Waffling

There has to be a better way, but I've never found it...  How to make waffles for our big family while also sitting down to enjoy the meal with them?  We had waffles for dinner this week, and I ran into the same ol' problems I've always had of running back and forth, mostly standing watch over steaming waffle makers while everyone else eats, one or two at a time, as the waffles get done.










To me, waffles are only good when tender, crispy, and hot, right out of the baker.  Any method of making them wait while a family-sized stack is prepared enough for everyone had been very unsatisfactory.  --Just waiting means they lose heat and the crispiness.  Keeping them on racks in the warm oven often means they get too hard.

The very discolored one was a wedding gift in 1985.  It's
been the best performer all these years, but is now getting beat
out by the Cuisinarts we collected from my in-laws' house.

I guess I could use all of our ridiculous supply of bakers, scatter them around the kitchen, and run a route of filling each once or twice, and that would probably get a good supply done at once!  But I tried 3 at once that evening and with one to the left of the stove and 2 to the right, it was a silly dance of back and forth with the large, dripping bowl of batter.

It would help to make more waffles at once, as I could if I replaced the drawerful of smaller bakers with a couple of the beauteous All-Clad 4-square waffle makers, but that's not likely the most practical or economical approach.  And I have to say that the affordable little Cuisinart Waffle Makers do a great job, and pretty fast, too.  We also love Hubby's Waring Pro Waffle Maker, but have to plan ahead and make the batter the night, or hours, before.

I think the answer is to make a waffle-baking station nearer the table.  It's been the long-time plan to wrap the window behind the table, including a window sill that extends as buffet counter over 18" deep cabinetry (where the fish tank currently sits).  That could be an excellent place to bake waffles, where I can tend them while remaining among my lively and lovely crew during the meal.