The world’s largest gingerbread house doesn't just look sweet – it has a heart of gold.
The community of Bryan, Texas joined together to break the
Guinness World Record for the largest gingerbread house and raise money for a
local trauma center.
“Everybody got excited that we were trying to do this,” said
Bill Horton, general manager of Texas A&M Traditions Club, who spearheaded
the project. “90% of all of the product
was donated … from lumber to electrical supplies to eggs, brown sugar, powdered
sugar, nutmeg and ginger.”
Guinness World Records verified that the 39,201.8 cubic-foot confectionery structure on the Traditions Club grounds set a new record on Nov.
30. It is 60 feet by 42 feet and its
tallest point rises 20.11 feet.
Club members, bakers and volunteers constructed the home
with nearly 3,000 pounds of brown sugar, 7,200 eggs, 7,200 pounds of flour and
1,800 pounds of butter – for a whopping 36 million calories.
Visiting the house costs $2 for children and $3 for adults
but several people have made generous donations.
Horton thought of the project in September 2012 while
watching a Food Network special on gingerbread houses. Their club initially set a target date for
that November but soon realized that it would take a lot more work and
postponed for a year.
Before construction began, employees at the St. Joseph
Health System mentioned to Horton that they were raising money for a new trauma
and emergency care center. That’s when
the project found its true purpose.
But they needed to stick to one rule in particular if they
planned to dethrone the previous record holder, a 36,600 cubic feet home built inside
the Mall of America in Minnesota.
“One of the criteria was that it had to be edible,” Horton
said. “We had a little bit of proof that the structure was edible because it
was covered with bees. I reached down and picked up a piece and started chewing
it.”
A video of construction can be found here: NBC Article
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