grits - 2
Continuing.
>After high school graduation I did three years in the Army that was accomplished cold turkey without any grits at all except when I was home on leave. That somehow left a vague empty feeling down inside somewhere. I had bought and brought back a car (VW Beetle) from Europe, had it shipped back to New York and after I was discharged from the army, I drove it home from there, after delivering a buddy home to Ohio.
Arriving home at about 4:30am on that wonderful morning two days later and finding everyone still wanting to sleep, I went and found my brother – he had taken over my paper route – and chatted a while but got back home just in time for the long awaited huge breakfast. We had other things for the meal as well but it was the grits that let me know I was actually home.
That was then and this is now and though I have eaten grits for many years, they are not my normal, daily, breakfast fare at the present. Yes, they are still fixed (prepared) occasionally for breakfast but more often are eaten in the evening. At our house I am the usual one that prepares the grits and I don’t even have to have the prep instructions anymore. The spice of my life still works part time from home – medical transcription – and I usually do a large part of the cooking that we do – which is not a lot.
The brand name of the grits we have purchased for years is Jim Dandy quick grits in the 5-pound bag – is there really another brand? Even though I use “quick” grits, I do not believe in the instant kind and consider them to be imitation and fake – and besides that, not real grits and a pretense – kind of like wallpaper paste under an assumed name. In other words, I really don’t like the instant ones at all. Please don’t misunderstand, I am not slamming those who eat that product, I had just rather have the real thing. And I do realize that the instant ones are better than none at all.
We have one utensil that is dedicated to the cooking of grits. It is a tri-clad stainless steel pot that has been in the family in excess of 30 years and is perfect for the job. The reason I like stainless is that unlike aluminum it does not leave tiny particles of itself in the cooked food product. That’s a good thing because I do not like aluminum-flavored grits, whether you can taste it or not - even though I probably have gotten that a few times unknowingly in the past. ec
To be continued.
>After high school graduation I did three years in the Army that was accomplished cold turkey without any grits at all except when I was home on leave. That somehow left a vague empty feeling down inside somewhere. I had bought and brought back a car (VW Beetle) from Europe, had it shipped back to New York and after I was discharged from the army, I drove it home from there, after delivering a buddy home to Ohio.
Arriving home at about 4:30am on that wonderful morning two days later and finding everyone still wanting to sleep, I went and found my brother – he had taken over my paper route – and chatted a while but got back home just in time for the long awaited huge breakfast. We had other things for the meal as well but it was the grits that let me know I was actually home.
That was then and this is now and though I have eaten grits for many years, they are not my normal, daily, breakfast fare at the present. Yes, they are still fixed (prepared) occasionally for breakfast but more often are eaten in the evening. At our house I am the usual one that prepares the grits and I don’t even have to have the prep instructions anymore. The spice of my life still works part time from home – medical transcription – and I usually do a large part of the cooking that we do – which is not a lot.
The brand name of the grits we have purchased for years is Jim Dandy quick grits in the 5-pound bag – is there really another brand? Even though I use “quick” grits, I do not believe in the instant kind and consider them to be imitation and fake – and besides that, not real grits and a pretense – kind of like wallpaper paste under an assumed name. In other words, I really don’t like the instant ones at all. Please don’t misunderstand, I am not slamming those who eat that product, I had just rather have the real thing. And I do realize that the instant ones are better than none at all.
We have one utensil that is dedicated to the cooking of grits. It is a tri-clad stainless steel pot that has been in the family in excess of 30 years and is perfect for the job. The reason I like stainless is that unlike aluminum it does not leave tiny particles of itself in the cooked food product. That’s a good thing because I do not like aluminum-flavored grits, whether you can taste it or not - even though I probably have gotten that a few times unknowingly in the past. ec
To be continued.
posted by mreddie | 9:30 AM
12 Comments:
I'm curious where you are taking this, on grits. Your comment about the aluminum pans is important - they should not be used. Teflon can flake, too, if it get scratched.
bonita - Sometimes I don't have a particular destination, I just wander. :) ec
You did well to bring back a VW from Europe. I sent home an American Motors Javelin and sold my Fiat before I left Germany.
The only grits I have prepared at home have been Kroger Instant Country Grits that come in packages like the individual servings of instant oatmeal. I don’t like them.
Mreddie,
Just came upon your blog and found your talking of grits very entertaining reading. :)
I am a girl of the south ( live in Fl but originally from Al) so grits have always been a favorite thing of mine, too!
Nothing better than good, hot grits with melted butter and scrambled eggs and sausage and toast! OH!! And that steaming cup of coffee!
:) I have an online friend (a New Yorker!) who swears that, on a trip to Tennessee with his dad, he decided to try grits....and asked for Maple Syrup to pour over them!
Yuck!!
LOL!....was that a story to entertain me or FOR REAL? I'll never know for sure.
June
http://journals.aol.com/juniper5541/JunipersWorld/
bubba - The pot we normally for that purpose is now just called the "grits pot" - even though we cook other things in it.
SSN - The VW was a great little car - it made its last stop against the side of an oldsmobile - the wife and I still carry scars.
junierose - That sounds like a good breakfast to me. And I have heard of unknowing people putting syrup or sugar on grits and I agree with your yuck about that! Where in Ala. are you from - I was born in the Northeastern corner of Miss. almost in Ala. Closest town of any size was Red Bay Ala. ec
I'm not sure that this poor, backwoods Canucklehead really knows what a true grit is. I must remedy that some day.
AC - You just don't get more backwoods and out in the sticks than where I was born. It has been said that we lived so far out in the sticks that we had to have sunshine pumped in - that must have been before I was born though. :) Maybe we could get together sometime and I could cook you guys a big breakfast with grits as the centerpiece. ec
We were from a little north of Birmingham,Al- but I grew up in Miami,Fl and have been in Ocala,Fl for the past 18 years!
My husband is from Athens,Al- near the Tn line!
We both still feel a part of the Old, True, South!
He does the grits when we have them- as he has perfected cooking them!
Grits are not something I would want every day- but pretty often! We always have these big country breakfasts when we have guests!
June
http://journals.aol.com/juniper5541/JunipersWorld/
junierose - Our old homeplace was about 40 miles from Tupelo where Elvis was born. We moved to Georgia in 1949. In 1959, on my way out West to see my sister, I stopped through to see the kinfolk for a couple of weeks and my cousin fixed me up with a girl named Wynette Pugh - later to become Tammy Wynette. We were an item while I was there and several letters afterwards - of course she wasn't famous then, but sure could sing. ec
mreddie,
:) How very interesting! Tammy Wynette!
I wonder how soon after you knew her did she become well known-
...as for Elvis- we went to Graceland last year- but not on to his birthplace! I wish we had gone, but it was hot and uncomfortable! Lol- guess you know how July is in that part of the country!
Being a teen of the 50s I was a big fan of Elvis, of course!
With his birthday just passed, I posted some stuff on my blog about him. You might find it interesting!
My blog on AOL is mostly family stuff- lots about my kids and grand kids- and changes in my life as they grow up!
...and I wrote a lot about my early memories of my mom. We lost her 3 years ago at age 94! It was hard but writing all that helped me! I also have a lot of poems!
If you get a chance, come visit me there!
June
http://journals.aol.com/juniper5541/JunipersWorld/
Hi mreddie ~ Thanks for your comment on Herons Nest. I smiled
at the breeze blowing through your hair. Also there would probably be flies or mosquitos
spoiling the tranquility, but it
does no harm to dream.
Glad we agree on boredom.
merle - Thanks for stopping by the "patch". ec
Post a Comment
<< Home