The waffle iron used by the Hutlet family when they emigrated from the province of Luxemburg to Canada in 1892 is once again on display at the Red Star Line Museum after extensive restoration. To celebrate the return of this special centerpiece, the museum will be giving out free waffles on Sunday, October 4th, to children who complete a task. Visitors can also try traditional games from the Red Star Line era that day.
In 1892, the Hutlet family left a village in the province of Luxemburg to start a new life in Canada. The family, consisting of eight children, made the crossing aboard the SS Mongolian. Among their belongings was a suitcase filled with familiar items from home, including a cast-iron waffle iron and a cake tin. These objects traveled across the ocean and have been preserved, now telling not only the story of one family but also a universal aspect of migration: when people leave their homes, they often take objects, tastes, and customs that connect them to their familiar environment.
The waffle iron and cake tin showed signs of long-term use and aging, with caked-on baking residue and visible corrosion. During conservation, a balance was sought between cleaning and preserving the history of the objects. The baking and usage traces were largely retained as they are part of the waffle iron's story. After treatment, the cleaned areas were re-polished, and the metal received a new protective layer of microcrystalline wax, safeguarding it from environmental influences while ensuring a uniform appearance.
The waffle iron's return will be celebrated festively on Sunday, October 4th, from 1 PM to 4 PM. Children who find the restored waffle iron in the museum halls will receive a free waffle – a total of 134 waffles, one for each year since the Hutlet family took it to Canada. Families can also enjoy traditional games from the Red Star Line era.
The waffle iron's story connects with another object in the museum's collection: a pressure cooker brought by Reetu Mehta from her native India to Belgium, ensuring she could prepare her favorite dishes in the familiar way. Both objects, from different times and continents, tell a similar story about migrants carrying not only their luggage but also their tastes, scents, and customs, with familiar dishes helping to evoke memories of home and ease homesickness. Consequently, the pressure cooker was placed next to the waffle iron in the display case during its restoration.
Practical information: The Waffle Baking event takes place at the Red Star Line Museum on Sunday, October 4th, from 1 PM to 4 PM. Children who find the waffle iron receive a free waffle (while supplies last). Adults can purchase waffles. Traditional games are available for everyone. Children have free museum entry; adults pay an entrance ticket. More information is available on the museum's website.
