The other day I was on the phone with my friend Carla in America and she commented that I was becoming such a domestic goddess after I described a day of sewing and painting and re-upholstering. Now I ask you, ” Do those waffles look like the work of a domestic goddess? “
A couple of weeks ago Karen, who I met through quiz night at our village pub and mentioned here, very kindly gave me her lovely Chisinau Belgian Waffle Iron as she was moving back to Canada and could not use it there.
(Internet Photo)
I’d like to take credit for the yummy looking waffle above, but the sad truth as you can see by my unappetizing pile of waffles is that my waffles looked nothing like the internet photo. The waffle iron itself was a mess as the Oatmeal Pecan waffle mixture squished out through edges and spilled over the side of the waffle iron sending it into a serious lockdown mode as soon as the aggressive oozing began. Mind you, it normally locks when you close it, but then it beeps and releases when the waffle has cooked the required amount of time.
This had worked with fine for the first two batches, but they were not very pretty because I had not put enough batter in to spread evenly throughout the four segments of the waffle iron. By the third pour, I decided to give it a bit more mixture so I might have four good waffles for my efforts. What I got was a waffle iron lockdown tighter than Alcatraz during a prison break and a steam bath that might have opened up even the tightest pores.
Added to the excitement, was the wheezy, moaning sound coming from it, along with the incessant beeping as it baked my locked in waffle to what I envisioned would be more like a blackened fat cracker than a sweet breakfast treat.
Lacking a directions manual, I quickly turned to my laptop to search for emergency directions before thinking Good grief, Elizabeth … just pull the plug. Just so we’re clear in case you ever use one like this, pulling the power source from the wall does not release the latch, not right away and not before you might have to later reapply your makeup and blow dry your hair.
Disclaimer here, the waffle iron is great when you don’t overfill it. Thanks again to Karen for the gift and I’ll let you know later what John thinks of the waffles. He passed on them this time, but there’s a big stack in the freezer with his name on them for later.
Just in case you are looking at my waffles and thinking,” They don’t look that bad ,” you should know that I showed you the good side. My first shot is below and one last thing that you might find funny, I worked at a Waffle House in the summer of my sixteenth year.
Gifts Of The Journey 
I bet they taste wonderful, I like the crispy-ier looking ones on the right.
I love the reality of these photos!
I enjoy taking photos of things I bake and often take quite a few photos until I get one that I like enough to blog. Often when I transfer them into the computer I laugh at the difference between the worst of the photos where the food looks totally unappetising and the final photo where it looks more edible!
Good on you for showing us the normal side of waffle making!
hahaha! I made waffles at Christmas for the first time in several years (probably since I first got the waffle iron). Searched the internet for recipes and wanted to try one with clumped (my word, they had a better one that I cannot remember) sugar. My son wouldn’t let me try them. Apparently that is the genuine Belgium way to make waffles. Is that how you made yours?
Well, I’m with Suzanne on this one – close eyes and I bet they taste great. Speaking as one whose cooking skills are non-existant, I have every sympathy with culinary mishaps. Not that, if it tasted good, this was one. Susanne liked my plate pic, but oh dear now the gaunlet has been thrown down..me & cooking? Almost as bad as maps.
Did you have gen-U-eyen maple syrup with that, ma’am, as this was another thing that for years was not to be found in the UK…
Great story. I can just picture the tussle between giggles and wanting to shout but not being able to, since you were probably focusing on the house not going up flames if the lockdown situation got any worse, Houston. Your waffles will probably come out fantastically for next Tuesday. Don’t give up!
I had a waffle iron at one time. Actually my girls gave it to my husband as he liked waffles. Have no idea whatever happened to it. I think it was just used once or twice.
I’ve never eaten waffles. Keep tryin’!
hahahaha! you, elizabeth, are a very brave woman, indeed! my dad used to make really good waffles, but i have never attempted it!
You are so brave, putting a picture of the “failures” on the internet for all the world to see 🙂
I’d say your efforts will taste fine. The stomach has a different purpose than eyes.
The waffle iron I got as a wedding gift was most wonderful, and I fed many pretty ones to the sons when they were little.
It died at um, 10 years old or so, in spite of my spouse’s best efforts to keep it going.
I got a new-fangled waffle iron.
It came with recipes and instructions, and a Safety Patrol’s list of things it was not allowed to do.
One of the features: it ‘cooled down’ for 10 minutes of every hour, which sounds good in court,
but the batter takes 5 minutes to cook, so when making waffles at breakfast for a pack of pre-teens at the overnight, the dang thing needed to stay HOT and cooking until the last kid had a plateful in front of him.
I tried to use it 3 times, cussing at regulations each time because nothing I did could get it to by-pass the settings,
then gave it away for a church rummage sale, returned within its box, with recipes and instructions, and a handwritten note saying why I was more than willing to let it be taken away.
Someone mentioned real maple syrup, which is the best, but lately, when my frozen waffle comes from the toaster, I am also willing to pour on honey.
You shook open a memory with your pictures. It’s what you like to do, which is why I check in every day. A great start for the week!
Elizabeth! Life is so full of irony sometimes! You’ll get there, don’t worry!