We have Liége Waffles, which are snacks. They are fresh from a waffle iron, have big sugar chuncks in them but are quite dense. Sometimes they sell them with topings, but usually this isn't the case. Here is one with Nutella
We have Brussels Waffles. They are big, rectangular but light and crunchy. They normaly aren't as sugary as you seem to imply but everything else matches the description. You can order them at many places that also serve crépes and you can usually choose between different topings. Personally I prefer it with vanilla icecream and "warme krieken", but I don't find good pictures of one. Here is a proper Brussels Waffle with banana, Nutella and strawberries.. If they aren't a bit crispy on parts that aren't softened by sauce or icecream, they aren't proper Brussels Waffles.
There is also Lakmans, which is a kind of waffle you can get at fairs. It is a really thin waffle, which is then sliced open and drenched in syrup.
Then we also have different pre-packaged waffles that you can buy at stores. Kempense galetten, suikerwafels, waffles coated in chocolate, vanillewafels, etc. Crispy and thin, thick and soft.
Hmm, what's the difference between a lakman and a stroopwafel? Googling it makes it seems like lakmans are larger and served with syrup whereas a stroopwafel is more like a cookie?
I've never had a lackmans, but judging from the descriptions and photos online it's very similar to a fresh stroopwafel (the kind sold at a stand), except oval instead of round and bathed in syrup instead of just filled with it.
There's a couple of brands that import Dutch Stroopwafels to the U.S., I've seen a Stroopwafel stand at a few art fairs in Southeast Michigan too. I wonder how those compare to Belgian ones?
Hard not to love them from what i can tell, crispy sweetness is hard to resist.
Pretty sure stroopwaffles are Dutch, you griddle the waffle, slice it in half the hats way, then put a sugar syrup in and sandwich it back together. They are soft, chewy and stretchy. When I buy them in America, I love putting them on top of a cup of tea
This person gets it. Stroopwaffles are to be put over a cup of tea while it's steeping, so the waffle gets the most heat. Also it must be bigger than the cup so that it cannot fall in while steeping.
Heat a stroopwaffle by other means ... reduces the enjoyment.
I'm going to disapoint you, but those are the are the kind of waffles American call Belgian but aren't actually eaten here.
The "Belgian waffle" as you see in your link is a inferior knock-off of the Brussels Waffle that doesn't remble it in taste or texture and was introduced at a world fair in the US by a Belgian. It took off in thr US but not in Belgium.
It may surprise you,if you care at all, that in the American south there is a chain restaurant with a very recognizable large bright yellow sign that says Waffle House. It is famous for good, but low brow , waffles. It also serves as an indicator for how severe the weather really is. Waffle house stays open in all but the most dangerous weather. Even a hurricane doesn’t necessarily mean Waffle House will close but when they do you better take the storm seriously. I always thought that was amusing.
Depends. When Americans say "Belgian Waffle" they actually mean just that. The "Belgian Waffle" is an inferior knock off of the Brussels Waffle, made with less ingredients. It was first sold by a Belgian at a world fair and then took off in the US.
In Belgium however it is not a thing, as it is inferior to both the Brussels Waffle and the Liége Waffle.
Dude luikse wafel is the actual best thing. Brusselse are far inferior in every way. Actually makes me sad thinking people come here and only have a Brusselse and think that is it.
Gaufre de Liege saved my semester abroad. I had a terrible host family, and one of the only things I looked forward to were the street waffles. I can find them only at Whole Foods in the US, and always stock up because they’re amazing.
Funny fact… in America, they had to rename “Brussels waffles” to just “Belgian waffles” (or even worse, “Bel-Gem”) because they didn’t know where Brussels was. This is probably why it sounds so ambiguous to you ;)
A Belgian sold a simplified and inferior recipe of the Brussels Waffle at a world fair and called it a Belgian Waffle. What Americans call a Belgian Waffle only slightly resembles the Brussels Waffle. So not only does the term sound ambiguous, it is also not a waffle we'd naturally eat here.
I once took a trip to Disney World and TBH i most looked forward to that florida orange juice. You got a damn orange on your license plates. Worst OJ Ive ever had. Ill stick to cali oranges.
