Perhaps this thread should be moved to Great Debates?
What’s funny is after the first couple of responses to this thread I was seriously pondering how to describe a waffle to somebody who didn’t know what a waffle was.
My first attempt?
“They’re like pancakes, but… they’re more waffle-shaped.”
Oh yeah.
They’re like pancakes the way mashed potatoes are like rice. They sit on the same part of the plate and are the same color.
mmm…waffles…
We dont have a waffle iron, so I buy eggo-like (but NOT eggos!) waffles at the grocery store. They are cheap, and not the best breakfast food, but since I stocked up on real maple syrup last time I went home, its good enough for me! I can’t imagine the price of syrup in the UK, when its so expensive even in Ontario! Its REALLY cheap in Quebec.
If you’re ever in the Southeastern US, go to one of the ubiquitous Waffle House diner/restaurants. Don’t worry. You’ll see them everywhere. Now granted, it’s nothing but a greasy-spoon type diner (which in itself may be an eye-opening experience…it’s certainly American,) but be sure to order a pecan waffle.
Not only is it tasty at any given time, but it is the best drunk food there is.
Ogre, we have Waffle House diners here too. That’d be in Colorado I say. Yes,um.
We also have IHOP, Denny’s, Village Inn, Perkins, etc…
Just cuz we’s in da west don’ mean we’s don’ got nuffin heer.
Ah, techie, I really had no idea WH’s were in Colorado as well. I’m simply used to seeing them at every interstate exit in the South.
So whaddya think of the pecan waffles?
Never had them Ogre, I haven’t been to the Waffle House since I was a kid. I am not much of a breakfast person and if I do eat it I tend towards things that aren’t sweet. I go for cholesteral (sp) and grease like eggs and bacon.
Yummm, yummm, even when we’ve been out drinking and dancing I still go for that.
Although, I have had my eye on a waffle iron for ages. I probably would use it about twice a year and only for dinner but hey, I would love to have one.
Oddly enough, techie, I’m kinda the same way…usually. I can normally be depended on to order a burger and hash browns (scattered, smothered, covered) even for breakfast at WH.
But there’s something about those pecan waffles, man. Chewy, crunchy, nutty, and vanilla-y all at the same time.
I’m pretty sure you can still get maple sugar. As far as I know, the stuff that is commonly called brown suagr is the same thing. It is the best stuff on oatmeal or cream-of-wheat. Yum.
Uh… no. Brown sugar has nothing to do with maple sugar at all. Brown sugar is just white sugar with molassas in it, I believe. It certainly has no maple in it.
This site sells maple sugar:
http://www.rmgmaple.com/the.store?cart_id=3068247.47655&page=products.html
They have lots of Waffle Houses in Arizona, too.
You can’t usually buy maple sugar at a regular grocery store, but, for example, there is a guy at my farmer’s market who sells all manner of maple items (syrup, candy, spread, fudge, etc.) including maple sugar in a half-pound sack.
Yes, Maple syrup is – guess what – made from the sap of a sugar maple tree! I get it in my local super market all the time. It’s more expensive, natch, but IMHO so superior to the colored corn syrup that it’s worth it. In the “old days” brands like Log Cabin actually used to have some maple syrup in them, with the percent decreasing all the time until now, when they are all just “pancake” syrup. If corn syrup comes from corn, and maple syrup comes from maples, where does pancake syrup come from?
We also have French Toast. Or as I call it, FREEDOM Toast.
Kinda been done, anyway.
Holy Crap, things get complicated here. Here’s a simple waffle recipe.
Plug the waffle iron in so it will preheat while you make the waffles.
Seperate three eggs. Put the whites in small bowl to whip later. Put the yolks in a liquid measuring cup. (You can toss the yolks if you like.)
In a mixing bowl put:
1 Cup flour
1 Tbsp Baking Powder
1 Tsp Salt
Add milk to the measuring cup until you have one cup yolks and milk. Mix in with dry ingredients. Add 1/4 to 1/3 Cup Vegetable Oil or melted butter. The more you add the crispier they’ll be. You can add vanilla to taste.
Whip egg whites to peak, gently fold into batter.
Oil the waffle iron (Pam type sprays actually work best.)
Irons are all different sizes so you’ll have to WAG the amount for a waffle. Start small or the batter will flow out of the iron and you’ll have an awful mess. Leave iron lid down until steam comes out. If you want them crisper, give it a little longer. Some people like them white and fluffy, and some brown and crispy.
Serve with melted butter and pancake syrup. Or peanut butter, or jam, or honey, or powdered sugar, or marmite if that floats your boat.
These are waffles, just plain waffles. Belgian waffles suck.
Sorry about the non-metric measures, I’m sure you can convert. I’m not going to preview as I lost this last time. Damn hamster.
Just want to say, don’t ever skip the beaten eggwhites part. A waffle recipe that does not include them is a recipe that produces waffles that will sit on your tummy like a lump of lead.
You can buy maple sugar, but it’s pricey (as is maple syrup). Usually I only see it as candy. Yummy, though.
Yes, but have you ever driven I-95 through the SE U.S.? (or anywhere down there, really) - there is literally at least one waffle house at every exit (which in lots of parts is every 1-2 miles). You can tell how far north you are by counting the frequency of waffle houses off the highway.
TeleTronOne That what it’s like with Denny’s around here. Waffle House restaurants aren’t abundent here in Colorado but we do have them.
I ws just giving Ogre a hard time. 