Waffles at One, First Sitting
Originally published July 24 2011
An individual’s personal hobbies and enjoyable pastimes have a habit of affecting more than one’s immediate surroundings here in Cowichan Bay. If one is a dab hand at catching dungeoness crabs, one shares a few now and again with one’s neighbors.
Those with skill at rebuilding outboard motors volunteer a bit of time at the Maritime Center now and again to help keep the community collection of antique Seagull, Johnson, Mercury and other engines in more or less running order.
Gardeners plant community flower boxes and those with musical talent can occasionally be found filling the air with their aural contributions. There’s even an annual dog show, with prizes for every participant. In the village of Cowichan Bay life is too short not to share at least some of it with one’s neighbors.
So, when one finds a Griswold #8 cast iron waffle maker from 1910 in an Iowa antique store, carts it all over North America for a grand total of some 14,000 miles before finally arriving home, one does the natural thing.
One finds a decent waffle batter recipe, at least as old as the waffle iron itself, and hosts Waffles at One. (It was supposed to be Waffles at noon, but the very first time we tried it, nobody could come til 1pm. The name and the time have stuck.)
One Sunday in the month at 1:00pm waffles are to be had at float house #16, Pier 66. Which particular Sunday it is to be spreads fairly efficiently by word of mouth. Float #16 is easy to spot. It’s the little one with the funny roof, cedar shingles on it’s sides. The one with the tan deck.
1910 Griswold #8 Waffle Iron from the Foundry at Erie PA USA
Everyone who lives on the water is invited. Nobody is knowingly left out. Sometimes 10 or 12 show up, other times it’s 20 or more. (On one occasion so many showed up that the event had to be held at Bull Otter Park, and by the time everyone had eaten a waffle, 4 gallons of batter had been made and I was quite tired.) Sometimes friends from beyond the Bay attend well. It’s all very informal.
Bring your own cup, plate, cutlery.
Waffles, berry topping, whipped cream, real maple syrup, dairy butter and a place to sit are all provided. First come first served. Late arrivals are seated on a second and third shift basis. There’s cups of hot tea to drink and plenty of conversation. It’s a bit of Community building.
Oh and the waffles? Pretty good by all accounts. Good enough for some of the participants to request second helpings.
