I can't watch competitive eating challenges. The way they have to eat the food, cramming it down their throats and eating copious amounts of food in mere minutes, just makes me want to hurl. Watching people eat that way seriously gets my gag reflux to working overtime. To me, food is to be enjoyed and those eating challenges are everything BUT that.

I did watch Man vs Food on the Travel Channel a few times, though. The show came to St Louis once to a famous place called Crown Candy Kitchen. The restaurant offers a challenge to consumers of their trademark malts. Should a person drink five 24-ounce malts or shakes within 30 minutes, they receive the malts for free and have their name inscribed upon a plaque in the store. The Crown Candy Challenge was attempted on the Travel Channel's television series, Man v. Food, by the show's host, Adam Richman, on an episode that aired on 25 February 2009. Adam was only able to finish about four of the five malts.The record for the five malt challenge is 2 minutes, 29 seconds by Randy Santel. For seven malts, the record is six minutes, by Ben Monson. Since 1913, only about 55 people have successfully completed the Crown Candy Challenge, while several attempt it each week.

On my first day of retirement, I had Frank take to to the Crown Candy Kitchen so I could try their infamous "Heart-Stopping BLT" sandwich which was voted as the Best Sandwich in America at one point. It uses 14 pieces of crispy, kettle-cooked bacon. I took my time but managed to eat the whole thing. It was delicious!

---