Where Oh Where Wednesday: Waffling

When you visit a country, you want to sample the local cuisine (‘cuisine’ simply means ‘kitchen’, by the way). In Belgium that might include waffles. Belgian waffles, next to chocolate, beer and fries are the things most people might at this time in history associate with Belgium. But then you are left with an important question: which Belgian waffle? 

In Belgium there are certainly two very distinct waffles from two very different cities. In Liége, just about 20 minutes from where we live, the citizens speak French, have a rich history of steel production and making weapons, and live in a city along the Meuse, just like Maastricht but very different. 

The waffles that one would purchase here are thick and sweet. They will be slightly carmelized and will be served plain. You do not top them with anything. You eat them as they are. Perhaps that also represents the citizens a bit. The Liegois are strong, opinionated and proud. You don’t have to dress them up. The bishopric was very powerful in the past (this bishop also had power of the city of Maastricht in those days). 

In Brussels you can by all sorts of waffles on the street from vendors in food trucks. You can even buy a ‘Luikse wafel’ - a waffle from Liege (or ‘Luik” in Flemish). But if you want a Brussels waffle, you go to several well-known (and expensive) stores and purchase the real thing. This waffle is large and thick - much more cake-like than the waffle from Liege. And you still have many choices to make. Do you want your waffle with chocolate sauce? Or strawberries? Or ice cream? Or whipped cream? Or all of the above? 

The Brussels waffle is a bit of a show-off, perhaps a bit like the capital city. People here will speak French, Flemish or English. The European Parliament has its home here. Tourists  wander the streets in all seasons. Brussels has always imagined itself ‘little Paris’. So the waffle must show this off as well. 

And then we haven’t even mentioned the waffles in the Netherlands (which are of course NOT Belgian waffles). You will have seen them in the airport or in the specialty section of your supermarket (next to the Biscoff spread - which is Belgian). “Stroopwafels” are thin bits of waffle sandwiched around a thick molasses-like syrup. You can put the waffle over your coffee cup (unless it is a huge American size mug) and let it warm up from the steam on your coffee. Then you tear it apart with your teeth, being careful not to get the stringy molasses on your chin. 

I have never really considered if these waffles in any way might be indicative of Dutch citizens. Back when I first came to the Netherlands to first spread the gospel and learn about missions I simply enjoyed them whenever I could. You can get them anywhere in the Netherlands. They are the same all over the country. 

What do you like on your waffles? Or do you waffle between preferences? (See what I did there?)