I have been a guest at many hotel and resort properties over the years which offer a complimentary breakfast in the morning; and many of these places are equipped with at least one waffle iron so that guests may create their own waffles…
Wait — What Do People Put in Those Waffle Irons?!?
…and the breakfast area of the Home2 Suites by Hilton Pittsburgh Cranberry, PA hotel property, two waffle irons are available…
…but then I looked up above those waffle irons and saw a laminated paper sign hanging over them with the words ONLY WAFFLE BATTER MAY BE USED IN THE WAFFLE IRONS in all capital letters.
This was the first time I had seen a sign such as that one; and I wondered to myself what else would anyone put in a waffle iron? Any of the items in the breakfast area which needed to be cooked or heated up were already warm or hot; and the helpful staff would heat or cook something upon request if necessary.
With curiosity getting the better of me, I asked a member of the staff about that sign and why it was there.
“You’d be surprised at what people put in the waffle irons: strawberries, syrup, butter, chocolate, blueberries and other things,” she said.
“Why would anyone put those in a waffle iron?” I replied incredulously.
“They think they can make a chocolate or blueberry waffle if they include chocolate or blueberries with the waffle batter,” she replied, with an expression on her face which was part smile, part eye roll. “They leave a big mess; and we have to clean the waffle iron before it can be used again.”
This particular hotel property indeed offers a variety of toppings — note the word toppings, as in to put on top — for waffles and other items. Fresh strawberries, fresh blueberries, raisins, assorted nuts, a syrups in a variety of flavors, whipped cream, assorted flavors of jelly, and butter are just some of the toppings available to put on — not in — a waffle.
Three types of dry cold cereal are even available if you want a crunchy topping on your waffle.
Summary
Sometimes the things people actually do leave me speechless. Although I have heard of waffle irons being used for purposes other than to create waffles, I would never think of putting other ingredients in one — especially if the waffle iron does not even belong to me.
Separately, I also wonder why the breakfast area of a hotel property which is located in a town called Cranberry does not offer cranberries as part of the complimentary breakfast…
All photographs ©2019 by Brian Cohen.
