Truth: I’m something of a waffle whore. There’s nothing better than drizzling warm maple syrup or lashing clouds of whipped cream on a freshly crisped, golden grid before devouring the entire lot. Being a waffle snob, I don’t go in for the frozen variety, nor do I brake for Belgians – unless they’re wearing red pants. Ha ha.
The thing is, there’s no such thing as a Belgian waffle. In Belgium, there are two types of waffles: Liege and Brussels. The Brussels waffle debuted in 1958 at the World Expo and this is what we think is a Belgian waffle.
Brussels waffle
The Brussels waffle is light and airy and has got that massive grid. It’s OK, but I find it kind of bland unless you jazz it up with chocolate sauce, berries and whipped cream.
Liege waffle
The Liege is my favourite. Buttery like a croissant, it’s sweeter, denser and doesn’t really require any topping. It’s hard to find the Liege outside of Europe, but I smuggled this pearl sugar back from Belgium so I can try my hand at making my own.
Here’s my buddy Pete who helped me taste test in Brussels a few weeks ago.
BTW, my go-to waffle recipe is super healthy, but you wouldn’t know it. I throw in a cup of pureed white beans from the can and swap white spelt flour instead of regular flour.
Are you a waffle fan? Do you have a favourite recipe or topping?
