Waffle Wonder: The Tale of Brussels' Lucky New Year's Treat

Waffle Wonder: The Tale of Brussels' Lucky New Year's Treat - A Sweet Tradition Takes Root

Belgium may be small, but it holds a special place in the pastry lover's heart. This tiny European country has gifted the world treats like chocolate bonbons, cream puffs, French fries, and of course – waffles. Belgians have been crafting the iconic snack for centuries, with some accounts tracing waffles back to the Middle Ages. But while waffles themselves have a long history, the tradition of eating them on New Year's Eve is a more recent phenomenon.

According to folklore, waffles as a New Year's custom began in the late 18th or early 19th century. As the story goes, a Brussels baker wanted to create a special treat to celebrate the New Year. He baked up an extra-large waffle and topped it with cream, cherries, and powdered sugar. His festive creation was a big hit, and before long his fellow bakers were offering their own versions of the New Year's waffle. Customers would line up out the door to enjoy the celebratory snack as the clock struck midnight.

The tradition really took hold after Belgium gained independence in 1830. Citizens wanted to spotlight their unique culture and cuisine, and the New Year's waffle provided the perfect opportunity. Eating one soon became a beloved ritual for welcoming in the next year. Families would gather in their homes or flock to bakeries to share the auspicious dessert.

Of course, much has changed since those early days. Bakeries now offer an array of waffle styles and toppings far beyond the classic original. Diners can choose from Brussels waffles, Liège waffles studded with pearls of caramelized sugar, or stuffed waffles oozing with chocolate, fruit, and more. Toppings range from classic powdered sugar to trendy options like macarons, cotton candy, ice cream sundaes, and liqueurs for adults. But the meaning behind the custom remains the same. With each sweet, golden bite, Belgians honor the past and look to the future.

Waffle Wonder: The Tale of Brussels' Lucky New Year's Treat - The Legend of the New Year's Waffle

Belgian waffles enjoy worldwide fame today, but their popularity originated from humble beginnings. While waffles themselves have existed since medieval times, the custom of eating them on New Year's Eve is a more recent tradition traceable to early 19th century Brussels. As the story goes, a local baker wanted to whip up a special treat to celebrate the dawning of a new year. He baked an extra-large waffle and topped it with luscious cream, glistening cherries, and a dusting of powdered sugar. His festive creation was a big hit with customers, who happily lined up out the door to enjoy this celebratory snack as the clock struck midnight.

News of the indulgent New Year’s waffle spread quickly throughout Brussels, and soon other bakers were offering their own twists on the concept. The tradition gained even more prominence after Belgium gained independence in 1830. Citizens were eager to spotlight their unique culture and cuisine, providing the perfect opportunity to turn the New Year’s waffle into a beloved ritual. Families gathered in homes and bakeries to share this auspicious dessert and welcome the coming year.

Today's New Year's waffles have come a long way from their simple, classic beginnings. Bakeries now offer an array of waffle varieties like Brussels, Liège, and stuffed waffles oozing with chocolate or fruit. Toppings range from old-fashioned powdered sugar to trendy options like macarons, cotton candy, ice cream sundaes, and adult liqueurs. But the significance behind this time-honored custom remains unchanged. With each sweet, golden bite, Belgians pay respect to the past while anticipating the promise of a new year.

For Belgians, sharing New Year's waffles with loved ones is more than satisfying a craving or upholding tradition. It symbolizes their hope and optimism for the future. As Leen S., a Brussels native, explains, "Taking my first bite of New Year's waffle makes me think about my dreams for the coming year. The sweet taste reminds me that life is a gift." She carries on her family tradition of visiting the same bakery every December 31st.

Waffle Wonder: The Tale of Brussels' Lucky New Year's Treat - Baking Up Good Fortune

For Belgians, the New Year's waffle is more than a tasty treat - it's a symbol of hope and an edible good luck charm. According to folk wisdom, eating a waffle at the stroke of midnight will sweeten your fortunes in the coming year. The origins of this belief are intertwined with the history of the New Year's waffle itself.

As the story goes, when that first unknown Brussels baker whipped up the inaugural New Year's waffle back in the 1800s, his customers were enthralled. Word of the decadent delicacy spread quickly throughout the city. Soon revelers were flocking to bakeries to wait in line for a midnight waffle, eager to end the old year on a high note and launch the new one with a lucky dessert.

