El Wingador's spicy new waffle is a fund-raiser for Puerto Rico
Bill Simmons worked with Waffatopia's Brian and Andrea Polizzi for several months on the combination.
Waffatopia — the Conshohocken-based maker of Belgian Liège-style waffles — has partnered with Wing Bowl champion Bill "El Wingador" Simmons on a waffle that pairs mango and habanero chili peppers.
The sweet-and-hot waffle — developed for the restaurant that Simmons plans to open — is also being marketed as a fund-raiser for Puerto Rico's hurricane-relief efforts.
Simmons worked with Waffatopia's Brian and Andrea Polizzi for several months on the combination, Brian Polizzi said. Mango-and-pepper is a flavor profile commonly found in hot sauces. The idea is to bring another dimension to the dish of chicken and waffles.
The result — based on a taste-test this week — is delicious. The first bite brings up a fruity sweetness, and then the pepper kicks in.
Though the waffle is intended as a lunch or dinner dish, Polizzi said he brought some of the waffles to a trade show and found that eaters enjoyed them early in the day.
The waffles are sold online for $34.99 for an 8-pack, plus shipping, and for $45.99 for a 12-pack, including shipping. A Waffatopia rep says 20 percent of the sale price from each box will be donated to #ChefsForPuertoRico, which is part of World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit led by chef José Andrés. Simmons is of Puerto Rican descent.
Waffatopia is also working on a line of waffles with chefs as well as a line of waffles infused with craft spirits, including Dad's Hat PA Rye and Cooper River Distillers' Petty Island Rum.