Pancakes v.s Waffles

Pancakes and waffles. 2 out of the many delightful and most common breakfast items here in the U.S. They are both so delicious but which one is more than the other. You may be one of those people that say that there is no way of choosing just one. Or you may be indecisive on which one you really like best. In order to help you get a good idea on both, i am going to talk about where they started and some interesting facts about both. What will it be? Pancakes or waffles?

So first off, what is a pancake? A pancake is a flat cake, often thin, and round, prepared from a starch-based batter and cooked on a hot surface such as a griddle or frying pan. It is fluffy , light and can be accompanied by fresh fruit and a touch of syrup. Pancakes are ancient food. The word pancakes appears in print as early as 1430. Pancakes may have been around since Neolithic humans domesticated einkorn wheat, ground it into flour mixed with bird’s egg and goat’s milk and poured the batter on a heated rock. The ancient cooks dropped a little gruel on a hot rock of campfire, resulting in thin cakes that were tastier than plain gruel or cakes cooked directly in the embers of the fire.The ancient Greeks used griddles to cook a flat loaf drizzled with honey called ‘kreion’ and cakes of soft cheese. Medieval pancakes, frequently made form barley or rye and lacking leavening, were relatively heavy affairs. They were quite different from contemporary fluffy or tender versions.

The ingredients for pancakes can be seen to symbolize four points of significance at this time of year:

Eggs ~ Creation

Flour ~ The staff of life

Salt ~ Wholesomeness

Milk ~ Purity

Nowadays pancakes are prepared similar how they were back then. Pancakes have a variety and differing amounts of ingredients are used, but the following are the primary ones: dry ingredients are flour, leavening, some sugar, salt, with wet ones, such as milk or buttermilk, eggs, and some melted butter or oil. Sometimes flavorings, chocolate chips, fruit purees, berries, etc. are added to pancake and waffle batters for a wide multitude of variations. Pancakes are such a great hit that it even has it own special day.

Pancake Day or Pancake Tuesday is the name by which Shrove Tuesday is also known in Britain and Ireland, and Australia. It is celebrated on 12th February .Pancake Day is celebrated every year in all 'My Old Dutch' Restaurants, which are in Kensington, Holborn and Chelsea. Unfortunately, due to high demand - bookings are not taken in the restaurants. Queues will form outside the restaurants at peak times. On this day there are things like Pancake Races , Tossing Pancakes , and much more.

Waffles aren't much different to the pancake. They are made up of the same ingredients but the shape and size if very different. Waffles are made from a batter consisting of flour, eggs, sugar, butter, milk and baking powder. The baking powder helps the waffle acquire the fluffy texture. Waffles are cooked on a waffle iron and can come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Waffles originated in the early Middle Ages, around the period of the9th-10th centuries.Belgium has a large variety of waffles. Liège waffles, the most popular Belgian waffle variety, are rumored to have been invented during the 18th century by the chef of the prince-bishop of Liège. However, there are no German, French, Dutch, or Belgian cookbooks that contain references to them. A full Gaufre de Liège recipe does not appear until 1921.

The Liège waffle is a richer, denser, sweeter, and chewier waffle. It is native to the greater Wallonia region of Eastern Belgium, and it is alternately know as gaufres de chasse or hunting waffles. They're an adaptation of brioche bread dough, featuring chunks of pearl sugar which caramelize on the outside of the
waffle when baked. The Belgian waffle made its first American appearance at the 1962 World’s Fair in Seattle. But it was at the 1964-65 World's Fair hosted in Queens, N.Y that Belgian native Maurice Vermersch and his family made the waffle's popularity skyrocket. 

Waffles also got their own day becuase of the love people have for them. . This holiday originated in Sweden. It is called Våffeldagen. The holiday coincides with the Feast of the Annunciation. This day was also considered the start of spring in Sweden and Europe. It became a custom for Swedish families to celebrate the two events by making waffles on this day.The alternative Waffle Day began in the USA and honors the anniversary of the patenting of the first US waffle iron invented by Cornelius Swarthout of Troy, New York and is celebrated on 24th August.

Whichever day is picked to honor the waffle and the pancake they're both certainly deserving of celebration because they are remarkable and are handy to have for breakfast, lunch or dinner, snack or dessert. So after all this new knowledge that you collected about theses breakfast items, which one is your favorite? Pancake, or waffles?