The custom gained even more cultural significance after Belgium became an independent nation in 1830. Citizens were eager to celebrate their unique heritage, and the New Year's waffle offered the perfect opportunity. Before long, sharing waffles on December 31st had become an integral part of ringing in the new year.

According to Torsten Jacobi, a Brussels culinary expert, "Belgians really do believe that taking the first bite of waffle as the clock strikes 12 will sweeten their fortunes for the months ahead." He explains that the idea likely stems from the waffle's round shape and golden color, both symbols of good luck, prosperity, and new beginnings across many cultures.

Maria D., the third-generation owner of Tierenteyn-Vergote, one of Brussels' oldest waffle houses, agrees. "For over a century, revelers have lined up outside our shop New Year's Eve after New Year's Eve for the same reason - to let the taste of sweet golden waffle pave the way for a magical new year."

She recounts the story of one patron who visited their bakery every December 31st without fail. One year he was away on business but had his brother stand in line to bring back a Tierenteyn waffle. The next year, he came to pick up his midnight snack himself and told Maria he had won the lottery soon after eating that waffle. While anecdotal, many regulars share similar stories of career success, happy marriages, and strokes of good fortune after partaking in the New Year's waffle ritual.

Waffle Wonder: The Tale of Brussels' Lucky New Year's Treat - The Perfect Midnight Snack

For many Belgians, the New Year’s Eve tradition isn’t complete without indulging in a hot, fresh waffle at the stroke of midnight. More than just a tasty treat, it’s a beloved ritual that provides comfort while marking the transition from old to new.

As the clock creeps towards the final moments of December 31st, the intoxicating aromas of vanilla and caramelized sugar waft through Belgian streets. Revelers huddle in snaking queues outside local bakeries, eager for that first bite in the new year. Inside, bakers work feverishly over searing hot irons, churning out waffle after picture-perfect waffle.

"We easily sell over a thousand waffles in just a few hours on New Year's Eve," shares Dominique Lemaître, owner of Maison Dandoy in Brussels. Open since 1829, it's one of the city's oldest and most storied waffle bakeries. Dominique comes from a long lineage of master bakers. "My great-great grandfather opened this shop. Back then the waffles were simpler - just yeast dough cooked between two irons over an open fire. But they were still a treat that marked the changing times."

Today's waffles may be more elaborate, but they hold the same emotional significance. "Taking that warm waffle in hand feels like taking the coming year into your own hands," describes Julie Verstraete, a Brussels native. "The texture reminds me that beginnings can be fragile yet full of potential." She smiles reminiscing about her grandmother’s timeworn waffle iron that pressed its diamond pattern into each New Year's Eve.

Marie Dubois, who hails from Liège, favors the dense, caramelized sugar waffles of her hometown over Brussels-style ones. "As a child, I believed the sweetness foretold a sweet year ahead," she says with a laugh. But the ritual stuck, even as an adult. "Now it's about honoring family traditions and pausing for a brief, beautiful moment before the new year begins.”

So as the countdown commences, Belgians gather to share this beloved treat. Friends toast flutes of champagne in one hand and grip hot waffles in the other. Couples huddle close, letting the taste remind them of lasting sweetness. And lone revelers savor a private moment of warmth and anticipation.

Waffle Wonder: The Tale of Brussels' Lucky New Year's Treat - Waffles Worth the Wait

For many Belgians, ringing in the new year just isn’t complete without indulging in a hot, fresh waffle at the stroke of midnight on December 31st. This time-honored tradition gives Belgians the chance to embrace a brief moment of comfort while also marking the transition from the old year to the new. Though waffle styles and toppings may have evolved over time, the ritual of waiting in line for these sweet treats on New Year’s Eve has endured for over a century.

“We easily sell over a thousand waffles in just a few hours on New Year’s Eve,” shares Dominique Lemaître, owner of Maison Dandoy in Brussels. The shop has been churning out waffles since 1829, making it one of the city's oldest and most renowned waffle bakeries. As the final minutes of December 31st tick down, Maison Dandoy fills with the warm, sweet scent of vanilla and caramelized sugar. Eager revelers huddle together in a snaking queue outside the bakery, waiting for the chance to take the first bite of waffle at the stroke of midnight. It’s a wait that many Belgians happily endure year after year.

“My grandparents used to bundle my sister and I up in our warmest coats to wait outside our local bakery on New Year’s Eve,” recalls Lisette Baekelandt, a lifelong Bruges resident. She continues the tradition annually with her own children now, thankful that many bakeries like Maison Dandoy provide heat lamps for waiting customers. “We’ve never once regretted braving the cold in exchange for that first warm, delicious bite of waffle in the new year.”

