"grits" news and stories

Grits get a bad rap. Thought of as a staple in Appalachian and Deep South diets (which conjures up plenty of fried and fatty foods), grits are making their way into the mainstream and, gasp, can be had in restaurants as far north as Seattle and Boston.

Grits, or hominy grits, are made from corn kernels dried on the cob, removed, and soaked in a solution of baking soda, lime or wood ash. The kernels are then dehulled from the hominy. There is a do-it-yourself process from Mountain Laurel in case you venture to try a grits dish and want to give it whirl in the kitchen. Watch the lye solution ... I've made soap this way and you wouldn't want any going down the gully.

I'd like to see grits incorporated into recipes considered traditionally Northern: any rice/meat combo that doesn't involve shrimp: souffles, tabuli, any rice dish. Still, pork-laced red beans and grits, Andouille (a Louisiana sausage) and grits, creamed spinach and grits ... I feel like the shrimp boat guy in 'Forest Gump.' Seriously, check out the grit scene. And if there isn't one around you, start asking hosts/hostesses to pass along the request to management at your eats joints.

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Recently, I was struck with a rare craving for a bowl of grits, boiled on the stove the way they do in diners below the Mason-Dixon line, with some butter and salt and pepper. Bargain-savvy as I am, I decided to buy the economy-sized tub of Quaker quick grits, rather than the smaller, less cost-effective box. Proud of myself for figuring out such a great deal, I trotted home with grits in tow and cooked myself a bowl.

I had eaten a bowl of grits for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and breakfast again when I realized that I was stuck with the rest of this huge tub, and that there was no way I could stomach any more of the mushy grains. I forgot, I hate grits!

I'm the type of guy who can't throw stuff away so I needed a way to spruce these grits. And who better to consult than my raised-in-the-South assistant, Emily. 

 "Emily... fix my grits?" I pleaded.

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Ostensibly collected with reader input, MSN has put forth a list of 10 foods that make America great. This list is a step up from last year's, which included a wide variety of regional foods, but not necessarily ones that were "great" outside of their region. Shoofly pie, for example, might actually be considered to be declining in popularity, rather than standing up as an American icon.

This list left off foods like barbecue and pizza, which were deemed to be too broad, but included both regional and national favorites that are more recognizable than previous selections. Maple syrup and Philly cheesesteak are excellent choices, but what about Frito pie? Is that really a dish that makes America great? And isn't a Mission burrito a little specific? It's hard to narrow down the list of great foods to only a handful, but certainly there are things that should be added to the list, like apple pie. Any other suggestions?

1. Lobster Rolls
2. Maple Syrup
3. Philly Cheesesteak
4. Gumbo
5. Shrimp and grits
6. Frito pie
7. Wisconsin bratwursts
8. Hawaiian plate lunch
9. Banana splits
10. San Francisco's Mission Burrito

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In the kitchen, Regina Schrambling elevates humble grits. To help in the kitchen, a Vietnamese cookbook, the recipe for the Shaker sugar pie with coconut from a restaurant called Golden Lamb in Ohio, and picking up Spring produce at LA farmers' markets.

On the restaurant scene, LA looks at the other coast and snickers at Mario Batali's new venture, Del Posto. Back at home, SIV gives two stars (**) to French restaurant Maximilians in North Hollywood. Venerable Valentino had a new chef Dan Dickman of old Rocca, then he left! 3rd Stop is a great place for beers on tap.

A sweet back-story on Au Bon Climat and Qupe wineries in Santa Maria, and SIV's wine of the week is 2003 Ampelos Cellars Evans Ranch Syrah, from the Santa Rita Hills. Good for barbecue, and retails for $26.

And of course, we've already talked about the Westwood farmers' market closing.

Danno over at NOLA Cuisine has posted an interesting recipe for grillades and grits. Even though I was born and raised in Massachusetts, I love grits. I first fell in love with them as a kid on a trip to Atlanta and never looked back. They haven't however, worked their way into my repertoire as a standard repertoire as a standard starch for dinner. Seeing this recipe though, I think that is about to change. As Danno points out, grits are not that much different from polenta so why not serve them with dinner?  If you need more inspiration, epicurious has some great recipes, including the poshed-up salmon with grits and caper cream sauce.

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