An extra benefit from making these delicious waffles is that the berries emit an amazing aroma when they hit the hot waffle iron. It will fill your kitchen with the best of breakfast smells! I use polenta instead of regular cornmeal for these waffles because its coarse grind gives them a slightly crunchy texture.

You can use any kind of berry--and frozen ones work beautifully--so you can have these any time of year. I like to use a mixture of different types. You can buy an unsweetened frozen berry mix in most supermarkets. Don't defrost them before adding them to the batter, but do cut larger berries into smaller pieces. (You can do this while they are still frozen.) To keep the waffles warm, transfer them to a rack on a baking tray, and place the tray in a 200°F oven until serving time. (The rack keeps them crisp.) Canola oil can be substituted for some or all of the butter.

PREPARATION TIME: 20 minutes

1. Preheat the waffle iron.

2. Combine the dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl.

3. Break the eggs into a second medium-sized bowl and beat with a whisk until frothy. Drizzle in the milk.

4. Add the egg-milk mixture to the dry ingredients, along with the melted butter and the berries. Mix with decisive strokes from the bottom of the bowl until all the dry ingredients have been moistened. Try not to over-mix, and also try to avoid breaking the berries. You'll break some anyway, but just do your best.

5. Lightly spray the hot waffle iron on both the top and bottom surfaces with nonstick spray, and rub on a little butter. (This is most easily accomplished by generously buttering a chunk of bread and using it as an edible utensil to butter the waffle iron.) Add just enough batter to cover the cooking surface--approximately 1/2 cup for a standard waffle (1 cup for a Belgian waffle).

6. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, depending on your waffle iron. Don't overbake-- you want it crisp and brown but not too dark. It's okay to peek.

7. Serve hot with your chosen toppings.