Anyone my age or older will recognize those pearly whites!
However, the second image that comes to mind is what really gets me excited.
Oooh, Baby! Nothing starts the morning off right, like a hot bowl of steamy grits...unless, of course, it is accompanied by three strips of thick chewy bacon (Yeah, I know! Chewy or crispy bacon is a whole other story!), two eggs over easy, and biscuits with white gravy.
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...Sorry! My mind was temporarily enjoying breakfast. Anyway, I believe the subject was grits. Let's get one important fact straight. I don't care what Wikipedia says. No true southerner would EVER use the word grits in the singular form, or even imagine that there could be a singular form of the word. Got that, all you yanks! There is no such thing as "a grit", and "grits is..." ain't proper English.
Now, it is important that we have a little history lesson. Grits are one of those truly American food items. Before the discovery of the New World, porridge was made using such things as wheat. Let me state, right here and now that Cream of Wheat and Cream of Rice will never be eaten in my household, as long as I have the power to stop it! Thank the good Lord above we did discover America. Grits are one of the many heavenly products we get from corn. That is why the period before the discovery of America was called the dark ages. Those poor people in Europe didn't have any corn! Historians might try to convince you differently, but I truly believe that corn (and possibly butter beans cooked in a pound of butter) are what started the renaissance.
Grits comes in two colors, white and yellow. White grits, the most common variety in America, use hulled corn. Yellow grits, also called pollenta in other parts of the world, use the whole kernel. While I will happily eat a bowl of white grits, and thoroughly enjoy it, I actually much prefer the yellow grits. I could be wrong, but I think it has a richer flavor.
You might be asking yourself, "Self! How do I prepare grits?" In many cases, Self might tell you to mix 1 part grits with 3 parts water. However, I beg to differ. I personally believe milk must be used to create a truly creamy bowl of grits. In Charleston, SC, it is quite common to use only milk. My personal preference is to use half chicken broth, and half milk. Whether you use white or yellow grits, using the chicken broth and milk together produces a bowl of grits full of rich flavor and velvety creaminess. Trust me. You won't want to ever go back to water. The last tip is very important. Do NOT overcook your grits. Nothing is as unappetizing as a bowl of mortar, which is exactly what you will get if you don't pay attention. My suggestion is to pull the grits off the burner just when you think they are still a might bit too runny. They will thicken quickly. If you do let your grits cool before you are able to eat them, simply add a little milk and zap in the microwave for a minute. They will cream right back up.
So, please! I beg of you. Don't spend your next morning eating those little miniature bales of hay. Have a bowl of grits and celebrate the discovery of America!
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