"A Man Full of Grits is A Man of Peace"

What's a Grit? I will never forget the first time time that someone asked me that question. (yes, it has happened more than once) My first thought was "Bless his heart, didn't his momma ever cook breakfast for him?"

Grits are as common on a Southern table as fleas on a dog's back. Growing up, it never occurred to me that grits weren't available everywhere. Then as a young bride I left the South...and eventually went to a restaurant...and asked for grits...and got a weird look from a waitress. I should have known better when I didn't see any Waffle Houses around.

Speaking of restaurants, the other day my sister in law (in South Carolina) went to McDonalds to order the Fruit and Maple Oatmeal that I've been raving about. This was before we were aware that my area is a test-market for the stuff. When she ordered oatmeal, the lady behind the counter said, "Oatmeal? Honey, we don't even carry grits!" ~GRIN~

So, let us first ask the right question, Grasshopper. It is not, "What is a grit?" The proper question is, "What are grits?"

Grits are made from milled corn, which is boiled to soften and then traditionally seasoned with salt and butter. This dish is based on a Native American preparation of corn, making it truly American fare. But, similar dishes such as Polenta (Italy) and Fungee (Caribbean) exist around the world.

Grits have had such a deep cultural impact in my home state that the South Carolina Legislature passed a bill in 2000 to name them the official food of the state.

Whereas, throughout its history, the South has "relished its grits", making them "a symbol of its diet, its customs, its humor, and its hospitality"; and

Whereas, every community in the State of South Carolina used to be the site of a grist mill and every local economy in the State used to be dependent on its products; and

Whereas, grits has been a part of the life of every South Carolinian of whatever race, background, gender, and income; and

Whereas, grits could very well play a vital role in the future of not only this State, but also the world, if, as The Charleston News and Courier proclaimed in 1952: "An inexpensive, simple, and thoroughly digestible food, [grits] should be made popular throughout the world. Given enough of it, the inhabitants of planet Earth would have nothing to fight about. A man full of [grits] is a man of peace". Now, therefore,

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 1-1-703. The official state food is grits."

I told you grits were a big deal!

Do you remember "My Cousin Vinny"? I love Marissa Tomei in that movie! (The edited for TV version, thank you.) I can just see her in the witness stand explaining positraction and limited slip differentials. During the trial, one of the witnesses (who is identified in the screen play as "grits cook") says, "No self-respectin' Southerner uses instant grits, I take pride in my grits."

I have to disagree, sort of. Although I'm not a huge fan of the instant variety, quick grits are perfectly acceptable. And, they cook in five minutes instead of twenty. You won't find the long cooking version outside of grits country anyway.

If you have never tried grits, give them a chance. Cheese Grits are fun too, after your grits have cooked to package directions, just throw in some Velveeta and stir to melt. But, if you really want to go all out, try my Cheese Grits Casserole recipe below. I always make it for the team that we take to Mississippi every Summer to help with continued Katrina relief.

Cheese Grits Casserole

4c. Water
1c. Quick Grits
Salt to taste
1 Stick Butter
6-8 oz. Velveeta
2 eggs
Milk

Place water, grits and salt in a large saucepan and whisk (no one likes lumpy grits). Heat just to boiling. Reduce heat, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add margarine and cheese, stir until melted. Set aside. Beat eggs with enough milk to make 1 cup. Add egg mixture to grits and combine. Pour into an 8x8 casserole and bake at 325° for 1 hour.

Remember...eating grits will contribute to world peace. Wouldn't you love to be a part of that solution?

I Think My Howdy Was Busted

It appears that I have been going through a bit of an identity crisis for the past, oohh...13 years. Yep, it took me that long to figure it out. Let me explain.

There are several ways to know when you have officially reached the South. One is the appearance of Sweet Tea, Grits, or Fried Green Tomatoes on a menu. Another (in my humble opinion) is the appearance of palm trees on the coast. (I cannot tell you how disturbing it was to me to visit a beach with no palm trees...I'm still not over it!) However, the most noticeable difference when you reach the South is the strangers who "speak" to you.

Now, in Southernese "speaking" to someone may not involve the use of the voice. But, it always involves eye contact, a nod and a smile. You "speak" to every person that you make eye contact with...it's just good manners.

Some years ago a friend of ours moved south from New York. He looked at me one day and asked, "Why is it that people I don't know keep coming up and saying hello to me?" **snicker** If only I could type in a New York accent.

