Can you imagine waffles without their signature checkerboard pattern? Or a waffle served without syrup? It’s hard to believe, but waffles weren’t always the sweet breakfast treat they are today. From communion to mayonnaise, their history is quite a wild ride!
Early waffles were stamped with scenes, not a checkerboard
In the 1300s, Medieval Europeans took communion using round flatbreads. Street vendors in France saw a business opportunity and began selling communion flatbreads outside of churches! To give their wares a special flare, these vendors cooked their flatbreads in presses that were engraved with Biblical scenes or religious imagery. The designs ranged from simple symbols to intricate and beautiful drawing!
Legend says a knight accidentally created the first grid-patterned waffle
No one is sure when people made the switch from intricate waffles to grid-patterned waffles, but a European legend claims a knight started the trend. According to the story, the knight accidentally sat on a pancake while still dressed in his armor. Supposedly, the metal of his armor left a grid pattern on the pancake, leading to the adoption of a checkerboard waffle pattern! (This story isn’t likely, but it’s still fun to read.)
Waffles were a street food before they were a sweet food
200-300 years after their adoption as communion wafers, grid-patterned waffles were sold as street food in Europe. They were made with similar ingredients to the ones we use today - flour, water, and eggs - with one exception. Chefs didn’t add any sugar or flavorings to the batter! At the time, thin wafer cookies topped with chocolate or marmalade were a common dessert in fine dining. The wafers themselves were probably almost tasteless, which may have inspired these street food waffles’ bland flavor. I’ll take the maple syrup, thanks!
Colonial Americans served waffles with some unusual toppings
Waffles arrived in America in the 1600s when the Dutch traveled across the Atlantic. English-speakers in America even adopted the Dutch word for the treats - “wafel”! Adding sugar to the batter still wasn’t an option - sugar had to be imported from England and was too expensive for the average American colonist. So, settlers got creative and served their non-sugared waffles with everything from fruit, molasses, and maple syrup to kidney stew or chicken!
Thomas Jefferson was a big waffle fan
When he returned from his post as ambassador to France, Thomas Jefferson brought many beautiful French goods back with him. But perhaps his most prized was a French waffle iron! Unlike the heavy, metal waffle irons used by the colonists, Thomas’s French model was more elegant with lighter handles. He was so happy about his newfound waffle-making abilities that he hosted “waffle frolics” when guests could take turns making waffles using his waffle iron!
The name “Eggo” has nothing to do with waffles
This iconic brand name was originally created by three brothers: Frank, Tony, and Sam Dora. But they weren’t planning to make waffles - their original business produced mayonnaise! When they started their company in 1932, they boasted that their mayo was made with fresh eggs, leading to the name “Eggo”. But their business took off when Frank engineered a giant waffle-iron carousel to make hundreds of frozen waffles at a time! Kellogg’s bought Eggo Food Products in the 1970s, but the “Eggo” name stuck to the Dora brothers’ infamous waffles. For the record, Eggos do have eggs in them!
I’m glad we don’t eat dry waffles topped with kidney stew today. It just wouldn’t be the same! If you’re hungry for more breakfast history, check out my article about pancakes. The real question is which is better: pancakes or waffles? Click the blue button below to vote! 👓