In the 1980s this recipe was passed down to my mom, from a woman who said her sourdough starter had been passed down for over 100 years in her family and traveled by covered wagon from East Coast to West Coast in a wagon train. This became a fast family favorite. As a child, I loved leftover waffles spread with cream cheese and jam for a special lunchtime treat.

Before bed:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups lukewarm water

1/2 cup sourdough starter

In the morning:

2 Tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

5 Tablespoons melted butter

5 egg yolks

5 egg whites, beaten until stiff peaks formed

Just before putting on the waffle iron:

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 Tablespoon water

Method:

1. Prepare the first three ingredients and allow the starter to sit on the countertop, covered overnight.

2. In the morning fold in the sugar - egg yolks.

3. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks are formed and fold in.

4. Lastly, mix together the baking soda and water and quickly fold into the batter/

5. Pour ladlefuls onto a hot waffle iron and cook until both sides are golden brown. If feeding a crowd, keep the oven at 100F to keep them warm until you’ve finished cooking all the waffle batter. Serve with a pat of butter, fruit and maple syrup. Enjoy.