John F. Kennedy's Favorite Waffles Feature A Fancy Technique That's Easy To Recreate At Home

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The food quirks of U.S. presidents have long fascinated America and even the rest of the world. In recent years, who could forget the brouhaha over how Barack Obama orders steak or endless headlines dedicated to the fact that current POTUS Donald Trump is a diehard McDonald's fan? Recently, we uncovered the secret that John F. Kennedy liked for achieving the absolute best waffles, and although it wasn't entirely new to us, we were charmed by a peek into the domestic side of this famous politician.

We previously discussed the unexpected egg white tip for extra-crispy waffles, where you fold in beaten egg whites to lend structure and airiness to the finished product. It's not a complicated step to take, but its origins are quite Continental; the French meringue technique used in gourmet baking involves whipping egg whites to stiff peaks with a bit of sugar.

It's notable that, unlike some egg white waffle recipes, JFK's waffles still include egg yolks; they are just added to creamed butter and sugar as the "wet" ingredient base. The separated, peaky whites are folded in at the last minute to ensure maximum height on the waffles. Egg yolks emulsify liquids and fats, so they also have a place in baking, but keeping the whites separate allows both parts of the egg to excel at what they do best. The Kennedy recipe, which dates back to his pre-presidential years during his tenure as a Massachusetts senator (from 1953 to 1960), calls for baking the waffles. However, your trusty waffle iron should also make them tall, golden, and fluffy inside!

We're big fans of boxed pancake and waffle mix for a quick family breakfast when time is of the essence, but if you have the luxury of time, scratch waffles are the way to go — and they're the only way you can enjoy the famous Kennedy waffle recipe, which is enshrined in the National Archives. Best of all, if you already have a bespoke waffle recipe that you swear by, you can adapt the fancy technique that Kennedy used in his waffles without really changing the rest of your preparation. Where you would normally add eggs into your batter, you can either forgo them entirely and gently incorporate the whites at the end. Or, you can mix in the yolks as usual, then add the whites later. 

Never whipped egg whites? There's nothing to it. It's possible to beat egg whites with just a clean bowl and a wire whisk, although this will give your arm a serious workout. If you have an electric mixer, whether of the handheld or stand variety, your life will be a lot easier. Put your raw egg whites in the bowl and start mixing slowly. Be patient and observe as they go through a few stages: foamy, soft peaks, and, finally, stiff peaks (go any farther and the egg whites will break down into unpleasantly grainy clumps). Stiff peaks are what you need for meringue and for JFK's waffles. As the egg whites grow in volume, you can whisk more vigorously. You will know the peaks are ready by sight, as they will hold their shape and height firmly.