Always thinking of ways to get the word out about Rocky Point, I think it would be a hoot if one or more restaurant owners got together to set an official record for making the world’s largest taco!
Although I can’t confirm that it ever made it into the Guinness Book of World Records, in 2004 chefs in Monterrey, MX made a taco around 15 meters long (a little over 49 feet) that they claim is the biggest taco ever (8,000 people then helped to eat it!)!
Elsewhere and along the same line, various claims about who (so far) has eaten the most tacos within a specific time period range from the low 30’s consumed to a young woman devouring 48 soft chicken tacos in 11 minutes.
Now if you think I’m loco then ponder for a moment the little obscure town of Baker, California, located between Barstow, Ca. and Las Vegas, Nevada where they erected the world’s tallest outdoor thermometer and that visitors from all around the world stop there every day of the year on their way between the West Coast and Las Vegas just to grab a photo of the thermometer, a bite to eat, some trinkets, top off the gas tank…
I can see the t-shirts now: "Rocky Point, Mexico: Home of the World's Biggest Taco".
Of course the ‘shelf life’ of the world’s biggest taco wouldn’t last but a day, so we’d have to invite the good folks from the Guinness World Records and have them verify that such a taco was made and then keep them on hand while Penasco held a taco eating contest to see who could either consume the most tacos in the shortest period of time or better yet, see who would have the wherewithal to devour the ‘Big One’!
Money to promote the event would be a snap, too, as RP city officials could contact sponsors such as Mexican food manufacturers (Ortega, Mission Foods, Chata, Juanita’s, et al) as well as (e.g.) Pacifico Beer (nothing quite like a cold-one with a fish taco) and/or the ‘Tecate Girls’, Sabritas etc. and it wouldn't be a bad idea to touch base with the Association of Independent Competitive Eaters or the International Federation of Competitive Eating to get the RP event sanctioned and of course all the major hotels in PP could comp reporters from the big newspapers such as LA Times, San Diego Union-Tribune, Las Vegas Review Journal, etc.
Then each year RP could follow it up with an annual taco eating contest, specializing one year with tacos de pescados, then the following year tacos de pollo and/or each year introduce the world’s biggest burrito, then the world’s biggest enchilada…
After all, everyone loves food and as Mark Twain allegedly said: “Many a small thing has been made large by the right kind of advertising.”
Viva México!
Email me: El Gitano Penasco
