How Portable Waffles Went From Ancient Street Food To One Of 2017’s Hottest Items
Last week, news of Pillsbury’s breakfast-stuffed waffle crossed the FOODBEAST newswire and created a lot of talk on social media. When an item arrives in 7-Eleven’s hot food section, you know it’s primed to win over America’s palate.
Considering the prevalence of on-the-go waffle creations in the past year, it’s easy to see why stuffed waffles are perpetuating this burgeoning trend. Establishments like Chick’nCone and Hot Chicks and Waffles are stuffing waffle cones with fried chicken.
On the other hand, ice cream shops like Cauldron Ice Cream and Eggloo are using the Hong Kong-style egg waffle to house their cold, creamy concoctions.
However, portable waffles are nothing new. In fact, waffles were considered a portable food when they were conceived over 500 years ago.
To talk about this full-circle evolution, FOODBEAST Editor-In-Chief Elie Ayrouth, CEO Geoff Kutnick, and contributing writer Costa Spyrou sat down to discuss on an episode of The Katchup podcast.
On this podcast, Elie, Geoff, and Costa go through how the waffle has impacted American culture and achieved such an iconic status. Additionally, they dive into how the waffle went from portable snack to classic American breakfast, and then back to its street food roots.
One key reason behind the portable waffle’s rebirth, as discussed in the podcast, is the proliferation of the blend of sweet and savory in the 1970s. Chicken and waffles, which has now become one of the nation’s most popular pairings, was predominantly responsible for this phenomenon.
It brought the waffle into a new light where sweet and savory could mix in a variety of novel methods. Because of that – and several other reasons, like convenience and portability – on-the-go waffle dishes and restaurant concepts focused on their growth.
Give the podcast a listen to learn how waffles going back to their portable roots is turning on-the-go eats in the right direction.
Created in partnership with Pillsbury
