Deep Fried Quail on a Malt Waffle with crumbled bacon, rhubarb and maple

Aunt Sarah's Pancake Houses throughout the South were ahead of the curve YEARS ago with bacon IN the waffle batter. Top with over-easy eggs and Bob's your uncle.

Our current waffle dish on brunch is a rice waffle with duck confit, ramps, and a sunny duck egg. We've played around with them a lot since we got our waffle irons. The funny thing is back in the day, waffles were just another bread option and were quick and easy to bake in an iron over a flame or in coals when wood or coal was still the available fuel for cooking. They also used to make waffles out of all kinds of flour - wheat of course, but also rye, rice, oat, etc. It's another clear example of how the American post-industrial diet has become a very narrow sliver of what it was before the wars, in terms of raw ingredients used.

This is another example of chefs going back to the pre-industrial kitchen for inspiration as we put back the pieces of our common food heritage that was blown apart by the industrialists with their TV dinners and fast food.

How is the Times just getting to waffles? We were "waffleizing in Chicago" years ago! Nothing beats a delicious, freshly made waffle, but I fear an obnoxious trend coming on. Call me a purist, but I prefer my waffles sweet and organ free. I'm hesitant to try sweetbread waffles, or kidneys and waffles anytime soon. It'll pass, I'm sure, but it will lead to the next gimmick. Perhaps we'll keep the breakfast theme going and get back to cooks learning how to make really great omlettes. More than likely, though it will go the direction of pork flakes or sweetbread-os to be eaten like cereal.

I once served a Brunch special with Duck Confit, Fried Duck Egg on top of a beautiful crip waffle, it was a huge hit.
I have not tried yet but maybe a Soft Shell Crab served on top of a chive flavored waffle with tangy remoulade, this might be pretty good actually.Better start working on this.

Grilled foie gras with waffles and brandied peaches
Maple glazed country ham with waffles