Sorsogon sets Guinness record for world’s largest pili nut brittle

By Benilda Recebido

SORSOGON CITY --- Home cooks in the province of Sorsogon achieved a Guinness World Record on Thursday (October 16) for the largest nut brittle, made primarily with pili nuts, measuring about one-third the size of a standard basketball court.

About 260 cooks from Sorsogon City and 14 municipalities helped create the record-setting confection using 1,430 kilos of pili nuts supplied by local farmers.

The record attempt, conducted at the Sorsogon Provincial Gymnasium, exceeded the minimum requirement of 120 square meters with an impressive total of 144.16 square meters, as verified by Guinness World Records adjudicator Austin Clark Johnson.

The event served as the highlight of the 51st Kasanggayahan Festival and the 131st founding anniversary of the province, which showcased the unity and pride of Sorsoganons through their iconic delicacy — the pili conserva (pili nut brittle).

Pili nut brittle

Locally called ‘conserva’ or ‘conserba’, it is one of the most loved delicacies for pasalubong, a gift or souvenir item given to a friend or relative by a person who has returned from a trip or has come over for a visit.

Conserba can be found in the local pili candy shops in Sorsogon and even in some parts of the Bicol region.

It is made of pili nuts cooked in ‘minatamis na bao’, which literally translates to sweetened coconut or ‘sangkaka’ that is made purely of coconut cream, or locally called ‘kakanggata’ and sugar.

Praline is a soft and fudgy confection. The sugar is cooked at a lower heat than the hard-crack stage of brittle. Brittle is a hard, glossy, and crunchy candy that is often made of nuts. The caramel is cooked over high heat to achieve a crunchy crispness.

In several stores in the province, one will find the conserva wrapped in Hamilig leaves, which adds a distinctive taste and aroma to the product.

The Guinness attempt

The largest pili nut praline attempt was initiated by Sorsogon City Mayor Ma. Ester Hamor to showcase Sorsogon’s champion flagship commodity and to highlight the significance of pili in Sorsogon’s economy, culture, and identity.

“By putting it in the Guinness World Records, pili will be introduced to the national and global platform, and to the global market, as well,” the city mayor said.

Event organizer Jerome Dio announced that this year’s successful event marked the resumption of the official Guinness World Record attempt that was postponed last year.

“We’re proud to finally make it happen. This milestone is not just for the province but for all Sorsoganon who worked together to put pili on the global map,” Dio said.

Unlike last year, no trial cooking was conducted since the same method and process were retained. Instead, the team held a general rehearsal that focused on the placement of cooking stations and the choreography of the program flow.

A total of 130 cooking stations were set up inside the Provincial Gymnasium, with each station manned by two official cooks from different local government units in Sorsogon.

The event received support from Vicky’s Pili & Food Products, Phoenix Super LPG, the Sorsogon Pili Development Board of Sorsogon State University, the Association of Sorsogon Food Processors, Inc., and the Department of Trade and Industry in Sorsogon.

Guinness adjudicator’s remarks

Guinness World Records adjudicator Austin Clark Johnson expressed his admiration for the unity and craftsmanship of the Sorsoganons during the record attempt.

“I was truly impressed by the energy, the workmanship, and the sense of community that I felt the entire day. A huge congratulations to the people of Sorsogon for achieving their second Guinness World Record title. It has been a true pleasure to be here for this event — Sorsogon is officially amazing,” Johnson said.

Pride of Sorsogon

For many participants, the event was both historic and emotional. Arem Santos, one of the cooks involved and a staff member of the Municipal Tourism, Culture, and Arts Office of Bulan, expressed his excitement about being part of the successful record attempt.

“We’re very happy and delighted that we are part of this historic celebration. During the grand entrance, I could really feel the energy and excitement. Of course, there was pressure because we wanted to meet the standards, but with the support of our LGUs and the provincial government, we made sure every single detail led us to this victory,” Santos said.

He added, “Let’s continue supporting local products, especially our very own. We have many products capable of reaching the global market, and soon, pili will be among the most in-demand products in the country.”

Top pili producer

Pili, scientifically known as Canarium ovatum, is both the agricultural and tourism icon of Sorsogon. This tree is endemic to the region and particularly abundant in Bicol, with Sorsogon boasting the largest plantation in the area.

According to the pili roadmap from Sorsogon State University, Sorsogon is the leading producer of pili nut raw materials. A report from the Philippine Statistics Authority in 2016 indicated that Sorsogon contributed 63.32 percent, or 3,978.61 metric tons, to the Bicol region’s pili production, which in turn accounted for 54.54% of the national pili production.

With this recognition, Sorsogon has secured another Guinness World Record, following its 2019 achievement for hosting the “Pantomina sa Tinampo,” recognized as the Largest Folk Dance in the World.

This new title further supports the province’s efforts to pass pending legislation, specifically House Bill 1273 and Senate Bill 1068, both seeking to officially declare Sorsogon as the Pili Capital of the Philippines. (Bertuldo Jr. B. Bueza contributed to this report/PIA Bicol/Sorsogon)