Put a winning twist on USC waffles for a breakfast fit for champions

The first two weeks of school mark a grace period in terms of food options at USC’s three main dining halls. As we delve further into the semester, however, we might begin to grow tired of the selections offered regularly, calling for much-needed creativity on our parts.

By now, nearly all students have made themselves one of the iconic waffles with the USC stamp or have at least seen photos on Snapchat. A breakfast of champions, this spirited meal inspired me to practice a true Trojan’s courageous trait, so I decided to do a little experimentation and create a one-of-a-kind waffle recipe by integrating one of my all-time favorite beverages, mocha.

While EVK, Parkside and Cafe 84 all have their own waffle makers and the components to experiment with new combinations, I made this recipe with the ingredients from EVK. Considering the coffee machine’s proximity to the waffle maker, you’d think a recipe such as this one was destined to happen.

And so, I present to you my recipe for Mocha Chocolate Chip Waffles:

Step One: Grab a clear plastic cup and fill two-thirds of it with waffle batter from the dispenser.

Step Two: Grab a white mug and fill it with mocha from the coffee machine. In the spirit of experimentation, you may also try any of the other seven options.

Step Three: Take your white mug and pour some of your mocha into the plastic white cup until it is full. Then, grab a spoon and mix the two substances together until they are blended.

Step Four: If you wish to include chocolate chips in the batter — and who wouldn’t? — take a moment during this preparation time to mix them into your clear plastic cup.

Step Five: Once your batter is prepared, pour the contents from your cup into the waffle maker and close the lid. Be sure to follow the instructions on the device in order to properly set the timer.

Step Six: After the timer goes off at two minutes and thirty seconds, open the lid and place your waffle on a plate.

Step Seven: At this point, you can choose to decorate your waffle with anything from fruit to cereal, but for this recipe, I chose to top my creation with whipped cream and even more chocolate chips.

As a lover of both mocha and waffles, I personally found eating this recipe to be a transcendental experience. Much like the introduction of Nutella to crepes, the combination of mocha with waffles is one that should not go unrecognized.