Capitol Hosts Largest Ice-Cream Sandwich

The 50th anniversary of the ice-cream sandwich may be one for the books, according to the International Ice Cream Association.

The Guiness Book of Records, that is.

To commemorate the anniversary this year the dairy industry unveiled the world's largest ice-cream sandwich yesterday before guests assembled at the annual Capitol Hill ice-cream party.

At 8-feet-by-3-feet, and 1 foot high, the world's largest ice-cream sandwich required 131 gallons of vanilla ice cream (about 780 pounds).

The monster sandwich is the equivalent of 4,320 standard-sized ice-cream sandwiches. The wafer holes were punched by hand using a 1-1/4 inch pipe.

The annual Capitol Hill ice-cream party is a summertime tradition - a three-hour celebration of the cool, sweet American treat, ice cream.

Eagerly awaited by members of Congress, their families and staffs, and other special guests, the ice-cream party was to dish up an estimated 2,500 gallons of ice cream and frozen yogurt, 250 gallons of toppings, and 5,000 root-beer floats.

The event is sponsored by the International Ice Cream Association, the Milk Industry Foundation, and the National Cheese Institute.

Each year, more than 10,000 ice-cream lovers indulge at the event, making it the largest ice-cream party in the world.