Instructions: Put warm water in large mixing bowl and sprinkle yeast over top. Stir once or twice and leave to dissolve, about 5 minutes.

Melt butter in small saucepan over low heat, watching carefully and tilting pan so butter melts evenly but doesnt burn. Add milk and stir until just warm, but not hot.

Add warm butter and milk to yeast mixture, along with salt, sugar and flour. Beat with spoon, wire whisk or rotary beater until batter is smooth. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set batter aside overnight at room temperature. Batter will bubble up and then subside.

Just before cooking waffles, add eggs and baking soda and beat until smooth. Batter will be very thin.

Spray cool waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray, or turn on iron and when warm, grease both sides with oil (new waffle irons have nonstick coatings and dont require greasing). Close lid and when waffle iron is very hot, pour about 1/2 to 3/4 cup batter into it. Dont cover whole surface of waffle iron, as batter will expand and spread during cooking. You will learn how much batter to use by doing first waffle.

Close lid and cook. After 3 to 4 minutes, check to see whether waffle is done. When waffle iron has stopped emitting steam, lift top of waffle iron carefully - you dont want to tear waffle. Waffle should appear golden brown. If still pale, close top and bake 1 to 2 minutes.

When first waffle is done, lift lid of waffle iron and gently pry out waffle with fork. Serve hot with butter and pitcher of warm syrup. While first round of waffles are being eaten, make second batch. If you dont use all of batter, store in refrigerator, tightly covered, up to several days.

This recipe yields 6 (8-inch-square) waffles.

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