Gluten Free Waffles

   We're back! It's been 16 days of being away, but we've made it back safe and sound!

   We landed in Amsterdam on August 2nd, then travelled to Haaltert, Belgium where we spent a week visiting Adam's family, and also visiting Brussels, and many of the cities around the western side of the country. After that, we headed south where we spent 2 days in paris, France. Oh boy, that's a story! I'll get to it eventually, but not right now! After those 2 days, we travelled north, stopping again in Belgium, in a place called "Londerzele". Look familiar? It's where my husband and his family (the Van Londersele's) are named after. "Van" in a lot of European names means "of", or "from", so our last name is "from Londerzele". Anywho, we continued on our journey, going to the place where my Dad was born and spent the first 7 years of his life. A lovely place called Breda, in The Netherlands. We spent the day there visiting my family, then headed more north/west toward Rotterdam (for 1 night and day), then Haarlem (for one night and day), and finally ending in Amsterdam for 3 nights and 3 days! 

   I took a lot of photos....a LOT! I plan to share many of the photos in the next few weeks (or months), as I share recipes from the places I visited. I also ate a lot of different foods! I had chocolate everywhere I went (big surprise there, right?). I had kaas (cheese), croquettes (a small breadcrumbed fried food roll containing, usually as a main ingredient, mashed potatoes), saucijzenbroodje (sausage rolls) & stroopwaffle (thin waffles with a syrup filling) in The Netherlands. Crepes, baguettes and croissants in France, and frieten (fries-NOT french fries), waterzooi (a fish or chicken stew), crevette grise (little, tiny shrimps), and, of course, waffles in Belgium! Belgium is famous for mussels too, but I couldn't go there, I'm not into mussels. I did try some nice Belgian beers though (they sure do like their beer!), which I don't generally enjoy, but I did find a few that I quite liked. Anyway, back to waffles!!!


   The recipe today is for a simple gluten-free waffle, which, incidentally, more closely resembles a real Belgian waffle in taste and texture than our very Canadian or American version. Over on this side of the pond, our waffles are very light, fluffy, and barely coloured (not browned too much). Oh, and we drown our waffles in syrup! In Europe, waffles aren't even really a breakfast food at all. They are served in restaurants, but mostly by street vendors and small shops. Also, in Belgium.....get ready for this....there are no "Belgian Waffles". That made me laugh! 


   There are two main types of waffles, the Brussels waffle, and the Liege waffle. The really, really, really simplified way to distinguish the 2 waffles is that Liege waffles are made with a thicker batter that is similar to bread dough, and they have uneven edges. Pearl sugar is mixed in with the dough, which caramelizes when the waffle is cooked. Ya, I know....drool! The Brussels waffles are made with a yeast-leavened batter, which makes them lighter and crispier. They are rectangular with defined edges, and they also have deeper pockets or holes. 


   So, my waffles are North American is shape and size today, but they are more Belgian in texture. It's the love child of the two countries. Whomp whomp. I plan on getting my apron on and experimenting with my waffles to share with you both types of Belgian waffles very soon! But, for today, I share these. Alstublieft! ("here you go", or "if you please" in Dutch and Flemish....which, incidentally, is the same language)  :)

Gluten-Free Waffles

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup gluten-free flour blend (I use my homemade, or Bob's Red Mill gluten-free flour blend)
• 2 Tsp Cinnamon
• 1 Tsp baking powder
• 1/4 Tsp salt
• 2 Eggs
• 1/2 cup sour milk (add 1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar to measuring cup, then add milk to 1/2 cup. Let sit for a few minutes to curdle)
• 1 Tbsp oil (melting butter or coconut oil, ghee, olive oil, whatever you want to use!)

Method:

1. Pre-heat your waffle iron (I generally use the hottest setting)
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt
3. In a smaller bowl, whisk the eggs, then add the sour milk and oil, and blend well
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and whisk/mix up until it's a smooth batter
5. Grease the hot waffle iron with spray oil, or using a pastry brush and oil (or butter, etc.)
6. Pour whatever amount your waffle iron takes (mine is a scant 1/4 cup), and cook until 'done'-this is a preference that varies widely between people! 
7. Top with fruit, whip cream, whatever! I like putting some nut butter on mine, and lots of maple syrup! :)  

      Eating a waffle in Ypres, Belgium. I chose a Liege waffle with banana and chocolate. Yummm-o! :)  And you can see a window display of some of the waffle toppings available. Oh, and that's Adam with "Manneken Pis" (translation: "little man pee"), a famous statue in Brussels. The real statue is actually only about 2ft tall. And it isn't teal.  

   Caleb and Keziah eating their waffles. We generally eat ours as dinner with syrup, bacon and fruit.

   I'm glad to be back! Travelling was really fun, meeting family in Europe was wonderful, walking between 10-20 kilometers a day was something I actually enjoyed! But being back to real life is my favourite. I love our house, and the farm. I like every day, there is beauty in it, though it's easier to see the beauty when you've been away for a time. 

   Until next time, tot ziens ("so long")!