Brunch has a hold on Americans — after all, who can pass up the opportunity to enjoy a delicious smattering of sweet and savory plates (alongside good company, of course)? Apparently, Americans of the past couldn't say no either, gathering to share food and fun at so-called "waffle frolics." These waffle-eating get-togethers were most popular during the Colonial era, eventually petering out by the mid-20th century. At their peak, they were elaborate, multicourse meals that showcased freshly ironed waffles as the main course.
Little is recorded about the particulars of early waffle frolics, but one description, by William Livingstone, a 21-year-old Yale student who recounted his party experience in a 1744 letter, describes the soiree as a lavish affair. "After a few games, a magnificent supper appeared in grand order and decorum," he wrote. "[B]ut for my own part I was not a little grieved that so luxurious a feast should come under the name of a wafel-frolic, because if this be the case I must expect but a few wafel-frolics for the future."
Waffles have been widely eaten throughout Europe since the Middle Ages, sold by street vendors and often consumed on religious holidays. Eventually, they made their way to the American colonies alongside the Pilgrims, and it was in the New World where they were paired with maple syrup for the first time. Culinary lore sometimes suggests it was founding father Thomas Jefferson who ignited the waffle frolic craze in the 1790s upon his return from France, after he arrived with four waffle irons in his luggage. As President, Jefferson reportedly served the treat to Meriwether Lewis at the White House prior to the Lewis and Clark expedition. However, historians at Jefferson's Monticello estate say there's little evidence that the third President heavily influenced Colonial waffle culture. It's possible the crispy, grid-marked cakes were destined to become an American favorite all on their own.
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