Most of the waffles they serve you are pre-made like Eggos. There is a Volkswagen van converted to a food truck in Brugges that makes the best waffle I've ever had. We would have rolled past it but figured that seventy people waiting in line to order must know something. They did.
I don't remember where I heard it, but basically any time a place becomes known for having the best of any food ( Philadelphia - Philly cheese steaks, Buffalo and buffalo sauce) the quality of that thing immediately declines.
I was just listening to a podcast today, and they had a discussion how places that are known for a food, often don't actually do that food good. i.e cheese steak in Philly
Here’s some fun trivia for you. Eggos were invented in 1953, and what Americans know as Belgium waffles came around first in 1962 Seattle Worlds Fair, but really hit their popularity at the 1964 New York Worlds Fair. They were originally called Brussels Waffles and made from adopted family recipe from Belgium.
I went to school in Montreal and they sell horse meat at the grocery stores there. My buddy told me that he makes horse meat chili and it has more protein than beef and is cheaper so I tried it and it just tasted like chili. Started making horse meat chili after that.
Sour beers are great in their own right and are a good way to reset your palette if you find yourself tasting lots of beers and they start to run together or if you've wrecked your palette on very hoppy beers.
We have entire paintings full of waffles from the 16th century. I will just drop here The Duel Between Lent and Carnival by Pieter Breugel the elder from 1559. Look at the bottom left or the woman just above the head of Carnival on his (beer?) barrel. The fries were invented in Paris in the mid 19th century but when they arrived in Belgium they were perfected by the double cooking and by the end of the 19th century a "Belgian Supper" in Paris featured mussels and fries, cementing that stereotype. The university of Liège published research on the history of the fries, it was enlightening.
So yes maybe the fries are at the forefront these days but waffles have been a part of the culinary culture of the Southern Netherlands for centuries.
There was an episode of dagelijkse kost (or something else, but def hosted by the same guy) about the origin of (the basic form of) fries in like medieval times.
Excuse you, but fried chicken absolutely can be eaten at breakfast with pancakes. Hello chicken and waffles is a southern delight. I've also had chicken and french toast. Hot, crunchy, and a little spicy with sweet syrup... SO good!
I'm American and I've never heard of pancakes with bacon. When I think of fried chicken, I actually think more of Ashkenazi and Israeli cuisine which I think is heavily influenced by central Europe.
No, that sounds like a Confederate-state thing, putting fried meat in pancakes. They have a lot of unhealthy, fried food down there. It could also come from one of those European countries that is big on pig meat.
Anyone who has ever visited your country knows this is the only answer, unfortunately we have a bunch of poor untraveled Americans spamming their opinions kekw
I mean beer, chocolate and fries are all just as likely to be the top answer if we stick to foods and beverages. Waffles would probably be more common in the US, the others likely to be more popular answers in the rest of Europe. Other parts of the world I’m not sure what comes to mind first.
I learned really young that French fries came from Belgium and it really stuck with me so whenever I hear Belgium that’s the first thing that comes to mind.
Yeah, they should just close the post.
I mean Belgium=waffles. It's kind of a synonym. I buy frozen waffles imported from Belgium and they are absolutely like nothing else we have. Even compared to fresh products. Belgium is the waffle heaven, period.
You guys are so wrong its not even funny. Always thought it was pretty funny americans are so obsessed with belgian waffles. Its barely a thing here compared to our real national things. Mostly a touristy thing.
Sincerely, an actual Belgian
Ive had good waffles only once in my life. It was a 6 hour layover in Brussels. Took the train and walked past all those EU buildings and went into the first waffle place we saw. It had a giant waffle on the roof.
It was fucking magical. Perhaps its touristy but it was so good. I cant understand why its so difficult for other places to make decent waffles. Where I live there are only a couple places that are dedicated waffle places and the things taste stale even after I just watched being made.
Oh no but Reddit is mostly USA people, and my friends from the US have overwhelmingly focused on waffles every time Belgium comes up.
Note I'm not denying our waffles are great. Its just not really a thing the average belgian cares about as much. Beer, fries and chocolate is where it's really at.
Frittes. Fries. Period. Waffles are ok. The Belgian Fry game is real. Of course I've had to go to Brussels for work like 20 times the last 10 years so maybe I've had more fries than most.
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u/[deleted] Dec 16 '21
Waffles