Just what is grits? I mean, I ordered some about 7 years ago at a roadside diner in Texas and got this grey...well...slop on the plate. Did I just get a bad cook (!) or is that what it's supposed to look like. I must also add that I took one mouthful and that was it for me.
Not wanting to offend anyone of course...if you came here and tasted our fabled Vegemite I'm sure you may have the same reaction.
Anyone care to enlighten me?
To answer you question what are grits.
Corn! Ground up corn!
I had some grits for the first time about five months ago. Blah! I think I'll stick to having my corn on a cob. 
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The man with the magic hands.
"No self respecting Southerner would use instant grits."
"So how come it takes you 5 minutes to make grits when it takes the rest of the entire grit-eating population 15 minutes? Were these magic grits? Maybe the laws of physics cease to exist on your stove!"
What a great movie. Check it out and you'll learn everything you ever wanted to know about grits.
Grits with a good amount of butter are great. They were John Wayne's favorite, too. Remember "True Grits"? And grits can sure be messed up if'n ya don't fix 'em right; they can't be runny, nope, and not too thick that they clod together on your fork. An' I never heard o' grey grits - I prolly wouldn't eat 'em either!
You ever get back here, stop in at a "Cracker Barrel" restaurant. As far as national chains go, that's the closest to country eatin' you can get. Denny's, Shoney's, or interstate truck stops ain't even CLOSE!
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Better Projection Pays!
OK...I will. Um...what's the movie?
Mark says they are >>Corn! Ground up corn!<< ...and in my case...served with a succulent grey (ulp) sauce. (cue Homer voice: ) MMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...grey sauce!
What's the name of the movie you're talking about Brad?
Rice cakes...nope...you've got me on that one too. Although, I'm sure they're VERY healthy. They must be...they have no taste.
As for VEGEMITE, that's the worst stuff I've ever had! We had an Aussie come over in high school and she would have it shipped over for the 6 months she was here. We used to have contests to see who could eat the most Vegemite sandwich! (Most of us Canadian boys really took a fancy to her, guess we thought if we ate it.......I actually put my ass THROUGH the white-wall on the stage of our 1000 seat auditorium trying to impress this girl with a headstand, boy was my drama teacher PISSED!)We used to sell a knock-off I think called Marmite. Awful stuff, "Bitter Salt Paste" is what I'd have called it.
But you know, I can recall a time when I was just starting to drink beer, and didn't particularly like the taste of that either!
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Dave Bird
As for the film Brad is talking about, it's from none other than My Cousin Vinny. A truly great film.
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The man with the magic hands.
Vegemite is an acquired taste...
I love to watch the non-initiated take their first mouthful of vegemite ever...good to have the camera ready for the reaction.
Must check out Vinny again then...ran it for a two week season but didn't watch it as I couldn't get over Marissa's voice...she was the one who 'won' the Oscar thanks to Jack Palance's push ups, right?
hehe
~GLB
BTW, I like 'em for breakfast--they remind me of cream-o-wheat when you put some butter, sugar and a little milk on 'em (only a Californian would think of eating grits that way ).
Another BTW, don't try to get grits at a McDonalds--they don't have a grit machine.
2 eggs over-easy & 3 strips of real bacon (not the turkey crap)- cut it up, stir it all together with your grits, add butter, salt and pepper - then EAT UP !!
If you have any grits left over after breakfast, you can use them around noon to mortar a brick wall
Tim was right - Cracker Barrell is the closest to real grits you'll find - except at my grandmothers house.
Most "store bought" grits taste like mulched cardboard. Runny or grey grits should not be eaten. Ditto for lumpy!
Grits that have been slowly cooking for hours seem to be the best to me. MY GRANNY made the best ones in our family.
I believe that FilmGuards secret ingredient is grit juice.
That would explain alot
Bacon, sausage, a couple of eggs, toast, and a bowl of grits. Wash it down with coffee. Mmmmmmmmmm.
quote:
2 eggs over-easy & 3 strips of real bacon (not the turkey crap)- cut it up, stir it all together with your grits, add butter, salt and pepper - then EAT UP !!
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Better Projection Pays!
They're kinda' like a cross between oatmeal and mashed potatoes. Let's just put it this way: I don't HATE 'em.
Seems to me like they'd be good for patchin' POT HOLES in the road!
(I wonder what grits mixed with Vegemite would be like.)
As we say back home, it's all in how yer raised.
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Better Projection Pays!
hehe...all this talk of food...time for shameless self-promotion! See my website! http://members.xoom.com/Kaeda/kkitchen.html
It's an online cookbook, sorta. It's not finished either, but there are still a bunch of recipes to look at.
One of these days I'll get around to finishing it...
~Gracia
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In some cultures, what I do is considered normal.
PS- I must protest to being called an "Expert Film Handler"! Most of my yapping is about grits and vegemite! I'll try to catch up to my title.
GRITS are a staple here. Yes, we do repair potholes with it, but since there is little wasted, we have lots of deep holes. Being that I drive like a speed demon, my car just bounces over the holes. If I go slow, I have to replace my shocks more often. When the tires bottom out in the potholes, big chunks of rust fall off the truck. My insurance agent (!) says that my truck has a bad case of Ironworms. I have the State Farm stickers positioned so that people have something to aim at.
None of my vehicles are up on blocks in the yard, yet.
Paul
One of the best foods and one of the best movies ever made.
Eats grits every morning and watch My Cousin Vinnie every night, and you will be a much healthier and happier person!
I know a lot of folks eat 'em up!I can, and do, eat them occasionally because I know my wife likes them; but I'd really rather not. They go down best for me with sour cream.
Dave, you sure did hit that 100 mark awfully fast! Wonderful!
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Better Projection Pays!
In Italy it's called POLENTA and in Romania it's MAMALIGA!
Go to a supermarket, look in the Hispanic Foods aisle, and buy a bag of Goya brand Enriched Coarse Yellow Corn Meal [Harina de Maiz, Amarilla Gruesa, Enriquecida] (It comes in a fine grind, also white, but the yellow, coarse is traditional.)
Into a thick-walled, round-bottom pot or kettle, boil about two quarts of water, salted to taste. When it's boilong vigorously, slowly pour in a cupful of ground corn, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. As it thickens, lower the heat. The mix will begin boiling with little erruptions, so watch your face! Sprinkle in a little more to thicken if necessary. Stir in well one or two tablespoons of virgin olive oil. Pour the polenta into a bowl or cake pan well greased with olive oil. Allow to cool. When hard, turn upside down on a serving plate and remove bowl. It now looks like a golden yellow, slightly translucent birthday cake. I like to slice it in strips about 1/2 inch thick. I use a cheeze plane to shave thin slices of a semi-hard sheep cheeze called Kashkaval (from Romania or Bulgaria), between the slices and on top; before serving I heat in the microwave for a minute or less. Or you can cut into wedges, or spoon directly from the steaming kettle onto serving plates, and top with lumps of feta, cottage or pot cheeze. (It goes well with almost any dairy product.)
[Note: If you don't boil it long enough (about 10 minutes or more) it will really be "gritty" and raw instead of nice and smooth-textured.
Italians often broil the cooked polenta in a hot pizza oven to give it
a crust.]
As children, when Mom cooked polenta, we children would sing a chorus of the Klezmar song "Romania":
Mamaliga, Mamalai
Stamp your foot
And catch a fly!
(Zetz, zai ziggedy zum!)
(I made it for lunch today,along with a bottle of Guinness.)
Gerard