Waffles, Brussels style

Michael and I were sitting swapping notes this afternoon, and he commented that he'd read that Belgian waffles are a wholesale American invention. Huh.

Well, not so fast.

Turns out, the "Belgian" waffle is an American invention and truly does not exist in Belgium. However, what does exist (and is documented from at least the 1840s, and probably was around much earlier) are the Flemish waffle, the Brussels waffle, and the Liege waffle. We enjoyed our share of Brussels waffles, which are a deep-pocket waffle cooked with sugar on the outside (becoming a crunchy caramelly glaze) and served traditionally with strawberries and whipped cream. Yum.

A major difference between the so-called Belgian waffle of the US and the Brussels waffle (apart from the fact that the Brussels waffle is perhaps a little deeper in the pockets, I'm not sure) is the dough. The Brussels waffle has yeast in it, lending it a richer flavor and a chewier texture. It's actually a dough rather than a pourable batter, so we could enjoy seeing them plop some dough onto the iron, then spread it out roughly, then off to the races!

Oh, and Belgian fries? Yes, they're awesome. Double fried in animal fat, a heart attack waiting to happen, but a delicious occasional treat!

Love,

Alexandra