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.

Two kinds of Belgian waffles

Brussels is on the left, Liege on the right.

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. It’s 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.

Belgian waffle in Belgium

All hail the Liege!

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.

Parle sukur

Here’s my buddy Pete who helped me taste test in Brussels a few weeks ago.

Pete Wilson with Waffles

BTW, this is my go-to waffle recipe from Dinner with Julie. It’s super healthy, but you wouldn’t know it. I always use white spelt flour instead of regular flour, though.

Are you a waffle fan? Do you have a favourite recipe or topping?

P.S. You also might like A Funny Thing About Belgian Men and The Sauciest, Most Savoury Breakfast Ever.