Grits

I think grits surely must be one of the most misunderstood southern foods. How can anyone not like grits? I believe any dislike stems from a basic confusion. This confusion is more often experienced by northerners, or Yankees as my mother would say,however certainly through no fault of their own. You have to understand grits to like them. When your momma didn't grow up eating grits, it is quite likely that you may not have inherited the proper understanding. Many seem to make the mistake of putting grits in the cereal category and trying to compare them to oatmeal or cream of wheat. Grits are not a cereal!! They are a starch like a potato or rice. As a breakfast item they are to be enjoyed in much the same way you would a breakfast potato dish; along side eggs, with butter, salt and pepper, mixed with some sausage or bacon - but NEVER with milk or sugar. They also can be present at meals other than breakfast. A very common southern dish is shrimp and grits, often served as a side dish, but also as an entree. The best grits are the slow cooked variety, and there is a local New Orleans type restaurant that makes some of the best grits I have ever eaten. Bon Appetit!