World Grits Day

I love grits.  Having a mother who was born in the south and living in the south for most of my life, I guess it would be inevitable that I should like them.  Grits consist of coarsely ground corn.  Who doesn't like corn?  Why wouldn't you like grits?

Dad, who was born in Michigan and gradually disseminated into a southern, used to call grits "George Washington Ice Cream".  (Hmmm, don't remember why on that one).

Not even the most ardent lover of grits would think of eating it alone. Basically it is just a dull mound of whiteness, much like mashed potatoes. But, when you add butter and salt or any one of the many tasty items found particularly in the South and you're on your way to a fantastic eating experience. A Southerner's devotion to grits can really be defined because we can eat them as grits-and-gravy, grits-and-ham, grits-and-sausage, grits-and-eggs, grits-with-meat-and-cheese and so on and so on.  They may be served with grated cheese, butter, sausage or country ham red-eye gravy.  My Grandmother Beulah McGhee used to fix the red-eye gravy with her grits.  The gravy was usually made from the drippings of some pan-fried country ham or pork, typically mixed with black coffee. These same drippings, when mixed with flour, made the flavoring for Sawmill gravy which was a white pepper gravy.

My number one favorite way of eating grits?  Making the grits as usual, but then adding a couple of over easy eggs and smooshing them into the grits.  And, for added flavor, adding some crumbled up bacon and diced up sausage.  What a fantastic dish!

My second favorite way to eat grits is served with a big plate of fried catfish with an accompaniment of "cheese grits".  This is where the grits have been cooked and then cheddar cheese has been added and stirred into a creamy delicious side dish with the fish.

I have also had grits with the sugar sprinkled on top or had my favorite jelly or jam mixed in those tiny pearls of goodness.

For the uneducated about grits...Grits are usually prepared by adding one part grits to two-to-three parts boiling water seasoned with salt. They are usually cooked for 5-10 minutes for "quick" grits or 20 or more minutes for whole kernel grits, or until the water is absorbed and the grits become a porridge-like consistency. As grits expand when they are cooked, they need to be stirred periodically to prevent sticking and forming lumps. 

Happy Grits Day!