The success of Belgian cuisine in America never fails to surprise me. Don't get me wrong: I lived 12 years in Belgium, and my wife is Belgian, so I KNOW Belgian food is amazing. But the reason why a cuisine which is (wrongfully) ignored in the rest of Europe is so successful in America escapes me. <br /> <br />Now, In every restaurant in the States you will find "Belgian waffles" offered for breakfast. These are good, but they are what in Belgium are known as "Brussels waffles", i.e. the soft kind that you actually DO NOT eat for breakfast, and that you can find aplenty sold at the shops and cafes around the Grand Place in Brussels. <br /> <br />But there is another kind of waffles, which is actually more ubiquitous in Belgium, and yet seems to be unknown here in the US (although in New York there is a food truck selling just that), which is called "Gaufres de Liege", waffles from Liege. These are much thicker in texture, much tastier if you ask me, and have a sublime crunchiness due to the use of pearl sugar. Pearl sugar is actually what makes these little beasts amazing, although there is a trick in case you don't find it. (Read on). <br /> <br />These "waffles from Lieges" are often found at State fair, sold by yellow trucks. <br /> <br />This recipe is a treasure belonging to my wife's family (she is Belgian). You will not find it in books, and it is as authentic as it gets. So mark it down and just make it. You will need to prepare two different batters, which sounds like a lot of work, but it actually goes VERY fast.

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