Bread of the Month: Waffling on a breakfast treat

[I] only learned this past year that my birthday falls on a national holiday. National Waffle Day!! On Aug. 24, 1869, the first waffle iron was patented in the United States.

I celebrated the auspicious occasion with waffles — made by someone else. It was, after all, my birthday…shouldn’t I be served? At the Boon Fly Cafe in Napa, a divine eatery that somehow manages to satisfy the culinary needs of both the hoitey as well as the down-home types (like me), I had a plate of waffles that were — I’m thrilled to announce — accompanied by four pieces of piping hot, crispy fried chicken. I gorged on the waffles and managed to snarf down three of the four pieces of chicken (the waitstaff was impressed). It was my birthday! It was a holiday! And post-meal, I was going to be taking a much-needed hike at the blissful nearby Jack London State Park. So, say your blessings and eat up, Girl!

If you missed celebrating waffles on the holiday, not to worry. Waffles can be enjoyed throughout the year, in care you didn’t know! One of the my birthday gifts to myself this year, given that I share the day with this delightful breakfast bread, was a Grill and Waffle Maker (Yes, you may buy gifts for yourself…do it, do it, do it!). For many years, I used a small waffle iron given to me by my sister, but it final gave up its ghost sometime back. At home, I had been waffle-poor, so I ordered them at restaurants because that’s the only place I could enjoy them. And using a Sharpie to draw squares on a pancake just ain’t the same thing.

How did those little squares come to be, anyway? It was actually centuries ago, according to theory, that, during Medieval times, a Scottish Crusader came home and, while wearing his woven mail suit, sat on his wife’s hot oatcakes (so to speak). A happy accident, the indentations were formed, the Scotsman spread butter on the morphed cakes and ate them, and the word “waffres” — the Scottish word for “woven” — descended into our much-loved “waffle”

What makes a waffle, Belgian, then? Deep pockets — in the iron that is, a particular design to create a higher grid on a waffle that was first introduced as a “BelGem” waffle by Maurice Vermersch of Brussels.

I often ordered Belgian waffles at restaurants…one recent interpretation contained BACON! Wow! I would still order from eateries, but the new iron was calling me.

So, on Labor Day, I decided the labor I wanted to indulge in would be waffle-making. The recipe I found from King Arthur Flour, incorporated whole wheat flour, taking a bit of the guilt out of such an indulgence.

It had been some time since I operated a waffle iron. Two key tips from Mark Bittman’s “How to Cook Everything,” seemed to be good options for ensuring a good crispy waffle — oil your iron and get it hot.

The batter was simple (so you know, waffle batter is not the same as pancake batter…it tends to be thicker). The recipe suggested adding orange juice to reduce the sometimes bitter taste of whole wheat flour. I did not mind that wheat flavor, but added orange juice and zest to impart some citrusy morning brightness to my breakfast treat.

The great mystery of waffle-making is knowing when to lift the lid to check doneness. In my own days of yore, I waited until the sizzling noises had subsided and at least 2 to 3 minutes had passed. Sometimes, upon checking the waffle and it is not quite done….just replace the lid and wait a little longer.

Good waffles — grainy, hearty, earthy in flavor. The citrus lightened them a bit. I enjoyed them with blueberries and sugar-free syrup. Next time, honey butter and jam? Or sliced strawberries? Some crumbled bacon…whoa! With my own iron, the options lay ahead, a full menu of my own making.

Whole Wheat Waffles
From King Arthur Flour (www.kingarthurflour.com)
Makes 3 to 4 large waffles

Preheat your iron while you make the waffle batter.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, and butter or oil.
Mix together the wet and dry ingredients, stirring just until combined. The batter will be a bit lumpy; that’s OK.
Cook the waffles as directed in the instructions that came with your waffle iron.
Blogger’s Note: I added about 1/2 teaspoon orange zest to the dry ingredients and the juice of 1/2 orange to the wet ingredients.