A Winter Waffle PSA: Freeze Those Babies
VwaV Pumppkin Waffles healthified with whole wheat pastry flour and flax seeds
I remember the first time someone told me they made their own waffles. I was shocked. I was dismissive. I remember asking, “But are they good?” I just couldn’t believe that something requiring such complicated machinery was within my reach. And once I tried it myself I was addicted.
I am at war with my current waffle iron. It has a gajillion settings and, if I were to still think in waitress terms, it cost a crappy night’s tips. A few years ago I found a whole slew of ‘fflirons (now there’s a portmanteau that won’t catch on) on sale for 7 bucks. I bought 4 of them. In my defense, I was doing a vegan brunch cafe at the time so they were needed. It ended up being perfect iron - the timer went off when it was supposed to, each session produced a fluffy yet crispy uniformly cooked gem and it was so easy to clean. Long, boring story short (but hopefully still boring), my friend Michael was staying with me and knocked them from their precarious perch on top of my fridge and broke every one. Thanks, Michael, that is how you will be remembered. And I don’t know why I thought I was moving up in the world with the new one, but you don’t know what you got till it’s gone. I haven’t been able to find those perfect cheapo ones at any price.
But honestly, the point of this post wasn’t to sulk over my losses, but to remind everyone how well waffles freeze. This morning I placed a whole baggie in the freezer and now I’ll have brunch at my fingertips for a few weeks. Obviously these Belgian sized waffles won’t fit in the toaster, but that is easily solved by cutting them into triangles. And then, according to 80s commercials, when they pop out of the toaster, if someone tries to grab it before you can, you get to curb stomp them.
November 4th, 2007 at 12:02 am
i am waffleiron-less. i had a cool thrifted one before i moved to nola that made heart shaped waffles, but i unloaded it to downsize for the move here. you make me want a new one, but dazee is a pancake man.
xo
kittee
November 4th, 2007 at 12:20 am
isa, you’re the only one i know with a waffle iron and now i know yours doesn’t work so hot…what am i supposed to do?!
they look so yums.
November 4th, 2007 at 12:29 am
Veganomicon came today and when I was showing my 3-year-old the pictures she pointed to the waffles and said, “I want that for my birthday!”
We live on our own frozen waffles with flax seeds. If you toast them and smear them with almond butter you can even get away with eating them for lunch.
So, so excited about Veganomicon.
November 4th, 2007 at 12:30 am
Haha, I can see the headline now, Waffle-thievery ends in Curb-stomping. And my kitchen seems so ill-equipped (which it actually is) without a waffle iron.
November 4th, 2007 at 12:31 am
waffles! i forgot about waffles! i’ve been freezing muffins like they’re going out of style and i forgot about WAFFLES! thanks, isa!
November 4th, 2007 at 1:04 am
My waffle iron is crepe too. It does the job when I need my pancakes evenly cooked and square.
November 4th, 2007 at 2:27 am
homemade waffles are the best! I got a Cuisinart waffle iron and it works like a charm. I do have brush it with oil between each waffle or they will stick.
I like waffles with savory foods too, not just for breakfast.
November 4th, 2007 at 6:21 am
In Norway, I saw a cast iron heart-shaped waffle iron. I never could have gotten that beast home, though, but someday…
November 4th, 2007 at 6:50 am
I still regard ‘fflirons with suspicion. All the ones I’ve handled were tricky and to handle and treacherous.
I should probably shell out for a decent one at some point. These pumpkin waffles are a great reason to, in any case.
November 4th, 2007 at 8:20 am
i only used my waffle iron (inherited from my mom) once. it’s old and i thought it didn’t work right, but i think i might have been using it incorrectly. i need to dig it out and try again.
November 4th, 2007 at 9:09 am
i have a super cheapo waffle iron that works great. my hello kitty one, however, hates me. and veganism.
November 4th, 2007 at 9:23 am
oooh what a great idea! I never thought of making a mountain and freezing my own, and I just found the sweetest fancy toaster oven while out walking last week, so I could reheat them whole.
As an aside, I think Veganomicon will be getting me back in the vegan groove, I fell off the bandwagon this summer. oooh the porn, it’s wooing me. I wanna make my own porn too!
November 4th, 2007 at 9:31 am
I used a friend’s Krups waffle iron recently and it made perfect waffles. So good that i am considering trying to get someone else to buy me one for the holidays.
November 4th, 2007 at 9:42 am
Never has my desire for a waffle iron been more acute. My last one was a multi-purpose sandwich press/waffle iron and it sucked at both tasks.
