Grits

Grits are a type of porridge made from coarsely ground dried maize or hominy.  Grits are cooked in warm salted water or milk. They are often served with flavorings as a breakfast dish.  Grits can be savory or sweet, with savory seasonings being more common. Grits are like other thick maize-based porridges from around the world, such as polenta and mieliepap. . Grits are often part of a dinner entrée shrimp and grits in the Southern United States .

 Origin 
The dish originated with the Native American Muscogee tribe using maize. American colonists learned to make the dish from the Native Americans.

At that time, maize or hominy for grits was ground on a stone mill. The ground material was passed through screens, the finer sifted material used as grit meal, and the coarser as grits.

Three-quarters of the grits sold in the U.S. are bought in the South, in an area stretching from Lower Texas to Washington, D.C., that is sometimes called the "grits belt".  The state of Georgia declared grits to be its official prepared food in 2002.  South Carolina has legislation dealing exclusively with corn meal and grits. State law in South Carolina requires grits and rice meal to be enriched, similar to the requirement for flour.

Grits may be either yellow or white, depending on the color of the maize used.  The most common version in supermarkets is "quick" grits, which are made from non-hominy maize and have the germ and hull removed.  Whole kernel grits are sometimes called "speckled".

 Preparation 
Grits are prepared by mixing water or milk and the dry grits and stirring them over heat, if one uses cornmeal, the food is called mush. Whole grain grits require much longer to become soft than "quick grits".

References

Category:American food
Category:Bahamian food