolly – the nine tonne Rocket Ice which was successfully erected at Hellendoom in Holland.
The fact that the Rocket Ice was able to stand vertical was important, The Guinness Book of World Records, which verifies such things, stipulated that as a condition. It was this rule that would prove the downfall of an attempt by the soft drink manufacturer, Snapple, to beat the record in 2005.
They used a large crane to try to lift the 17-tonne kiwi-strawberry lolly from a freezer truck and into position in central Manhattan. However, the record attempt melted beneath the noonday sun because as quickly as they raised the front end, gallons of red liquid poured out the back.
As onlookers displayed nifty footwork to avoid the tidal wave of red goo that sludged down the street, the fire brigade had to be called in to clean up the mess.
Snapple had joined the pantheon of gallant losers, those noble strivers whose failure gains them a greater legacy than success ever would have.
Like the attempt in 2008 by a women’s organisation in Iran to claim the record for the longest sandwich. With the mile long chicken and ostrich meat sandwich close to completion, temptation became too much for onlookers in Mellat Park, Tehran. As fast as the cooks at one end were filling the bread, spectators at the other end were helping themselves and Guinness ruled the record attempt had failed.
Thanks to the Gilbert and Sullivan opera, the Cornish town of Penzance has always considered itself the centre of the pirate world so when the East Sussex rival Hastings set a world record for the number of pirates gathered in one place the cutlass had well and truly been thrown down.
In 2017 the call went out for 14,000 Cornishmen, women and children to turn up in pirate outfit to put Penzance on the record-breaking map. Unfortunately, they fell agonisingly short when three pirates failed to make the official count after losing track of time in a local pub.
At least the pirates had a good day out, which is more than can be said for many of the brave souls in New Zealand who signed up to an attempt to break the “walking on hot coals” record.
Amid suggestions that organisers had used the wrong type of coal, 28 people had to be treated for burns to the soles of feet. Fortunately, there were plenty of medics on hand as the record attempt was also raising funds for local health services.
At SK Foods we strive everyday to maintain our record of allowing shoppers the chance to experience the best of world food tastes – and you won’t have to walk over hot coals or dress as a pirate to take part.
About Sean Flint
Development & Innovation Chef of SK Foods.
Your food. Our Passion.
