I am a Northerner by birth and, as you Johnny Rebs like to say, the grace of God.
I eat grits and I like 'em. But definitely not by themselves. My preferred condiment in this case is Tabasco sauce with some butter and a good dash of salt. But it’s really great to mix 'em in with the bits of egg and sausage gravy left over from the main dishes. Yum!!!
…As my dear old Dad used to say.
Except in passing, no one has mentioned the pleasures of cheese grits. Mmmmmmmmmmmaaannn, they’re good! Just take a batch of grits and melt some cheese into them.
Oh yeah, and grits do not have the consistency of cream of wheat. They are more coarsely ground. More gritty, if you will.
I know I will.
Instant grits (with the requisite butter or cheese of course) are nice to bring camping. Lightweight, tasty, salty, easy, and filling. Second only to couscous for these properties.
That said, I looove grits. My parents (native New Yorkers) must have picked up the habit when they lived in Kansas and passed it on to us kids. I order them (in volume) wherever I can find them. Maybe I’m strange, but I like the texture. I agree its far more gritty than cream of wheat – the individual particles are larger.
You just have to understand that grits are a sort of culinary “blank canvas.” Alone, they’re not much to write home about; but doctor them up with some cheese, or sausage, or bacon, or whatever, and they are mighty fine.
I concur with spoke–cheddar grits are mighty fine, and extend grits usefulness beyond breakfast. One of my favorites: Cornish game hens with dried cranberry sauce over cheddar grits.
I’m a northerner, too. Apparently, when I was a tot (just barely eating solid food), I would only eat grits and grilled cheese sandwiches when I was in restaurants on vacation in the south. I totally forgot about this as I grew up, and didn’t eat grits again until I was in high school. It was like a new experience at that point. Still liked 'em, though.
On the topic of interesting Southern delicacies, may I mention what is known as “scrapple”. Actually, I think it is more of a Pennsylvania “delicacy”. My grandmother from Norfolk, VA used to make these great biscuits with fried scrapple. What is scrapple? Let me quote a website…
“Scrapple, on the other hand, is an amalgamation of tendons, cartilage, feet, skin, ears, nose, gums and more. In short, it’s all the garbage that should be thrown away. Some people eat it. Really.”
Or another…
“But what parts of the hog go into the creation of scrapple? After the ham, bacon, chops and other cuts of meat are taken from the butchered pig - what remains are fixings for scrapple - including the meat scraped off the head. Scrapple may contain pork skin, pork heart, pork liver, pork tongue - even pork brains. Those faint of palate needn’t venture any further.”
Mmmm-mmm, good!
Mmmmmmmmmmm, scrapple! They make (or used to, at least) a brand of scrapple here in Maryland (in Baltimore, I believe).
A scrapple and egg (fried hard, of course) sandwich on either toast (white bread, bread of course) or a kaiser roll, OMG! I know what I’ll be eating for breakfast this weekend!
I have to admit I’ve never cooked scrapple. I usually order it out. There’s a place called Pete’s Grill in the Waverly section of Baltimore. They have the best grits and scrapple in town!
By the way, here’s a hint I discovered by accident. I used to follow the direction on the box (well, canister to be more precise) for preparing my grits. I always thought the consistency just wasn’t up to the caliber of those I ordered in diners. One day I put the grits in the water before bringing the water to a boil. This gave them a creamier texture. I haven’t gone back since. By the way, I buy the grits in the blue canister (quick cooking).
[hijack]
Herewith, I quote from Mrs. O’s Cyclopedia of Pennsylvania Folk Wisdom:
“You can tell what’s in scrapple 'cos it lists two ingredients right in the name: scrap and crap.”
She claims she identified someone from PA in Bob and Edith’s Diner (DC Dopers, if your cholesterol level is too damn low, you need to head to Arlington and check this place out) simply because he ordered scrapple with his breakfast.
I had the stuff once, didn’t make much of an impression on me tastewise. Won’t eat it again, however, because now I know way too much about it.
[/hijack]
I think Scrapple is a Pennsylvania thing. At least, I associate it with PA because the only times I’ve had it has been from relatives from PA. It’s actually pretty good, if you can get over the fact that its basically a weird meat/fat by-product. Its a topic of discussion whether the proper name is “Scrapple” or “Ponthaus”.
Ok I shall ammend my statement. It is my opinion, however repulsive other southerners may find it, that instant grits are better. The reason is simple : I can monitor instant to be the exact thickness I desire, whereas grits made “from scratch” tend to get a bit lumpy. Thats all just MHO.
Love ya evilbeth !
Those of you who say grits have no flavor have probably never had “real” grits. Real grits do not come in a box or can, but from a bag directly from the mill where they are ground from the whole kernal. They are a pain to cook. Proper grits must be soaked in water for an hour (or more), the chaff drained off, soaked again, drained again, and then cooked. The payoff for this extra labor is a much richer, full tasting, and filling dish. I prefer the white speckled grits, but YMMV. I do still add butter and salt to real grits, but it’s not nearly as necessary.
I ususally get my grits (and cornmeal, flour, etc.) from the Nora Mill Granery in northeast Georgia, one of the few water wheel powered mills still in operation. The bread and pancake mixes are good as well. You can visit them on-line at:
While your there, check out some of their recipies. MMMmmm!
I feel I should mention that a former co-worker of mine used to eat – get ready for it – dry grits. Yes, she used to bring the little envelopes to work, tear 'em open, and just pour those little devils straight into her mouth and crunch away.
The rest of you grit-eatin’ folks can just bow down to her.
Born and raised in the South. Lived here my whole life. So I can say, unequivocally and without remorse: Grits suck. They exist solely as a medium to transport something else to your mouth.
Didn’t we have a similar thread on this a couple of months ago? Is the powerful and dreaded Grits Lobby paying people to keep this pseudofood in the public eye?
I think the OP has been more than adequately answered here. Do we really need input from everyone who has ever tried grits?