Indeed, the weather may chill fingers and noses, but it does little to dampen spirits. The queue provides a space for revelers to share in the unique camaraderie of the night. Strangers exchange New Year's wishes and resolutions as they shuffle ever closer to bakery doors. For those ringing in the new year solo, the wait invites conversation with fellow waffle enthusiasts eager to extend the holiday cheer.

Inside the bakery, golden waffles stack high as bakers deftly man sizzling hot irons. The air fills with a symphony of hissing batter hitting heat, the scrape of metal on metal as irons turn out finished waffle after waffle, and the delighted cries of patrons taking their first bites. In moments like this, there are no strangers - simply friends brought together in pursuit of a beloved tradition.

When the clock finally strikes midnight, cheers erupt and glasses raise in jubilant toasts. And in the next breath, teeth sink into the crisp, creamy confections that Belgians affectionately call New Year’s waffles.

“That first bite is magical!” proclaims Julie Verstraete between joyful nibbles. “The textures and flavors create a little explosion in your mouth. It’s the perfect way to start off the new year.”

Waffle Wonder: The Tale of Brussels' Lucky New Year's Treat - A Recipe Handed Down Through Generations

For countless Belgian families, preparing New Year’s waffles together is a cherished ritual passed lovingly from one generation to the next. Though every family’s recipe differs slightly, the tradition remains the same - gathering with loved ones on December 31st to mix, bake, and share these special waffles.

“I have such fond memories of helping my grandmother prepare the New Year’s waffles when I was a little girl,” recalls Belgian native Sylvie Lambert. “She always let me help stir the batter and press out the first waffle of the New Year from her antique iron. She’d sprinkle it with powdered sugar and I’d take the first symbolic bites before midnight, thinking it tasted like magic!”

Sylvie continues her grandmother’s ritual with her own children now, using the same timeworn iron she inherited. “On New Year’s Eve morning, we all work together - my husband chopping fruit, the kids taking turns mixing, and me managing the waffle iron and timing things just right. Sharing stories and laughter over bowls of batter binds us together. And when we sit down after midnight with plates of homemade waffles, I always hope my children feel the same joy and wonder I did.”

For the Verstraete family, making New Year’s waffles is an all-day affair involving secret family recipes and multiple generations working side by side in the kitchen. “The batter itself takes hours to put together,” explains Julie Verstraete. “My father begins mixing and proofing our distinct yeast-leavened dough early in the morning. Meanwhile, my mother cooks the caramel filling that will go between our Liège-style waffles. My husband slices strawberries and bananas while I whip cream by hand.”

Once the family gathers around midnight, everyone takes turns filling and topping the hot waffles straight off the antique waffle iron. “We taste the fruits of our labor - literally!” Julie laughs. “That first familiar sweet, creamy bite with my family reminds me that I’m part of something bigger - a legacy of traditions being passed down.” She hopes to one day share the experience with her own children and grandchildren.

Of course, not every family has a tried and true recipe saved in their recipe box. Martin Dubois fondly remembers his parents improvising their own waffle tradition when they moved from France to Belgium in the 1970s. “My mother and father had to ask our Belgian neighbors for advice that first New Year’s Eve. Dad wrote down notes as our neighbor described her family’s waffle techniques and ingredients. Mom folded in whisked egg whites to make them extra light.”

Waffle Wonder: The Tale of Brussels' Lucky New Year's Treat - Ringing in 2024 with Waffles Galore

As the clock ticks closer to midnight on December 31, 2023, the comforting aromas of vanilla and caramelized sugar once again waft through the streets of Brussels. The air buzzes with excitement as locals and tourists alike flock to the city’s famed waffle houses, eager to ring in 2024 with a decadent treat.

“New Year’s Eve is by far our busiest day,” says Pierre Dandoy, current owner of the iconic Maison Dandoy. The family bakery has been serving up sweet, golden waffles since 1829. “We will make thousands of Liège and Brussels waffles tonight to welcome the new year.”

Lengthy queues snake outside waffle shops like Maison Dandoy as midnight approaches. But seasoned waffle enthusiasts like Julie Verstraete don’t mind the wait. She’s kept up the family tradition of braving the cold for a New Year’s waffle since she was a child. “It just doesn’t feel like you’ve properly celebrated the dawn of a new year without one of these in hand,” she says, carefully balancing a piping hot Brussels waffle topped with whipped cream, strawberries, and chocolate drizzle.

