Grits, for the southern only?

In case you've missed this bit of news, I like to write. The following short piece below is a book that I've not yet had the opportunity to publish. For those who don't know me, please be kind and don't copy this. It is a writing from my mind and heart. Anyway, back to my original thought, the subject below is of grits. There seems to be a general consensus that there is an invisible line drawn between the north and south when it comes to grits. Generally speaking, the northern states care nothing for the dish and the southern states like it so much they make t-shirts out of the word grits. So, if you care to, read the short excerpt below, I think you'll understand what I'm saying.


“Oh, that’s grits.”
“Grits? I’ve heard of the southern dish, but never tasted it,” she said with a homemaker’s interest.
“I’ll fix it for you this morning,” Tony offered.
“Okay, and I’ll fix some eggs to go with it.” Side by side they worked in harmony. Every now and then they would brush up against each other. While she reached for the butter, they would briefly touch, or when he walked around for a serving utensil, their bodies would contact ever so lightly. The contact sent shivers of pleasure down her spine. But neither one said anything in the less than ten minutes it took to get breakfast prepared.
Gingerly, Amber took a small taste of the grits he had prepared. A dab of butter floated on top. Putting her spoon back into the mush she stirred the butter around and tried it again. Putting her spoon back down, she placed her hands on her lap and looked him straight in the eye and said “Yuk.”
“Yuk?”
“Yuk. You enjoy eating cardboard?” she asked, completely amazed that anyone could enjoy eating the dull, tasteless food.
“How would you know what cardboard tasted like? Have you ever eaten cardboard?”
“Yes, I just tasted it. Right here in this bowl.”
“Well, aren’t you the Yankee doodle! And that’s just dandy. Don’t eat it then.”
“What, Rebel’s don’t have any taste buds?” Sounds to me like ya’ll - listen to me, now I’m sounding like one! Sounds like you are all a bunch of red necks.”
“I beg your pardon, my cute little Yankee, but my neck is nice and tanned from hard work and endless labor.”
“Not only are you a bunch of red neck hicks, but you all must also have a slick tongue - no taste buds on them whatsoever.” She had caught that personal pronoun ‘my cute little’ that he casually inserted, and although it gave her mind a whirl in all different directions, she chose to ignore it. They both looked down at the grits that to Amber looked sort of lonely. To Tony they looked a little insulted. He really wanted to laugh out right, but gee, he was having too much fun with her to ruin the effects of their friendly fencing. Next thing he knew, she had yanked up his bowl of grits and took it away from him.
“Where are you going with my grits?” Tony asked, horrified to watch his breakfast disappearing, and not into his stomach where it was supposed to go.
“I intend to educate you and put this stuff out of its misery.”
“But, I like my grits.”


Okay, So, Tony was born and raised in the south and enjoys the southern dish. Amber on the other hand is from Michigan and is not thrilled with the southern dish. So, she takes matter into her own hands. Keep going.


“Well, some like to remain blissfully ignorant. However, being a teacher, I’m too stubborn to allow a potentially intelligent southern hick to remain in a stupor of ignorance.” She quickly took the two bowls and spooned them back into the pot with what remained of the left over grits.

“But, my grits!” he exclaimed, a little on the worried side.
“In my hands your grits are going to be fine. Man, are all ya’ll - good grief. Are you all this nutty about your grits?”
“Hey, it’s the food of the south.”
“There may be no hope for you then. Go on outside, and let me give this mushy gunk a proper eulogy.”
“A eulogy? You’re giving my grits a eulogy? But, what about my breakfast?” Tony was beginning to fear he might not get any thing to eat.
“I’ll keep your food warm. Go,” she said as she guided him outside. After she escorted him out and put the eggs in a warm oven to keep them from getting too cold and rubbery, she came back to the pot of white runny mess. She smiled to herself...


So, within the pages of my book, she tries different ways to make the grits taste better. Nothing suits her taste. To Amber the stuff is just a "pathetic looking white mush." But, continue and you'll find something that if you don't care for grits either, you'll think adds a bit of taste to "cardboard." Read on -


“I hope you haven’t buried my poor grits. Woman, I’m hungry!”
“They needed a burial, but no I saved them and made the stuff better.” Then under her breath she included, “I hope.” Amber put the plates back on the table and served up the grits. “Do you think we need to say another prayer?”
“I think it was well blessed the first time. I’m always thankful for my grits,” he said with a smile. They both sat down in front of their plates. “However, after you’ve messed with a good thing - who knows what you’ve put my poor grits through.” They both took a taste test...


Keep reading, really!


“Now it’s cardboard with a flair,” Amber said to the second spoonful. She vowed on the third bite, “I promise I’m going to make this stuff taste like food, one way or the other.”
“You’re going to kill me. I just know it.” Tony suppressed his laughter and quickly hid his smile behind his coffee cup which was now lukewarm. He had no way of knowing that each morning she would find a new way to fix his grits. He had to admit though the best tasting was when she added cheese, diced tomatoes, green chili peppers, and flour. She formed the grits into a patty and fried them in olive oil. Now that was actually some good tasting food...


I really have tried this. This is my own recipe (if you want to call it that)of a little twist to grits. However, when I tried this it was with leftovers and had cooled and hardened like leftover grits tend to do after awhile. Anyway, let me know what you think of my Grits turned spicy when you try it.