Waffle Matters

Waffle’s origin can be traced back to Europe in the 13th century. It was a typical dessert eaten during “the Feast of Annunciation, a religious celebration among Christians. The word waffle came from “wafer” in the Dutch-speaking region. With the rising popularity of “wafers” in the United States during the 1700s, “wafers” became known as waffles.

On August 24, 1869, Cornelius Swartwout was awarded a U.S. patent for an “improvement in waffle iron” consisting of a novel handle for opening, closing, and turning on a stovetop. This invention has set appetites for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even midnight snacks due to its convenience and easily to use.. That was why people began celebrating Swartwout's’ innovation on National Waffle’s Day to commemorate the benchmark in our gastronomic culture.

So who initiated the National Waffle Week? If you are curious like us. The story goes back to the 1950s in the United States, a time of great prosperity in America when many families achieved their American dreams. One of their increased living standards was also reflected in the waffles.

On the West Coast, the Dorsa brothers invented frozen waffles in San Jose California. When the frozen food industry took off in the 1950s, the Dorsa brothers (Frank, Anthony, and Sam) repurposed a carousel engine into a rotating device for a series of waffle irons. This breakthrough invention allowed their factory to prepare thousands of waffles per hour. To this day, you can still see the community built due to the factory employment with an abandoned railroad cut through the housing clusters and facilities bounded by U.S. Route 101 and Coyote Creek.

Vicinity site of the factory founded by the Dorsa brothers

On the other side of the continent, two neighbors (Joe Rogers and Tom Forkner) decided to open a 24-hour sit-down restaurant near Atlanta, Georgia, in 1955. As the construction of the interstate highway system began to expand and more families traveled long distances by car, travelers could see more “Yellow Signs” popping out along the road across the country. These waffle houses inherited America’s quintessential diner culture. Their configuration is similar to a diner car - a narrow rectangle and often adjacent to a motel. The Waffle House initiated National Waffle Week, which has been observed since 2001.

the Waffle House are typically located close to highways. Here is the example along I-270.

We impulsively ate more delicious waffles while reading about the waffle’s fascinating history and economic impact. The full-stomach sensation reminded us of the WELL feature:

“Promote healthy portion sizes and reduce unintended overconsumption and food waste.” — WELL N 06, Portion Size

This week, we dedicate the card to everyone who prepared waffles and invented various waffle irons. Thanks to their commitment and engineering, we can enjoy this timeless crunchy dough 24–7.

Hazel’s guess-work on what might look like inside a typical Waffle House

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By the way…

• If you are curious about what Swarthout’s patent copy looks like, check out the Smithsonian magazine or visit the Swarthout Family Org. You might feel more nostalgic if you are from Troy City in New York.
• A YouTube video, “How the Waffle House was Built,” from the Weird History Food channel might also satisfy your curious appetite for waffles.