In 1869 Cornelius Swarthout, who became fed up with pancakes, stepped away from the table and invented the waffle iron. Ever since, man has labored to recreate his golden-brown creations. But, far too often, waffles stick when the iron is opened and self-destruct before they can be buttered and lathered in syrup. The waffle iron's inner surfaces need to be tempered with heat and cooking oil to prevent sticking. First, brush cooking oil on both inner surfaces. Then coat pieces of bread with oil, too, and place them inside -- covering the entire surface. Then heat until golden brown. The bread holds the oil against both surfaces until the oil solidifies and bonds. That's "tempering" and it prevents sticking. And that's the On The House tip for today.