Waffle House

 It was 9p eastern, 8p central on the evening of November 15, 2015, when the newest episode of Anthony Bourdain's, "Parts Unknown" comes on CNN.

The weekly program, features Bourdain, a renowned chef, author, philosopher and cultural observer.  Each week he is at a different locale somewhere in the world.  It could be Istanbul, or Hanoi, Djakarta or Cairo.  It could also be Montreal or Santa Fe.  One of my favorites was when he was in Beirut.  Each week a new city, a new culture, a new culinary adventure.

On this episode, he is in Charleston, South Carolina.  As the episode starts, Bourdain introduces us to southern chef Sean Brock, his culinary guide on this episode.

As amazing as it seems to you and me, the globe-hopping Bourdain has never been to a Waffle House.  Evidently, they don't have them in the greater New York City area.  That, or he looked down his nose at it, choosing to ignore it.

The dialog between Brock and Bourdain goes like this.

Brock: We have one choice for late-night eating and it's the waffle house. And they create this environment where no matter how blitzed you are or how normal you are, you are welcomed and treated equally with an experience. It's not just like, you know, eating a plate of food.

Bourdain: You're talking about all, the magical spiritual place.

Brock: It's beyond a magical, spiritual place.

Bourdain: It is indeed marvelous. An irony free zone where everything is beautiful, and nothing hurts for everybody regardless of race, creed, color, or degree of inebriation is welcomed.  It's warm yellow glow, a beacon of hope and salvation inviting the hungry, the lost, the seriously hammered all across the south to come inside, a place of safety and nourishment. It never closes. It is always, always faithful, always there for you.

Unless you watched that episode, you probably have never seen anyone wax so poetically about Waffle House.  It is deserving of every word.

Several weeks ago, I wrote about Two Fat Sisters in Tuscumbia, and my weekly trip to that establishment.  Make no mistake, they have a hearty breakfast, great waitresses and a welcoming atmosphere.

But Waffle House, Waffle House is just, well, just different.

For one thing, they are everywhere, they are open 24 hours, and it seems all of the workers have been there 20-30 years.  Their hash browns, oh my, their hash browns.  They belong in the same breath as Croque Monsieur, Oysters Rockefeller, a sizzling New York Strip or fish tacos.  They are that good.  As my son Barclay would say, "they are glorious."

M and I travel a lot.  I mean a lot, usually away from home 60-70 days a year.  The Waffle House is our favorite breakfast stop.  We have been to Waffle House in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas.  Maybe some others as well.  From Panama City, to Macon, to Florence, it is as Bourdain said, "always welcoming."

Wednesday morning, we dined at the WH om Florence Blvd. In Florence.  It was about 9.30 or so when we arrived.  All the table and booths were full, as were most of the sets at the counter.  I think we were able to get the last two seats.  As patrons left and others arrived, the staff and cooks would call them by name.  "See you next time," or even, "see you tomorrow."

Our waitress, a seasoned employee immediately laid down a napkin, a fork and a spoon.  She asked if we wanted coffee.  We did, plus M wanted a creamer, I just needed some sweetener.  We also asked for a glass of water.  When she brought the coffee back, she asked if we needed menus.  We did not, we both ordered our "standard" fare.  A pecan waffle and bacon for M, two scrambled eggs, "smothered" hashbrowns, bacon and whole wheat toast for me.

It was served within minutes piping hot and fresh.  I generously added pepper to my eggs and hashbrowns and dug in.  M simply added butter and maple syrup to her waffle.

The food was good, the coffee was good, the bill was fair, we were satisfied and headed to our next destination.  Our tummies full, smiles on our faces.

One last thing.   Did you know the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has a Waffle House Index for use during storms?

The Waffle House Index is informal measure of a storm's severity and its effect on a stricken community.  It comes from Waffle House’s reputation for being well-prepared for disasters and either remaining open during disastrous weather or reopening shortly afterward..

Take some time and go to You Tube and watch the Bourdain episode on Charleston.  Specifically, the Waffle House segment.  It is amazing how others look at one of the pillars of the South.

Have a great Thursday.  Be nice to each other, and remember, you want your hash browns "smothered."