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Written by Alex Kelley Fox:
Columbus Italian Club Again Attempts World’s Largest Meatball
1,000-Pound Meatball To Break Guinness Record & Raise Money For Scholarships
COLUMBUS (August 16, 2011) — The Columbus Italian Club (CIC) will try for the second time to break the record for World’s Largest Meatball on October 7-9 at the St. John’s Italian Festival in Italian Village.
“Despite coming up 94 pounds short to beat the world record last year, we attained the North American Record of 655.5 pounds and raised money for our scholarship fund,” said Chris Beardman, World’s Largest Meatball Chairman and CIC past President. “But this is going to be our year.”
A German organization holds the current world record of 749.5 pounds. The men of CIC vowed not to surrender without a fight, so this year they aim to shatter the record with a 1,000-pound ball of meat. Ingredients of CIC’s meatball will include 1,100 pounds of ground sirloin, onion, and dried spices, and chef Rismo Gualtieri adjusted his secret recipe to maximize his chance of winning.
“Our meatball’s going to make everyone’s mommas proud,” Gualtieri said.
Proceeds from last year’s attempt benefited the Columbus Italian Club’s Education Assistance Scholarship Program, which awards scholarships to deserving Central Ohio high school students of Italian descent. To date, the scholarship program has awarded nearly $200,000 to more than 150 Columbus area students.
CIC members will devote hundreds of hours in preparation for this event. A test run using the new recipe and cooking method will take place in late summer. The decision of whether the world record has been achieved will be announced on the night of October 8, when the center of the meatball reaches 160 degrees.
About the Columbus Italian Club
The Columbus Italian Club is a fraternal organization that was founded in 1978 to promote and preserve Italian culture and heritage in the Italian-American community. With more than 260 members, it encourages fellowship and networking through celebration of Italian heritage. The Columbus Italian Club Education Assistance Corporation is a nonprofit entity that assists Columbus area students in furthering their educational endeavors. Visit columbusitalianclub.org for more information.
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