Southerners who run into each other may "speak" as described above, or they may actually strike up a conversation including questions like, "How's your momma?" The Southerner asking the question may or may not know the other person's momma, it's just polite to ask.

Okay, back to my identity crisis. I have moved out of, then into, then back out of the South. The first time that I went to the mall in a non-Southern location I got lots of weird looks...because I was "speaking" to everyone I met. They had no inclination to "speak" back, and obviously thought I was off kilter a bit. I went home thinking that I had just encountered the rudest lot of people on the planet. It took me a while (I was young and not well-traveled) to realize that this was their culture. One day I decided, "Okay, when in Rome..." I taught myself to be in public without making eye contact or "speaking" unless necessary.

Then, I moved back South. I went to the grocery store for the first time, and looked at people funny because they were "speaking" to me...I had crossed over to the dark side. It didn't take long to get back in the groove again. Life is much more fun when you're sharing smiles with strangers!

Then, 5 years ago, I moved North again. I confess, I am a few miles south of the Mason-Dixon (hence my name), but trust me, this ain't the South. I told you a little more about where I live in my very first post.

I decided, once I got a feel for the culture here, that I would once again start actin' like a Roman and shrink into my cocoon. You know what I've discovered? I don't like it. It isn't who I am. Now, I am a self-declared, non-official student of culture. I love to learn about people all over the world and why they do what they do. But, I discovered that in my quest to be culturally relevant in this place, I had lost an important piece of myself.

So, one day last week I conducted my own little Sociological Experiment (paid a quarter for that word, yes ma'am.) I went on my weekly bargain run and made it a point to "speak" to every single person I encountered. You know what I learned? A few of them obviously thought I was one french fry short of a Happy Meal. And, a few were kind of startled. But, I got a grin out of more than half of them. I'm starting a revolution, baby!

Hello, my name is Amy. I am a Southerner...and I say "Hey, There" to people that I don't know!

Southern Charm~Calling Cards

Many people speak of the charm of Southern culture. Often upon hearing my accent (which is pretty noticeable in these parts), folks will tell me about their experiences with Southern hospitality. They also share with me their dreams of retiring one day to North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia or Florida. As is true with so many places in this wonderful country, the South has some truly endearing qualities.

I am starting a new series with the intent of highlighting some of the nuances of Southern culture that lend themselves to the charm that seems to catch the attention of so many. I hope it will be fun for you. As I ponder the place where I was raised, courted and wed, I know it will be fun for me.

Calling Cards are beginning to make a comeback these days. In the old South, they were used as a means of introduction, to leave notice that you had stopped by for a visit (and missed the homeowner), as an invitation to visit, or as a means of future communication. You can read of the use of calling cards in books like Gone With the Wind and Charleston.

Nowadays calling cards are sometimes referred to as Mommy Cards, often used by moms to arrange play dates. I have personally carried some form of calling card around with me for about 10 years. Though I have not been in business for most of those years, it has always been nice to be able to hand someone my contact information via a neatly printed card rather than scrawling it on the back of a receipt or gum wrapper.

Every calling card that I have ever carried has come from Vistaprint. Why? Well, because they are free (except for shipping). And, if you can get it for free...why would you pay for it, for heaven's sake? Two hundred fifty cards will cost about $5 for shipping. They say delivery will take 3 weeks, but my orders generally come in two.

Now, a word about Vistaprint. They offer these wonderful freebies with the same ulterior motive of a grocery store offering you a loss leader. They hope you will buy something else while you are there. And, accordingly, when you go to check out they will offer you many pages of add-on items. If you want to order these things, go for it. But, it is not necessary at all. Just keep clicking through until it allows you to check out. Double check your order total to make sure that it is only for shipping, and you are golden. I have also had offers pop up after my transaction is complete. I ALWAYS ignore these, sometimes they are second-party offers. As long as you don't get sidetracked by the carrots that they dangle, you can get a great quality product for a steal. Go HERE to check out their selection of free cards.

Also, you can place your order through Ebates for 5% cash back. Some companies will give you cash back on shipping costs, and some will not. It never hurts to try!

**Ebates is a cash back program for online orders. In less than a year I have earned $190 cash back on purchases through them. Yes it really works! They deposit my savings in my paypal account every few months. If you sign up through the link above, I will receive a $5 bonus to my account. You will receive a $5 bonus whether you use my link or not. If you prefer not to connect through me, simply visit www.ebates.com. If you ever make purchases online, you should be using a reputable cash back site.