There is an art to living with another human. It is a delicate dance of neuroses. A safari of previously hidden late night
eating habits, secret cigarette stashes, and video games, exhumed. The migration
of two people into one space inevitably unearths certain questions.
How many bottles of mezcal can be comfortably housed
in one 500-square-foot apartment?
Does one find the practice of yoga in the living room
charming or repulsive?
Is it acceptable to leave a trail of breadcrumbs in
the jar of mayonnaise? (It is not.)
Can a meal of beer or ladyfingers or cheese be
consumed for dinner without judgment?
Must one wear pants while doing so?
Where does our loose change go? Does it get combined into a repurposed tin? Become stacked side by side in arranged identical piles? Get tossed in the trash to avoid the discussion
altogether?
The answers to such questions—minus the mayo
contamination, which is unforgivable—are a barometer of insanity. Best to know if your lunacy matches up before
buying bed frames together.
All this to say Brett officially moved in today. (!) While
we don’t have all our personal peccadillos unpacked just yet, we typically agree
on matters that matter. And we are a
solid match when it comes to breakfast.
So waffles are a safe bet.
We have a semi-regular weekend routine wherein Brett cooks the
softest scrambled eggs in the slowest and loveliest of ways with the care and
craft one might take to build a bird’s nest.
If we have cheddar cheese on hand, shreds of it get swirled into the
eggs during their final moments in the pan.
Meanwhile, I press three waffles using batter prepped
the previous night. The first waffle
always sticks a bit—which typically causes cursing as I prod it out of the iron
using a fork, with the patience of a kindergartener. (Ample greasing and preheating usually prevents
this problem.)
If we are feeling fancy there is also bacon or
hollandaise to be had, or maple syrup if I am too fragile or tired to deal with egg yolks
or pork grease.
The waffles puff up like Belgians, offering crispy
exteriors and fluffy insides with a slight tang. Like most things worth waiting
for they require some forethought and, unfortunately, some sourdough starter—which necessitates tracking down a human
that has some. Or, perhaps, make your own.
It is worth it.
These are waffles of finest quality. And they are highly unlikely to
cause any cohabitation conflicts. Unless
it is about who gets the last one.
Sourdough Waffles
Ingredients:
1 cup (200 grams) sourdough starter (not fed)
½ cup (55 grams) all-purpose flour
½ cup (60 grams) whole wheat flour
1 cup whole milk
1 tbsp sugar
1 egg
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp baking soda
2 tbsp olive or canola oil
Instructions:
The night before
In a large bowl, mix the starter, flours, milk, and
sugar until well combined; cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge
overnight (ideally 10 to 20 hours ahead, see note below).
The day of
To the starter mixture, add the egg, salt, baking
soda, and oil; stir to combine.
To make the waffles, heat your waffle iron. (Cooking instructions may vary slightly
depending on the type you are using. I
have a Nordic Ware stovetop Belgian waffle maker and after greasing it with
canola oil, I preheat each side a few minutes on the stovetop, flipping halfway through.)
Once the iron is preheated, pour in about 1/3 of your
batter (or roughly 2/3 cup). Close the
iron and cook until the waffle is golden brown on both sides. (If you are using a stovetop iron you’ll want
to flip it after a few minutes to cook both sides evenly.)
Repeat with remaining batter.
Makes three 6-inch square waffles
Notes:
-The whole wheat adds a nice nuttiness and I’d
definitely encourage it. The milk type can
be swapped depending on your preference.
-Because the sourdough mixture rests in the fridge overnight,
it benefits from being left on the countertop an hour or so to let the microbes
warm up; this helps the waffles rise better. (But this is a living product and
may need some individual tweaking.)
-They are best eaten the day of, but leftovers will keep
a day or two in the fridge and can also be frozen.
