India, April 19 -- There was a time when I would hear about the world's largest pumpkin or watch a hot-dog-eating contest, and wonder what motivated people to pursue such extreme feats.

I guess it takes all sorts, I would think to myself. With a little digging, though, I have discovered that there is reason, of a kind, behind many such endeavours: a search for recognition, a sense of pride in one's work, a wish to reach out to the community (and what better way to do that than giant foods). So, this week, I'm looking at my favourite food records that tell an intriguing story.

The world's heaviest pumpkin: Travis Gienger, current Guinness World Record holder in this category, has been growing pumpkins since he was 14.

In April 2023, age...