I've had this image in my head lately of the 1950's housewife. For background, I've been stuck inside for six days with a sick child, vacuuming copious amounts of NYC dust like crazy, reaching into my secret stash of chocolate (my version of mommy's little helper.) But this morning it seemed we had all turned a corner. Cheeks were rosy again, spirits were higher, and I thought of making waffles. Instead of our usual, whole wheat, flax-filled waffles, I pulled out my tattered copy of the Good Housekeeping Cook Book that belonged to my Grandmother. There, circled in purple pen by my own mother, was the waffle recipe I remember from my childhood.
And for the first time, my little family happily gobbled up white waffles- just regular flour, sugar, butter, eggs and milk. Boy were they good. Then, to redeem my feelings of failure over having reached the end of my rope a couple times over the last few days, I pulled out the glue and glitter and built my kids a Broadway Local train.
I've listened to other mom's lament that they lost part of their identity when they chose to stay home with their kids. I can't look at things in that light. Learning to be a mother and to organize and protect and wipe noses and shlep, I gained a whole new identity, certainly. It's not all about flax and veggies and overachieving. What will these boys remember about these years together? I guess when we judge the adults who raised us, it's best to think that we all do our best. And hopefully, we remember eating well.
Libby's Hot Waffles
Adapted from GoodHousekeeping Cookbook copyright 1955
Makes 4-6 waffles. We prefer real maple syrup. You can follow the steps below, which I copied from the cookbook, or I find the recipe works just as well if you throw all the ingredients into a blender, saving time and energy!
1 ½ cups sifted all purpose flour
3 teaspoons double acting baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1 to 1 ½ cups milk (I use 1, but you can use an additional ½ cup for a more liquid batter)
2 eggs, separated
¼ cup melted butter
1. Start heating waffle iron.
2. Into large bowl, sift flour, baking powder, salt, sugar.
3. Slowly stir in milk, beaten egg yolks, then melted butter.
4. Beat the egg whites stiff, then fold in to batter.
5. Pour batter into center of lower half until it spreads about 1" from edges. Bring cover down gently. Do not raise the cover while baking.
6. When waffle is done, lift cover, loosen waffle with fork, serve at once.
