Thanks Steve, what you describe is what I've always known as polenta in its various forms - soft as a sort of 'porridge' for breakfast, firm, then let it cool, and then fry or BBQ it up in triangles for a bit of extra tang. Great with eggs and bacon, or with fried/BBQ'd meat!

Still wondering what 'grits' are!

rugeruser,

Quote:

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Still wondering what 'grits' are!

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Me too
About Polenta, my favourite ways to eat it are:
hot from the pot with:
melted crude butter and grated Parmesan cheese spread on it,
seasoned cheese like Fontina (Italian Alpen cheese)
green cheese like Gongorzola
Venison
pork meat and sausages.

cold with sal pepper and olive oil.

fried in thick slices.

beeing 12:45 here and speaking about food I'm getting hungry and I'll leave you to have my lunch

Steve,

yep! them's the way(s) we eat it as well - it's just gone midnight here in Sydney, and I'm thinkin' I might just have to go and make me some!!

Try adding some garlic to your 'cold' recipe!

I'm heading for the kitchen!

Thanks.

But WHAT THE F*CK ARE GRITS??????

Grits are God's gift to the folks in the South (USA). True manna from heaven!!!!!



Grits are corn kernels soaked for days in lye, then dried and "cracked". Basic grits are cooked much like rice is: bring water to a boil, add grits, lower heat to simmer and cook till thick. The grits will get the consisentcy of a thick cream of wheat, though a little grittier and much better.



Basic way to eat is a little butter, salt and pepper. The "unclean" put milk on theirs, but no true "son or daugher of the south" would. Very popular variations include cheese grits, grits and shrimp, etc., etc.



Traditionally a breakfast side to go with eggs and county ham, but is being served in more and more restaurants as a dinner entree (shrimp & grits, etc.).



.........Keith

rugeruser,
even if your name is Peter, it seems that you had some relative from Northern Italy in the past

JKit explained well what grits are, not so far from Polenta, but what is lye?

Boy, this is only going to get better....a lye solution was traditionally made by soaking wood ashes (potash) in water and collecting the liquid that leached out...the liquid was the lye solution. You could then dry that out and have "powdered" lye, but it is the liquid solution that is was/is used to soak the corn kernels in if you are making grits it in the traditional way. Nowadays some folks use a solution made of baking soda or lime, but traditionally it is a lye solution. Folks also use lye in making homemade soap. My grandmother made soap in a big pot over a woodfire in the back yard using lye and lard (fat) from the hogs when they were slaughtered.

Sorry about late (!) response - yeah, you're probably right! I love the stuff - very versatile, cook up the soft stuff for dinner, fry the leftovers for breakfast. I usually put some parmesan in while it's cooking, occasionally add freshly crushed garlic (lots) while it's cooling (yes, cooling, not cooking) - add a bit of finely chopped parsley, maybe even fresh chopped basil, semi dried tomato.... When its cold, sliced and grilled (better BBQ'd), and served with bbq meat or fried egg.... Droool!



It's a bit like pizza - polenta is SO versatile. And if you know how, it tastes good cold as well!



Gettin' hungry again!!

How about the old stand by here in Pennsylvania USA: Peanut butter and jelly!! And lots of water!!!!.......enjoy