It seems that the Grits Industry Council has been busy after all. There can be only two possible explanations for this phenomenon. The first is that we are experiencing a mass fin de si cle anxiety attack, and we yearn for humble foods as an antidote to future shock and an overactive stock market. The second and more likely explanation is that Californians will eat anything even grits as long as it is smothered with Asiago cheese and dished up by a celebrity chef. While there are Southerners who get away with putting cheese in their grits, any grits worthy of the name should be able to stand on its own merits with just a little salt and a pat of butter.
Instant grits bear no resemblance to the real article and are beneath further notice here.
Quick-cooking grits, which take about 5 minutes on the stove or 3 in the microwave, are a necessary evil given the demands of modern lifestyles and the limitations of local availability. And if you saw the movie, you know that it takes a good 20 minutes for boiling water to penetrate a grit. Lower the heat, cover, and cook for 20 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. And by the way, it s grits, plural. No one says grit unless they are deliberately trying to be funny.