Waffles: A Centuries Old Specialty

By Jubilee P. Reid

When most Americans eat waffles, they probably never think of how many centuries this popular food has been around. Some of the earliest records of waffles (often called “wafers”), and the irons used to make them, date to Early Medieval Europe. These appeared in France and Belgium in the 9^th and 10^th centuries. Even earlier, the ancient Greeks were known to make waffle-like cakes which they cooked over a fire between iron plates with long handles. Like most food items, waffles changed over the years and varied between cultures.

The word “waffle” came from the Dutch word “wafel” and first appeared in the early 1700s. The Dutch and Belgians were prominent in the spreading of waffle popularity during the Renaissance. During this time waffles went from thin, dense wafers to the thick, fluffy version common today. Waffles came to the Americas in the 1620s with the colonists who had been introduced to them in Holland. Some believe that Thomas Jefferson brought a waffle iron to America in 1789 and served them while in the White House which led to “waffle parties” becoming a trend in 18^th and 19^th century America.

The early waffle irons generally had light etchings in the surface which left faint imprints in the very flat wafers they produced. These irons were similar to the traditional Norwegian krumkake or Italian pizzelle irons used today. The etchings on these waffle irons could be highly intricate and feature religious symbols, landscapes, or coats of arms. By the late 1500s, waffle irons had morphed into the grid pattern used today which leaves deep hollows providing a convenient holder for toppings.

The first waffle irons were not as convenient to use as the electric ones are today. Historically, the irons had to be placed over a fire and rotated partway through cooking while the cook tried to keep the wooden handles from burning. The first known stovetop waffle iron was patented on August 24^th, 1869 by a Dutch resident of New York, Cornelius Swartwout (1838 – 1910). He was likely intent on designing a device which would lessen the chance of burning the user as he mentioned this numerously in his description for the patent. National Waffle Day is held on August 24^th each year in commemoration of Swartwout’s invention. Though this waffle iron was intended for use on wood-burning stoves, its design differs little from the first electric prototype introduced by General Electric in 1911.

Many electric waffle irons sold in the United States in the 1960s were marketed as “Belgian waffle makers.” This was due to the Vermersch family from Belgium who sold waffles with cream and strawberries at the 1962 World’s Fair in Seattle and the 1964 World’s Fair in New York. Their booths were popular and sparked a demand for Belgian waffles.

Among the McMinn County Living Heritage Museum’s collection are several antique waffle irons, displayed in the Modern Conveniences Exhibit. The oldest of these is an early electric chrome model patented in 1916 by the well-known home appliance manufacturer Landers, Frary, & Clark of New Britain, Connecticut. Produced in Canada in 1917, this 115/120-volt model was one of the first appliances of the company’s “Universal” line. Standing on an attached tray, this iron is rectangular and produces two square waffles simultaneously. This waffle maker was donated by Nancy Dooley Burn in 1994.

Another waffle maker in the museum’s collection is a round iron also made by Landers, Frary, & Clark. This electric chrome model dates to approximately 1932 and has a decoratively cut out design around the tall base. It was donated to the museum in 1996 by Thomas Biddle. Also displayed in the museum exhibit is a General Electric, Hotpoint waffle maker made in Ontario, California. This 115-volt model was manufactured in the 1940s and has wooden handles. Most antique electric waffle makers had wooden handles since wood is a poor conductor of heat and could be directly handled without risk of burns.

Waffle irons have changed little since Cornelius Swartwout patented his design in 1869. People all over the world today still enjoy this centuries-old food. Waffles are the namesake of one of America’s most numerous fast-food chain restaurants, Waffle House, which claims to serve 145 waffles every minute across their locations nationwide. One can easily understand how waffles, in some form, have existed for centuries.