Tonight's Dinner (Redneck Gourmet)

[Doug_Tipple]

My ancestors on the farm had many a meal like the one pictured. They slaughtered their own hogs, raised chickens, and grew corn and some wheat, so they had everything it takes to make such a meal. However, up north in Indiana they didn't call the gruel made from corn meal "grits" or "polenta". I don't remember corn meal ever being served in the southern equivalent of grits. Corn meal paste was hardened into blocks, cut into slabs, and fried in lard. We called it "mush", although it is identical to the polenta I have seen in the stores.

As a kid I liked stone-ground wheat made into a hot cereal for breakfast. I never got hungry in the morning at school when I had the hot wheat cereal, whereas with more refined cereals in a box, I was hungry before lunch time came around. Now we have all kinds of cereal options, and I think the most nutritious varieties are those that are made from multiple grains, including wheat, oats, triticale, rye, corn, etc. I usually make quite bit in a double boiler (3 parts water to one part grain) so that I don't have to watch or stir it to keep it from sticking or burning on the bottom of the pan. The resulting cooked cereal resembles the corn grits in the photo. I keep a covered bowl of this cooked cereal in the refrigerator, and I warm it up in the microwave when I am ready to eat.

[cowtime]

I like butter and jelly mixed in with hot grits. Yummy

But then, I do put sugar and then jelly in my oatmeal. With some really buttery toast.... that is sometimes supper.

Cheese grits are truly the best though.

[Coffee]

I take a page from polenta when I make my grits. I start with an onion/celery/garlic sweat, then the water. Boil. Add grits. Cover. Simmer. Stir every 5 minutes for twenty minutes.
Add cheese.
'Sgood.

[anniemcu]

... I usually make quite bit in a double boiler (3 parts water to one part grain) so that I don't have to watch or stir it to keep it from sticking or burning on the bottom of the pan. The resulting cooked cereal resembles the corn grits in the photo. I keep a covered bowl of this cooked cereal in the refrigerator, and I warm it up in the microwave when I am ready to eat.

Mmmmmmmmmm.... ad a generous pat of butter and a heaping spoon of brown sugar and you've got a breakfast that'll get you through a morning with a smile on your face!

[aderyn_du]

Hey, I have that same coffee mug!

Lambchop: I just saw "Red Eye Gravy" at the store yesterday. What on earth is that? And, yes, I am a transplant to the South (as I'm sure I just proved).

[I.D.10-t]

The difference between grits an polenta is that grits is often made with hominy (Corn that has been boiled in a base and hulled) and the grind of grits has traditionally been larger. If grits is a corn porridge, atole would be it's gruel counterpart. Cornmeal mush still has all of the husk and germ of the kernel and is cooked to about the same consistency as grits, but without the preparation in basic liquid, it is not a source of niacin. I have no idea what the big deal with polenta is, its preparation seems to be a pain and the fancy Italian name doubles the price. In the past, it seems that polenta included other grains, but that no longer seems like it is true.

[Nanohedron]

Oh, Nano, do try to keep it PG.

What?

That was your 4K post, BTW. Grits for everyone!!

[Flyingcursor]

Flyingcursor approves of grits. And ham bisquits. And eggs.

They may resemble cream of wheat but they're nothing like it.

[jsluder]

Oatmeal is a little sweeter. Grits is, yes, more savory. It is usually eaten with salt and pepper. It is NEVER eaten with sugar. Gack!

Somebody once explained to me the difference between porridge - or oatmeal, as you'd call it - and grits. Can't remember what it was. Sugar on porridge? Ach! That's the kind of thing the English would do!

Sugar on porridge - no. Jam or honey yes

David

I'm a southerner born and raised, and I put sugar on grits. So there.

As for oatmeal, it's currently my favorite quick breakfast: oatmeal with walnuts and fresh blueberries, sweetened with a bit of pure maple syrup. Yum!

[I.D.10-t]

One thing that we have been doing now that the temperature is cooler is make Oatmeal. The night before we take the steel cut oats and add some rolled barley, rye, ground flax, and what ever else that looks like it will go well and add the water to it to soak over night (cuts down cooking time). I think that we are having Mango in it tomorrow. I'll have to try the walnuts and syrup next week after we have been to the store.

[dwest]

Cook up a pot of grits. Spread half in a cookie sheet to a thickness of about 1/4" set aside and let it set up. Take the other half add a hand full of cotton and ground up calves liver, mix together until it forms a thick dough paste, Take yer fishing rod and go down to the rivah, form some of the dough paste on yer hook and toss it in the rivah. Catch either a catfish or carp, go home, clean it and fry it, slice the the grits on the cookie sheet, call them polenta, fry them after you do the fish and use bacon grease.
IMO the only oatmeal to eat is fresh cooked steel cut oats, even presoaking dilutes the flavor and texture. Presoaked makes good bait though.

[Coffee]

Somebody once explained to me the difference between porridge - or oatmeal, as you'd call it - and grits. Can't remember what it was. Sugar on porridge? Ach! That's the kind of thing the English would do!

Sugar on porridge - no. Jam or honey yes

David

I'm a southerner born and raised, and I put sugar on grits. So there.

As for oatmeal, it's currently my favorite quick breakfast: oatmeal with walnuts and fresh blueberries, sweetened with a bit of pure maple syrup. Yum!

I'm a generation removed from the highlands but, if memory serves me right Scots are generally taught to not put sugar in the porridge. I never understood why exactly that's considered bad form, but I've always followed that rule.

[G1]

^Well, for starters... if it's sweet and tasty - you're likely to eat more than your share.

Garlic/onion/butter/cheese/bacon grits... ohhhhh, yeah!

Oats just about any way from bannocks to bakery - as long as it involves butter and sugar! Mmmmmmm...

There goes my diet! Off to the fridge...

[Congratulations]

Oh, Nano, do try to keep it PG.

What?

That was your 4K post, BTW. Grits for everyone!!

Oh. Well, then.

[Coffee]