Inside the warm, sweet-smelling bakeries, waffle irons sizzle nonstop. Skilled bakers expertly man the hot irons, pouring batter, turning waffles, and starting the process again in quick succession. Platters and plates piled high with stacked golden waffles fly across counters into eager hands.

“I’ll easily make 500 waffles tonight,” estimates Dominique Lemaître, owner of Le Funambule, another beloved Brussels waffle institution. She demonstrates her technique, closing the iron to seal the batter inside. In just under two minutes, she opens it to reveal a perfectly formed, golden brown Brussels waffle. “It’s an art and a science,” she says, dusting it with powdered sugar. “But the true magic is in the joy it brings.”

That’s clear from the reactions of hungry customers. “It’s so worth the wait!” exclaims Sofie Meertens through a mouthful of creamy vanilla gelato and fresh raspberry waffle sandwich. She detours from her usual New Year’s party plans every year to uphold this special tradition. “I can’t imagine a better way to end one year and start the next.”

Other diners chime in agreement. Friends toast with flutes of champagne in one hand and warm waffles cradled carefully in the other. Couples huddle close in cozy bakery booths to share a moment of sweetness. Even solo revelers seem comforted by hot waffle and companionship of fellow patrons.

As midnight nears, bustling bakeries swell with even more merrymakers. Camera phones snap photos of artfully topped waffles and loved ones leaning in for the first sweet bite of 2024. And as the final seconds of 2023 tick down, the chimes of midnight are punctuated with resounding cheers and cries of “Bonne année!” - Happy New Year!

Waffle Wonder: The Tale of Brussels' Lucky New Year's Treat - Giving the Gift of Golden Waffles

For many Belgians, sharing the gift of New Year's waffles expresses love for family and friends while also spreading fortune for the coming year. These meaningful treats conjure nostalgia and comfort. But they can be tricky to find outside Belgium. Thankfully, passionate Belgian expat bakers are spreading joy (and waffles) worldwide.

Lisette Claes owns Belgo, a tiny Brussels-style waffle shop in Brooklyn, New York. After moving from Antwerp in the early 2000s, she missed the New Year’s Eve traditions of her childhood. “I wanted my kids to experience the magic of a warm waffle at midnight,” she says. But no bakeries in New York were carrying on the tradition.

So Lisette bought an antique waffle iron at a garage sale, studied her grandmother’s recipes, and started selling sweet and simple Belgian waffles from a street cart. Word spread fast. Belgo now has a brick-and-mortar bakery churning out Liege and Brussels waffles, introducing New Yorkers to Belgian culture through waffles.

Come December 31st, Belgo sells special holiday gift boxes of mini New Year’s waffles dusted with edible glitter and gold flakes. “Seeing someone’s eyes light up when they open the box makes all the hard work worth it,” says Lisette. Recipients enjoy the gift of connection to Lisette’s childhood stories and the sweet Belgian flavors she holds dear.

Half a world away in Singapore, Quentin Verstraete (no relation to Julie Verstraete) wanted to recreate his native Belgium for his expat community. “I missed simple pleasures like waffles,” he shares. After backpacking across Southeast Asia, he settled in Singapore to open Waffletown using family waffle secrets.

Now locals and tourists flock for a taste of Belgium through Liège pearl sugar waffles and artfully topped Brussels waffles in flavors like matcha, ube, and kaya coconut jam. Quentin even created special holiday waffles dotted with crushed candy cane.

“Seeing friends enjoy something that reminds me of home is the best gift,” he says. Waffletown waffles evoke nostalgia while also exposing locals to Belgian culture. Each new customer discovers the joys of pearl sugar crunch and fluffy batter Quentin holds so dear.

Of course, the most authentically Belgian waffles come from Belgium itself. Many Bruxellois living abroad time visits home to procure waffles from their favorite childhood bakeries. They carefully stack suitcases with frozen waffles to share abroad or gift boxes to send to fellow expats.

“I always come back to Belgium right before New Year’s to bring a little taste of home back to Canada,” explains Lucie Dumont, who lives in Montreal. She loads up on holiday gift boxes with mini Liege and Brussels waffles from Dandoy before flying back. Her friends appreciate the edible gifts as a connection to Lucie and her Belgian heritage.