It was the aroma that first intrigued me. Instead of waking to the familiar Sunday morning smells of eggy French toast or the sharp, acrid bite of burning pancakes, I was aroused by the heady, perfumed scent of nutmeg. Warm wafts of air, cushioned with a yeasty, bread-like smell, enticed my nostrils.

The melt-in-your-mouth buttery flavor and crisp, light texture were habit-forming. Like an experienced lover, they wrapped their arms tightly around me, and I drew sustenance and comfort. Romantic visions of late-morning breakfasts and midnight encounters were the inspirations of my daydreams.

The very sound of my teeth crunching through the savory crust would cause my heart to flutter. My tongue would long in anticipation, eagerly awaiting the soft, billowy center. Thoughtfully, my mouth would caress each luscious morsel. Plumped with ripe blueberries, adorned with raspberries, gilded with maple syrup, or fragrant with vanilla, waffles seduced my culinary heart and gastronomical soul.

My love affair with waffles was nurtured by our best man’s wedding gift of a rectangular griddle, and has flourished for almost 22 years. Once I expanded my boundaries from the notion of waffles as breakfast food, the possibilities became limitless.

Suddenly, I was combining new flavors and textures, creating desserts, birthday suppers. My waffle iron collection expanded to heart-shaped and round. Much to my family’s delight, we all enjoy Mom’s affair of the heart.

Classic Waffles

1 cup flour 1/3 cup sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 1 cup low-fat milk 2 eggs, separated

1/4 cup sunflower oil

Preheat waffle iron. Sift flour, sugar, nutmeg and baking powder into a large bowl. Whisk egg yolks, milk and oil in another bowl. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Stir milk mixture into flour mixture. Fold egg whites into mixture. Pour 1/2 cup into medium-hot waffle iron. Makes three rectangular waffles.

Variation: For Zucchini-Cheddar Waffles, reduce the sugar to 2 tablespoons, and fold 1/2 cup grated zucchini and 1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese into the batter.

Frozen or fresh, blueberries — the tiny Maine blue package bursting with flavor — are perfectly paired with yogurt in Blueberry-Yogurt Waffles. Tucked in a lunch box for a snack or served with fresh berries and maple syrup, these waffles will brighten anyone’s day.

Blueberry-Yogurt Waffles

4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 3/4 cups flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg or cinnamon 1/3 cup sugar 1 cup plain yogurt 1 cup milk 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Preheat waffle iron. To hold waffles until serving time, preheat oven to 200 degrees.

Melt butter, and set aside. In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda and cinnamon. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla, and yogurt. Stir blueberries into flour mixture. Add yogurt mixture to flour mixture, stirring just to combine. Fold in butter.

Lightly spray grids of iron with non-stick spray and spoon out 1/2 cup of mixture. Smooth batter to the edge of the grids and bake until golden brown and crisp. Makes about six round waffles.

In Rhubarb Waffles, the tart flavor of rhubarb is sensuously caramelized in butter and sugar. The mixture is then folded into a fragrant batter that produces a billowy, slightly chewy waffle. Served with fresh strawberries and Gran Marnier-flavored whipped cream, these waffles would make an elegant dessert. The first summer I discovered these tasty treats, my youngest daughter’s only menu request for her fifth birthday party was Rhubarb Waffles.

Rhubarb Waffles

1/2 pound rhubarb 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 cup flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/3 cup sugar 1 1/4 cups low-fat milk 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon Gran Marnier liqueur (optional)

Peel the rhubarb with a vegetable peeler. Cut into 1-inch slices. Melt butter in medium sauce pan and cook rhubarb until it just starts to soften, stiring constantly, about five minutes. Add the 2 tablespoons of sugar, raise the heat, and cook for two more minutes until caramelized. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.

Preheat waffle iron. Preheat oven to 350 degrees to crisp and hold waffles.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda and baking powder. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, milk and vanilla (and liqueur if desired). Combine liquid and dry ingredients and whisk until just combined. Stir in rhubarb.

Lightly spray waffle iron with nonstick spray. Spoon out 1/2 cup of mixture and spread evenly across the grids. Bake until golden. The waffle will be very soft, and may be difficult to peel out at first.

Keep waffles on a rack until finished with iron. Crisp waffles in oven and serve topped with strawberries and whipped cream flavored with Gran Marnier.

In the fall, when tart, fresh cider and pumpkins are in abundance, Pumpkin Waffles with Apple-Cider Syrup and a lazy weekend morning in bed are the perfect combination. Or make the waffles and serve them with warmed applesauce, a sharp cheese and green salad for a simple supper.

Pumpkin Waffles with Apple-Cider Syrup

For the syrup: 1 cup apple cider 1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 3 tablespoons orange juice

1/2 cup brown sugar 1 cup maple syrup 2 tablespoons butter 1 tart apple thinly sliced

In a medium saucepan, combine the cider, spices and orange juice. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for five minutes. Stir in brown sugar, maple syrup, butter and apple and let simmer for 15 minutes until slightly thickened. Keep warm. Syrup may be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator.

For the waffles: 2 cups flour 1/3 cup sugar 4 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon ginger 1 1/2 cups milk 1 cup pumpkin puree 4 eggs, separated

Preheat the waffle iron. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder and spices. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, milk and pumpkin. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff. Blend the dry ingredients with the milk mixture. Fold in the egg whites.

Lightly spray the waffle iron with a nonstick spray and ladle on batter. Keep waffles warm in a 250-degree oven. Serve topped with cider syrup.