Dust off the Waffle Iron. It’s Time to Get Saturday Night Serious

This is an old-fashioned cast-iron waffle iron for making waffles using a stove burner. To purchase one, click on the picture.

Having watched our politicians waffle on this tax extension matter (among many matters) I would like to make some waffles this Saturday night, name them after the worst political wafflers and BITE THEM!

The following recipes came from a little notebook kept by my paternal grandmother’s cook.   They date from the 1930s-40s – times like our own now.

Plain Waffles

1. 2 cups Flour
2. 2 teaspoons Baking powder
3. 1/2 teaspoon Salt
4. 3 eggs Eggs
5. 1 cup Milk
6. 4 tablespoons melted Shortening

• Sift flour once, measure. Add baking powder and salt. Sift again.
• Beat egg yolks and combine with milk and melted shortening.  Add gradually to the first mixture beating until smooth and creamy.
• Beat egg whites until stiff.  Fold in gently to the above.
• Bake in waffle iron.
• Makes four 4-section waffles.

Next:  Fora change,  select your favorite waffle or try making some of each – a waffle worshiper would do nothing other than this.

• Graham waffles – Use graham in place of white flour.  Because graham is not to be sifted, add dry ingredients from the basic recipe and blend very thoroughly before combining with the liquids also from the basic recipe.
• Cheese waffles – add from 3/4 to 1 cup grated American cheese to plain waffle batter, stirring it in just before adding the beaten egg whites.  These waffles are delicious served with broiled bacon or with grilled tomatoes.

Rice Waffles

1. 1 and 3/4 cups flour
2. 2 tsp baking powder
3. 1 teaspoon salt
4. 3/4 cup cold cooked rice
5. 2 eggs
6. 2 Tbs sugar
7. 1 and 1/2 cups milk
8. 4 Tbs melted shortening

• Sift flour.  Add baking powder, salt and sift again.
• Add the rice and blend with a fork.
• Beat the egg yolks and sugar. Combine with milk and melted shortening.
• Combine the above two mixtures.
• Beat until perfectly smooth.
• Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into the two combined mixtures.
• Bake in hot waffle iron. Makes 6 four-sectioned waffles.