Why is belgium famous for waffles

In fact, a lot of vendors in contemporary Belgium refuse to hand customers cutlery to consume the waffle, so that they can eat it like the real deal. With time, there has obviously been a change in the way one perceives food as a function of culture. The need to improvise and innovate already existent traditions is something fueled by human capacity. Food is something we aim to derive the utmost satisfaction from through its consumption.

But these changes made in the design of the Belgian waffle are only a result of our curiosity to expand and improvise, even though some say they may defeat the connotation of a cultural delicacy. Skip to content Search for: search Search. Waffles and more waffles Picture courtesy: Vanie Castro from Flickr However, food and culture are inseparably related.

Belgian Frites with Sauce Andalouse The waffle is an iconic figure in the large slew of distinctive desserts. Go to mobile version. They are a little older than that. In fact they were around during the middle ages. Initially being made as unleavened cakes baked in a wafer iron. During this time they were made from a mix of barley and oats and cooked in an iron made from two metal plates, put over a fire and flipped like a pancake to ensure both sides are cooked.

We tend to group all waffles into the 'Belgium' waffles camp, but there are actually two types hailing from that little European country. But there is something decidedly unique about the Liege waffle. It's not something you see everyday, probably because the dough is hard to make and the essential ingredient, pearl sugar, is expensive and not readily available.

Top left: In the factory where the waffles dough is made to be sent to all the carts, trucks and shops, a giant funnel of pearl sugar is ready to make Liege magic. Bottom left: The Liege dough has just been mixed with pearl sugar. Top right: The dough has been cut and is being packaged for freezing. Bottom right: Slinging Liege dough, heavy with butter and sugar. Their waffles are cooked up fresh on the street, enticing passersby with the sweet smell of sugar.

The waffles are most commonly sold in traditional fashion, plain in a paper carrier to be eaten by hand, but owner Thomas DeGeest has added embellishments as well.

American twists are available too and the option of a fork and knife. They sell a chicken and gravy waffle that would make Maurice Vermersch roll over in his grave, but it's a favorite with customers.

These waffles are loved -- in a typical summer weekend they can sell up to 10, of them. Top: Opening the cart at the Brooklyn Bridge. Bottom, left to right: One of the carts parked at the factory in Brooklyn.

Burt, Belgian waffle extraordinaire slinging Liege's at the Brooklyn Bridge. Burt and Steve getting the cart ready. Without a background in food, DeGeest was able to successfully sell enough of his waffles to grow from a one-truck operation into a five-cart, two-truck, two brick and mortar shop "waffle empire.

It also helps that he has native Belgians manning the waffle irons, promising the ability to maintain the "Belgian-ness of the food. But we think there's more to it than that. Aside from the ridiculously awesome size of the pearl sugar that goes into DeGeest's waffles -- seriously, did you see the size of them above? That, and the bling. Upvote 4 Downvote 2.

Originally showcased in at Expo 58 in Brussels, Belgian waffles were introduced to North America by a Belgian named Walter Cleyman at the Century 21 Exposition in Seattle in , and served with whipped cream and strawberries. These waffles were introduced by Maurice Vermersch of Brussels, Belgium. In fact, King Charles IX of France said that the vending stalls had to be kept at a safe distance from one another, because the eating of waffles had become such a popular phenomenon.

There are, in fact, two types of waffles that originated in Belgium. These are known as the Brussels waffles and Liege waffles. The Dutch are given credit for bringing the waffle to America. It would be a while before waffle irons were common in the United States, however. The first patent ever issued for a waffle iron went to Cornelius Swartwout of Troy, New York, in Outside the country, Belgium is best known for its chocolate, waffles, fries and beer.