Grits are...- Here you go, Grace/Alberta

Hi Grace:-) Below is probably way more information than you ever wanted to know about grits:-) They are a bit similar to corn meal or polenta and, like both of those can be cooked, chilled, then sauteed or fried. There are many recipes for shrimp served with grits. Grits don't have an awful lot of flavor so if served plain are usually topped with butter, salt and pepper. Sometimes they are combined with cheese, or cheese and garlic, then baked and served as a side dish at brunch or even as a side dish for dinner. People seem to either love grits or hate them. They are definitely more popular in the Southern U.S. than anywhere else in the country but even some of our local restaurants here in New England, give you a choice of hash brown potatoes or grits with breakfast.

The dried kernels of white hominy (made from corn); eaten as a cereal that is similar in texture to pudding. (web definition)

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1) What are grits? (From the folks at Quaker)
Grits are made from the milling of corn kernels. The first step in the process is to clean the kernels; then, the grains are steamed for a short time to loosen the tough outer hull. The grain kernel is split, which removes the hull and germ, leaving the broken endosperm. Heavy steel rollers break up the endosperm into granules, which are separated by a screening process. The large-size granules are the grits; the smaller ones become cornmeal and corn flour.

2) What kind of grits does Quaker make?
Quaker makes 3 types of grits. Regular grits leave the large granules intact. Quick grits are passed over smooth rollers, which fracture the large granules into smaller ones. This allows quick grits to cook faster. Instant grits are precooked, and then dried again for packaging. You "re-cook" them by adding boiling water.

3) Are grits only a breakfast food?
Not all all! People eat grits at all times of the day, as an appetizer, as a side dish, or as a main meal. Check out our Delicious Recipes and see how you'd like to eat your grits!

4) Are grits only a Southern food?
No. Though grits have a rich tradition in the South, they are not only eaten by Southerners. People around the country are finding the great uses and taste of grits.

5) Are grits good for you?
Yes! Grits are a good source of calcium and iron and have no fat or cholesterol. They are also high in carbohydrates and have several B vitamins, including Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, and Folate.

6) Are Quaker Grits WIC certified?
Yes, Quaker Instant Grits are generally certified in the federal Women, Infants, & Children program that is administered by the Food and Nutrition Services Depart of the USDA. Check in your WIC directory to see if Quaker Instant Grits are approved in your state.

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Grits. They are an integral part of our food history. For nearly four hundred years, families have been enjoying this delicious food. Turner Catledge, former editor of the New York Times, called grits "the first truly American food." Grits date as far back as 1607, when the colonists came ashore at Jamestown, Virginia. They were met by friendly Native Americans offering steaming hot bowls of "rockahominie," which was softened maize seasoned with salt and animal fat. It was here that our passion for grits was born.

Throughout the years, grits have developed into a comfort food that many families enjoy not only for breakfast, but as a delicious side dish for meals as well. Known as the "Southern oatmeal" before air conditioning was invented; grits were preferred over oatmeal because they could withstand the heat and humidity found in the South.

Grits have also been credited with getting many Southern families through the Depression Era of the 1930's. Since grits were plentiful and inexpensive, they were a blessing during this bleak time in America's history.

As times have changed, grits have evolved from a regional food often used for survival to a food of choice and comfort in many American homes. Their convenience and delicious taste have made them a favorite for busy moms and their children. Grits have also gone upscale, being featured on menus in many five-star restaurants throughout the country.

Grits are now available in three different forms: Regular, Quick and Instant. The difference in the three forms is driven primarily by the processing techniques and cooking times.

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Grits

This Southern staple isn't just for breakfast
Hominy grits, or just plain grits, are an institution here in the South, though they can be hard to find in northern states. Hominy is made from flint or dent corn,varieties with hard kernels that are dried on the cob then removed and soaked in a solution of baking soda, lime, or wood ash. This process causes the hulls to soften and swell. The kernels are then hulled and degermed using friction, then dried. Grits, coarse whitish grains, are ground from hominy, as is masa harina, the flour used to make corn tortillas. If you really want to start from scratch, Mountain Laurel has instructions for the whole process, including making the lye solution with wood ashes.

It's interesting that the alkaline soaking process also unbinds necessary niacin in the corn, and has an effect on the protein balance. Though the overall available protein is decreased, the relative availability of the lysine and tryptophan are increased. The alkaline process has been used for centuries where corn was a native food, but in areas where corn was introduced as a new staple, the process was not. Pellagra, a niacin and tryptophan deficiency, became common disease in areas where corn was the main source of food, as in the early South. One has to wonder how ancient civilizations discovered the process which made corn a more balanced source of nutrition.

The word grits comes from the Old English. "grytt", for "bran", but the Old English "greot" also meant something ground. Some cookbooks refer to grits as hominy because of regional preference for the name. Americans have been using the term "grits" since at least the end of the 18th century.