Spain’s attempt at claiming a Guinness World Record for cooking up the world’s largest tortilla (which in Spain means omelette) has fallen flat.

In August, in the Basque city of Vitoria, thousands of Spanish spectators congregated to watch a host of chefs, led by the award-winning chef Senén González, take a shot at the title. More than two tons of eggs and potatoes, 30 onions and 150 litres of olive oil were mixed into the gigantic dish that was then divided into 10,000 portions and passed on to the crowd.

Months later, according to The Guardian, the Guinness World Records rejected the tortilla on the grounds that it did not beat an 11,036kg tortilla that was made in Japan in 1994.

Aside from just not being big enough, Guinness found fault with the actual method of preparation wherein many small, precooked omelettes were put into one huge five-meter diameter omelette.

“In addition to the Spanish Capital of Gastronomy Association omelette not weighing more than the current record, it did not prepare the omelette correctly and in accordance with our guidelines," Guinness World Records said in their official statement.

What likely started out as a good-natured stab at national pride and culinary unity has become political fodder in Spain, where opposing politicians are using what is being dubbed “tortillagate” to target the municipal People’s party that failed to receive the Guinness title in an expensive spectacle that ended up costing 45,000 Euros.

Javier Maroto, the mayor of Vitoria, defends his city’s attempt at fame, talking up the obvious visibility that has been brought to Vitoria.

“It was worth it, regardless of the result,” he said, going on about Guinness’s decision and sticking to his own belief that “the tortilla that we made in Vitoria is the biggest tortilla de patatas that has ever been made.”

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