Waffle grids are like Cast Iron pans.
They shouldn't be washed, ever, and with the heats generated by the iron, don't need to be. Wipe or scrape off leftover bits and occasionally rub them with Kosher salt and a paper towel if you're the "Anal-compulsive Chef". This is why I never buy waffle-irons with the Teflon coating; they never produce waffles with a good crust.
Now if you want to talk waffles, I mean real waffles, I mean Belgian waffles, like what we had at the 1964 World's Fair in Flushing, NY, put on your Mrs. Cleaver aprons and try your hands at these. A little more work, but trust me, ordinary waffles won't do it for you ever again:
Gaufres Bruxelloises (Belgian Waffles)
1 package dry yeast (3/5 oz)
¼ cup brown sugar
2 ½ cups lukewarm milk
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 egg yolks
1 tsp. Cognac, rum or whiskey
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 egg whites
1. Mix yeast, a pinch of the sugar, ¼ cup of the flour and ½ cup of the milk together; let stand until foaming
2. Mix flour, remaining sugar, and salt together; put on top of yeast mixture and wait, ½ hour or so, for the sponge to “break through” the dry ingredients.
3. Add the remaining 2 cups of milk; stir until batter is smooth.
4. Add egg yolks, booze and the butter. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.
5. Beat whites until stiff and fold into batter.
6. Bake, preferably on a Belgian-style waffle iron.
7. Serve with 10X sugar, whipped cream and strawberries.
