Baking Uitlities

Kitchengenix's Mini Waffle Maker 4 Inch- 350 Watts: Stainless Steel Non-Stick Electric Iron Machine for Individual Belgian Waffles, Pan Cakes, Paninis, or Other Snacks

        

Waffles are fun to make and fun to eat. Cooks have been making waffles for centuries, but many are just discovering them. The history of the waffle iron is a history of industrialization.

Greek cooks used to bake flat cakes between two hot metal plates. This cooking method continued into the middle ages. Then, in the 1200s, craftsmen forged metal waffle plates that looked like honeycombs.

Dutch cooks were making "wafels" before the colonists boarded the Mayflower. Over time, the word wafel became waffle. French and Belgian cooks had their own version of the waffle. Cornelius Swartwout invented the American waffle maker in 1869. A ring was removed from the top of the wood stove and the maker inserted it. One side of the waffle was cooked, the maker was flipped, and the other side was cooked.

Waffle-making became easier when General Electric electrified the grids. But cooks had to add lots of fat to the batter to keep the waffles from sticking. Early editions of "The Joy of Cooking" call for 2-7 tablespoons of melted butter. Other waffle recipes called for a half cup of bacon fat. Because of the high fat and carb content, some people stopped eating waffles.