November 4th, 2007 at 9:45 am
Last week, I was sure I finally found the holy grail: a waffle iron at the thrift store. So I run over excitedly, only to find one of those blasted quesedilla makers. Curses! I want a waffle iron, I say! (Wow, why do I sound so much like Stewie early on Sunday mornings?…)
November 4th, 2007 at 10:48 am
I made the banana walnut waffles from Veganomicon this morning, but I used pecans instead. (I use a cheap Oster iron from Target that works well.) I have died and gone to heaven.
November 4th, 2007 at 11:00 am
Jill - it’s not a bandwagon, it’s a float in the parade of revolution, with free beer and awesome music - stay on!
Panda- hint taken!
Bazu - I totally electrocuted myself ith a thrift store ‘ffleiron. I say stay away!
fatcat - don’t die! we need to sell you more books!
November 4th, 2007 at 11:40 am
I have a hand me down “belgian waffler” that has only made me one perfect waffle…therefore I dare not throw it out, as it is obviously me who is the problem. Yet, the frustration over ruined waffles and wasted ingredients makes me to want to throw it out the window.
Ha. You said “portmanteau.”
November 4th, 2007 at 12:21 pm
I don’t have a waffle iron, largely because my collection of cooking accoutrements has already wildly exceeded my kitchen storage space. However, I use the VWAV Pumpkin Waffle recipe to make Pumpkin Pancakes all the time, and it works fairly well if you don’t mind a slightly heavier pancake. Of course, I can only imagine how well they would turn out if I had a waffle iron…
November 4th, 2007 at 1:35 pm
Gah, I have a fear of my waffle iron, it always burns me. (As does my oven, and my toaster, and my stove, and.. you know, this might be my fault.) BUT I could always make the batter and have someone else do the rest for me. Or make the pumpkin pancakes Sara mentioned. They sound like teh pwnz.
November 4th, 2007 at 2:38 pm
it totally was the Chocolate Stout cupcakes that brought me back into the fold
I swear the forum crashed less than a half hour after I asked about moving to Cleveland, I guess the flood of responses blew out the flux capacitor for the ppk interwebs, I’m sorry!
I’ll go buy a book to makeup for it
November 4th, 2007 at 2:49 pm
I used to truly love pancakes now when I have them they are never exactly what I want. Maybe waffles would be the perfect thing? Not as doughy… that might be the key! I want to make some waffles now! I hope someone knows about a good waffle iron. Sounds like there are a lot of duds out there.
November 4th, 2007 at 2:51 pm
IT’S STILL DOWN
WAAAAAAAAAH
November 4th, 2007 at 3:01 pm
20.00 Belgian waffle iron from one of the old dearly departed Odd Job or Odd Lot (or whatever the hell it was called) stores. Might be a Rival. Granted, I don’t use it too often (but I always freeze ‘em, too), but haven’t had a bad waffle yet. I say check the Wholesale Liquidators. And while you are there check to see if they have any more of the 20-buck Braun immersion blenders with the chopper attachment. Oh, gosh, they also had some great plastic pastry bags (20 ct, I think) with three tips don’t even need the ringy things for like 3 or 4 bucks. I do love the WL.
November 5th, 2007 at 10:25 am
Nikitee put a waffle iron in my care package…It was my birthday so I think that was why..but anyway totally awesome waffleness is now mine. My family is eternally grateful. We have a Nikitee shrine at my house now.
November 5th, 2007 at 10:36 am
jill: Cleveland is cool, honest… When are you moving, and where-ish (if you know yet)?
gwgredux: You need to porn some waffles!
November 5th, 2007 at 4:36 pm
I have a backlog of porn waiting for the forums to come back up…..sigh
November 5th, 2007 at 4:41 pm
I bought a old timey cast iron waffle iron (as in, non-electric) off of ebay a while ago because the ex wanted waffles “like his mom makes.” It turns out that the iron wasn’t exactly like his mom’s (uhh…. what?), so I haven’t used it since. Picky bitch.
I think I’m going to break out the iron tonight and make a pantsload of waffles for freezin’.
November 5th, 2007 at 5:33 pm
I must steal my sister’s Snoopy waffle maker and make these!
November 5th, 2007 at 11:25 pm
The pumpkin waffles made in a friend’s waffle maker convinced me to buy my own. Unfortunately it’s a bit squirrely, but many weekends I make one of your waffle recipes and freeze any that I don’t eat. Then breakfast during the week is quick and tasty.
WOOT FOR VEGAN WAFFLES.
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February 21st, 2008 at 11:59 am
I second whoever uses the Oster waffle maker from Target. Got it on sale for $17. After trying a horrendous one from Walmart at a measly $10, I say the extra bucks are well worth it. Am eating banana waffles right now.