Thursday, December 3, 2015

   Longest Pastry: Lebanon breaks Guinness World Records record

   BEIRUT, Lebanon -- Lebanon unseated Saudi Arabia as the title-holder of the World Record for the longest pastry made on earth; the victorious bread is a 105 foot long manoucheh, the crisp, light and fulfilling za'atar-topped focaccia that anchors the traditional Lebanese breakfast, which sets the new world record for the Longest Pastry, according to the World Record Academy.

  Photo: The World's Longest Pastry is a 105 foot long manoucheh, the crisp, light and fulfilling za'atar-topped focaccia that anchors the traditional Lebanese breakfast. Photo courtesy: Fouad Bakkar
(enlarge photo)

  The Guinness World Records' record for the largest pasty weighed 728 kg (1,604 lb) and was made by Proper Cornish Food Company on 19th August 2010. The pasty had a traditional 'D' shape and was Cornish crimped. The oven used to cook the pasty was 5m x 2m x 1m. (16 ft 4 in x 6 ft 6 in x 3 ft 3 in) The ingredients used were pastry , potato, swede,onion, seasoning, steak and glaze.

  Guinness World Records also recognized the world record for the largest sticky rice cake (Num Ansorm); it weighs 4,040 kg (8,906 lb 10 oz) and was achieved by Salakhet Siem Reap (Cambodia), in Siem Reap, Cambodia on 13 April 2015.

     This particular manoucheh was the brainchild of Mr Fouad Bakkar, a 46-year-old biology teacher at the AMJAD school, a top-notch K-through-12 institution located a few miles from downtown Beirut.

    The school's courtyard was turned over to a dedicated oven of his own design that contained 2645 lbs of iron, 590 feet of gas pipes, 32 burners, required 16 gas canisters and took 12 days to build.

    Bakkar is a compelling man: he managed to persuade 108 teachers and administrators and about 40 AMJAD students, not to mention 30 chefs from Beirut's aptly named elite caterer, Socrate, to pitch in.

   Pastry is a major type of bakers' confectionery. It includes many of the various kinds of baked products made from ingredients such as flour, sugar, milk, butter, shortening, baking powder, and eggs. Small tarts and other sweet baked products are called pastries. Common pastry dishes include pies, tarts, quiches and pasties.
   
     Related world records:  
    Largest naan bread: Hampshire breaks Guinness World Records' record (VIDEO)

     Longest line of pies: Saint Joseph's College breaks Guinness World Records' record (VIDEO)

    Longest Flavoured Pasta: Singapore sets world record record (VIDEO)

    Longest pasta chain: Beavers broke Guinness world record