How to make perfect Belgian waffles, according to a golf-club chef

Welcome to Clubhouse Eats, where we celebrate the game’s most delectable food and drink. Hope you brought your appetite.

***

Most plates of food taste better when someone else makes them, but some dishes stand out not only for who makes them, but for how they’re made. Exhibit A: an excellent Belgian waffle.

As proof, we paid a visit to The Inn at Perry Cabin, a boutique resort on the shores of Chesapeake Bay in St. Michael’s, Maryland, which is also home to The Links at Perry Cabin, a Dye Family design that boasts par-three holes which mirror the 17th at TPC Sawgrass’ Stadium Course and Yale Golf Club’s famous “Biarritz.”

The resort’s flagship restaurant, Stars, spotlights two waffles on its breakfast menu — a classic example and a dressed-up version, elevated with fresh blueberries and a smattering of lemon curd. When we asked the resort’s executive chef, Kevin Ketron, for the secrets behind the restaurant’s delectable waffles, he pointed to the use of organic vanilla extract, high-quality butter (specifically Kerrygold, which is made using the milk from grass-fed cows), and organic blueberries. “All of these ingredients combined,” he says, “enhance the end result.”

We’ve shared the recipe for Stars’ blueberry waffles below (minus the lemon curd), but before you rush into making them at home, make sure you’ve invested in a quality waffle iron and that you use an equally high-quality, neutral-flavor cooking spray. In Ketron’s estimation, both are common pitfalls for the average home cook.

“Having a good quality waffle iron that is able to maintain a good, controlled heat source during the cooking process is critical,” he says. “The batter should also be mixed to a smooth consistency but not overworked.”

The Inn at Perry Cabin’s Famous Blueberry Waffles

Ingredients:

-3 cups all-purpose flour
-2 1/2 cups buttermilk (or whole milk)
-6 oz grass-fed unsalted butter, melted
-2 tbsp granulated Sugar
-1 1/2 tbsp baking powder
-3 eggs (preferably organic)
-3/4 tsp vanilla extract (preferably organic)
-12 to 14 fresh blueberries (per waffle)
-Pinch kosher salt

Preparation:

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and kosher salt.

Add buttermilk, eggs, vanilla extract, and melted butter.

Stir until well combined, pour into hot waffle iron, and add fresh blueberries.

Cook for approximately two and a half minutes (check the manufacturer’s recommendations for specific timing based on the waffle iron being used).

Golf.com Contributor