National Waffle Day on August 24th commemorates the anniversary of the first waffle iron patent issued.
- Middle Ages – The birth of the waffle dates back to the Middle Ages, when they were cooked over a fire using two metal plates with wooden handles. The plates back then often had the grid pattern we know today, but some waffles had fancier designs, like a coat of arms.
- 14th Century – Waffle irons and waffles originated around the 14th century. An anonymous husband penned the first known waffle recipe as a set of instructions for his wife.
- 1620 – Pilgrims bring waffles from Holland to “New Amsterdam”
- 1725 – The term waffle appears in print in the Court Cookery book.
- 1725 – Although we have proof that waffles may have gotten their start in France or even ancient China, the word “waffle” is descended from the Dutch word for “wafer”. The first use of the actual word “waffle” in the English language was in 1725.
- 1789 – Thomas Jefferson returned to the US from France with many French recipes. In addition, he came back with a long-handled waffle iron that encloses the batter and gives the waffle crispness and shape.
- 1839 – Belgian Waffles were invented around 1839.
- 1869 – Cornelius Swarthout of Troy, New York, received his patent for the waffle iron. While waffles existed long before then, the invention made waffles more readily available.
- 1911 – The first electric waffle iron was introduced by General Electric.
- 1930s – Following along with the vibe of the jazz era, chicken and waffles may have originated at the Wells Supper Club in Harlem, New York, in the 1930s.
- 1953 – Frank Dorsa’s Eggo Frozen Waffles are sold in Supermarkets for the first time. Originally, Eggo called their waffles Froffles. It’s a combination of “frozen” and “waffles”
- 1955 – On Labor Day 1955, Joe Rogers and Tom Forkner’s dream became a reality when the first Waffle House restaurant opened its doors for business.
- 1964 – Belgian Waffles debuted at New York’s World’s Fair. They were introduced as Bel-Gem Waffles!
- 1971 – Waffles inspired Nike’s first pair of sneakers. Bill Bowerman was watching his wife use their waffle iron one morning in 1971 when the honeycomb shape of the waffle suddenly struck him. He realized it would be the perfect shape for the sole of an athletic sneaker. Then, Bowerman actually used a waffle iron to create the first Nike sneaker sole.
- The Waffle House sells 145 waffles a minute.
- The founders of Eggo Waffles were original mayonnaise moguls.
- Waffle is also a slang term meaning “to keep changing one’s mind.”.
- Pancakes outnumber the waffles five to one.
- Belgian, American, Brussels, Liège, Flemish, Bergische, Hong Kong, Pandan, Scandinavian, Gofri, Galettes, and Stroopwafels are some of the most popular varieties of waffles.
Sources:
Just Fun Facts
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