Waffle Day
Hmm, waffles. Little squares of syrupy yumminess. Mr.Breakfast.com takes us through all the confusion about what day is officially Waffle Day. We celebrate Waffle Day because:
"National Waffle Day (August 24) is the anniversary of the first U.S. patent for a waffle iron. Cornelius Swarthout of Troy, New York received his patent for a "device to bake waffles" in 1869. His early waffle iron was used in conjunction with coal stoves, consisted of a griddle and a cover and required flipping of the device to cook both sides of the waffle. At present, National Waffle Day is at best a "bizarre" or "unique" holiday" - the fluff stuff of radio DJ commentary. Waffle promotions at some restaurant chains have helped to keep the holiday alive, if only barely." (Mr.Breakfast.com)If I were still speaking to the former not-favorite roommate that forever borrowed my favorite perfectly-weighted and finished Belgian waffle maker, perhaps I would make my favorite waffles for dinner. I should just go out and buy another one, but I have been really indecisive lately, and I haven't yet fixated on what will be my new perfect waffle maker. I guess I need a training waffle maker. A transitional waffle maker.
Well, if I buy a transitional waffle maker today, I will make these waffles. And if you make them too, please do not pronounce Willamette like will-a-met-tae; it is pronounced will-AM-it (like damn-it). We from the the Pacific Northwest like our localities pronounced correctly. (And don't you even get an Oregonian started on you weirdos that say Or-e-gone.)
Anyway, the best waffles ever:
Willamette Valley Waffles
1/2 cup butter
1 Tablespoon sugar
Dash of salt
2 egg yolks
1 cup plus 1 Tablespoon flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk plus 1 Tablespoon lemon juice till curdled)
2 egg whites
1/2 Tablespoon hazelnut, almond, or vanilla extract
2/3 cup very finely chopped filberts (hazelnuts are called filberts by old-time Oregonians)
- Cream butter and sugar.
- Add the egg yolks and blend.
- In a separate container mix flour, salt, and baking powder.
- Using low speed on mixer, alternately add the buttermilk and flour to the egg yolk mixture.
- Add the flavoring, of which I prefer vanilla, and then double it, but hazelnut is also very nice, but do not double it.
- Beat the egg whites in separate bowl until stiff, and then fold into batter (very important step).
- Lightly fold filberts into the mixture.
- Spoon batter onto a preheated waffle iron, spread out the batter and cook according to directions on waffle iron.
- Eat!
Mm... I might have to make waffles this morning.
ReplyDeleteYou just wanted a reason to say damn didn't you.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous: I really don't need a reason to say damn. I say it all the time. I said it, like, fifty times this morning already.
ReplyDeleteBriam: I... never... thought... about... making... my... own... waffle... maker. It sounds way too decisive and permanent of a creation process for me. Since it's metal, and not, like, blocks of color and text on paper. :) I am really, really, super-impressed by LL now.
Master Fob: I, too, am thinking I need waffles, today. Hmmm... I might have to borrow a waffle maker or something.
AMS, I am sorry to have to reveal the poison behind Briam's words, but it's not true what he said. I only once took a woodshop class in middle school, where it was a requirement, and never developed the industrial machionery acumen to create culturally insensitive waffle irons. More like I drew cute cartoon faces on all my projects to encourage the teacher to consider the context and give me an A anyway. He did, I moved on, and now Briam needs to too. And while he's at it, maybe he should say "sowry" to AMS for being one of those weirdos who says "Or-a-gone".
ReplyDeleteLL: I will just have to be really, really, super-impressed by your other achievements.
ReplyDelete