That heavenly smell, the drizzle of syrup, and the way a waffle cracks when the fork pierces that delicious first bite—there’s simply so much to love about this go-to breakfast treat, especially today, National Waffle Day. And possibly no one is more enthusiastic to celebrate than Regina Triche, a team member at Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton Jacksonville who’s been dubbed "The Waffle Lady."
Triche began experimenting with new waffle recipes—using only the other ingredients from the hotel’s existing breakfast offerings—six years ago while participating in a company-wide waffle contest. Guests at all 2,800 Hampton by Hilton locations can enjoy free breakfast 365-days a year, and waffles are just one of the items on the menu, so Triche grabbed other ingredients like cinnamon, bananas, and whipped cream to see what she could create. Not only did she win, but she discovered she had a real talent for stirring up new recipes, from blueberry, strawberry and chocolate chip waffles—to more luxurious creations, like carrot cake, red velvet cake and white chocolate chip waffles.
Since then, Triche has developed a hearty breakfast following among guests and local foodie bloggers.
The best part of coming up with new recipes, she says, is seeing the reaction to her sweet concoctions.
“This is how I make my day brighter,” she said. “Because I can serve these little kids and they're happy, happy, happy.”
Check out the video below for Triche’s step-by-step recipe for “blinged out” chocolate chip pancakes.