Do you have what it takes?

If you happen to be anywhere near Georgia this Saturday and have a hankering for grits -- consider a drive to Warwick. The town -- approximately 82 miles south of Macon -- holds its 12th annual National Grits Festival on April 11, complete with a cookoff, a Miss Grits pageant and the Grits Pit -- a creamy tub designed to get grits lovers, well, gritty (see photo above).

"That's a big attraction at 2 o'clock in the afternoon now," festival coordinator Bob Holland told Slashfood.

Warwick hosts this ode to the Southern larder despite the fact that it doesn't produce grits, though it does have a lot of corn growing amid the cotton and peanuts on nearby farmland, Holland said.

"You can do anything with grits," Holland said. "It depends on your taste and your imagination."

More gritty talk and the late great Bill Neal's recipe for shrimp and grits that turned me into a grits fan after the jump.

A Philadelphia native, Holland told Slashfood he discovered grits as a Marine in the 1950s.

"The waitress showed me how to eat grits cause all I knew was Cream of Wheat ... and I've been eating them ever since," he said, adding that the reason he likes them is "as they say on Alton Brown: 'Good Eats.' They're just good."

While festival goers will get to sample breakfast treats, baked goods and entrees in the cookoff (only 3/4 cup of grits is required for recipe entries), Slashfoodies can nosh on this recipe by Bill Neal. It's the dish that made me -- a Yankee -- learn to appreciate grits. It's cheesy with bacon and a bit of heat -- just perfect for a blustery spring day for all those who can't make it to Warwick.

Shrimp and Grits, Crook's Corner Style
4 1/2 cups water
1 t salt
1 cup hominy grits
1-2 T butter
3/4 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
Tabasco
freshly grated nutmeg
white pepper
6 slices bacon, diced
1 pound fresh shrimp, peeled and rinsed
peanut oil
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 cup finely sliced scallions
1 large clove garlic, peeled
4 t lemon juice
more Tabasco
2 T fresh, chopped parsley
salt and pepper

Bring the salted water to a strong boil in a 3-quart, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Slowly sift the grits through one hand into the water while stirring with a whisk in the other hand. When all the grits have been added, continue stirring and reduce the heat to low until only an occasional bubble breaks the surface. Continue cooking for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. Beat in a good quantity of butter and the cheese. Season to taste, but lightly, with Tabasco, a very little nutmeg and white pepper. Hold in a warm place or in the top of a double boiler over simmering water.

Saute the bacon lightly in a large skillet until the edges of the bacon are brown but not crisp.

Add enough peanut oil to the bacon fat in the skillet to make a layer of fat about 1/8-inch deep. When quite hot, add the shrimp in an even layer. Turn the shrimp as they start to color, add the mushrooms and saute about 4 minutes. Add the garlic through a press and the scallions and cook 1 minute. Then season with lemon juice, a dash or two of Tabasco and parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Divide the grits among four plates or bowls. Use a slotted spoon to drain away excess fat, and then spoon the shrimp mixture out of the skillet and over the grits. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings

From BILL NEAL'S SOUTHERN COOKING: REVISED AND ENLARGED EDITION by Bill Neal. Copyright (c) 1989 by William Franklin Neal. Used by permission of the publisher. http://www.uncpress.unc.edu