It's no secret that Holmes County is renowned for the culinary delights created in its Amish kitchens and quaint B&Bs.

So, it's no wonder that an episode of the "Today" show last March in which the Las Vegas Hilton was touted as having set the Guinness World Record for the World's Largest Buffet grabbed Millersburg resident Evelyn Wooten's attention. That's a title, she reasoned, that should be a piece of cake to take.

On March 24, residents of Holmes County will do their best to best the Hilton by hosting what they hope will be the next record-breaking gastronomic event.

"Throughout my travels, whenever I tell people I'm from Holmes County, their first comment isn't about the Amish or about our furniture or our craft stores or antiques. It's always about our food and how excellent it is, from our restaurants to our bake shops to our candy stores," says buffet chairwoman Wooten, owner of Amish Heartland Tours and Events. "After I heard about the Hilton, I knew this would be a very good project for us."

For the past year, Wooten and her committee, composed of six members of the Holmes County Lodging Council, have been compiling recipes and finding willing cooks for the county's own "World's Largest Buffet," which will take place at the Holmes County Amish Flea Market in Walnut Creek.

Tickets for one of three seatings, which take place at 11 a.m. and 1 and 3 p.m., are $11 per person. Proceeds from the event will benefit The Love Center, a local food pantry. Verification of record-holder status will be made either by Guinness staffers or three nonresidents who can serve as unbiased judges. To commemorate the day, a cookbook containing each recipe will be available for purchase.

Since the Hilton weighed in with 510 items, Holmes County folk are planning on preparing 623 different dishes, made in licensed kitchens and given the seal of approval by the health department.

Fare will fall into one of 12 categories. Dishes entered range from tried-and-true temptations, including pot roast and apple pie, to more avant-garde creations, such as sauerkraut soup and rhubarb cake.

"This is the perfect opportunity to come and try out something you have never had before," says Wooten. "Our goal is for everyone to have a wonderful eating adventure."

For more details about the event, call 330/674-2059 or visit www.worldslargestbuffet.com.