From Wikipedia: Grits is a food of Native American origin that is common in the Southern United States; it mainly consists of coarsely ground corn.
Grits is similar to other thick maize-based porridges from around the world, such as polenta. It also resembles farina, a thinner porridge. The word leads back to the traditional Northern European grit gruels. Grits can be served hot or cold and as a base for a multitude of dishes from breakfast to dessert, depending on the additives. Additives can include salt and butter, meats (especially shrimp on the east or Gulf Coast), cheese, and rarely, (but in nouvelle Southern cuisine) vegetables. It is also common for people from above the Mason-Dixon Line to have brown sugar, nuts, raisins and even coconut shavings with their grits.
Grits can also be fried. The boiled grits are left to cool in a pan or mold. The resulting block of firm, cooled grits are cut with a knife or wire, and the slices are fried in a fat such as vegetable oil, butter, or bacon grease.
Hominy grits is grits made from nixtamalized corn, or hominy. It is sometimes called sofkee or sofkey from the Creek word.[1][2] (end)
So........when I first asked for a bowl of grits here in the south, I asked the waitress to be sure to include milk and sugar..she said "include what!?" "you must be from up north" she continued. Quaker oats porridge came to mind when I placed my order. Come to find out, I can have grits with butter or cheese (cheese?) Before tasting them, I always thought of grits to be a hard "gritty" food and tasteless. Heck I had no clue what a grit was prior to my southern life, as a kid I heard the word grit and could only think of one thing: John Wayne!
I loved this man,what a great American!
I now have come to enjoy a bowl of grits with my breakfast. I still probably eat them with a northern flare as I don't have it with cheese or butter but ask for it plain and I top it off with a bit of artificial sugar-yes the pink package. Some tell me that is sacrilegious, but I do enjoy them that way. I do remember, as a kid eating porridge at the kitchen table before school and staring at the box and wondering is this Ben Franklin or a look alike?
I am now in search of the best grits in North Florida...can you help locate?? I will even try them with cheese or butter if you can point me in the right direction.
~Gordon
