saturday breakfast surprise: off the waffle

About a year ago we moved away from our first home together. There are lots of things we miss about Eugene. Though I only lived there for just over a year, Jake grew up there and it quickly became home for me too. Great friends, good food and an over-all fantastic place to live. Oh Eugene, how we miss you.

One of our favorite places for breakfast was a little place called Off The Waffle. Now, I have been know to exaggerate in the past, but believe me when I say their waffles are THE BEST. Unlike any waffle I have ever had! In fact, I love them so much that my very thoughtful friend Lindsay included a waffle bar using these waffles when she threw me a baby shower. Apparently the secret is in the sugar, imported Belgian pearled sugar to be exact. This sugar does something magical to these waffles. It makes the outside sweet, caramelized and crispy while keeping the inside deliciously fluffy. I intend to master the recipe one day but I’m not exactly in the market for expensive imported sugars right now.

SO on to the surprise part. Every once in a while when I ask Jake what he wants for breakfast he will say Off The Waffle. And since we don’t usually pack the baby in the car and drive to a different city just for breakfast, he has to settle for something that I can actually make. BUT a few months ago another one of our go-to Eugene restaurants came to town and they brought Off The Waffle waffles with them!! Granted, they just sell them plain, without all the yummy toppings that come from our beloved restaurant. Anyway, I made this discovery about a week ago and kept it a secret from my waffle-loving husband with intentions of surprising him later. I picked up an order of two the other day and whipped up his favorite item off the menu – “The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy”. It definitely hit the spot, the perfect combination of sweet and savory. And it brought back a few fond memories from our first home. The next time you’re in Eugene you really have to try these, breakfast or lunch, I’m sure they will be your new favorite!

Happy weekend everyone!