Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Grits and Determination

Okay, everyone. I am about to eat grits. I thought I would record it for posterity, here. The microwave just beeped, so here we go...

Huh. It's kind of like really salty Cream of Wheat. I think I could like that.

We went to the grocery store the other night, to stock up on 'real' food, going back to our no-eating-out policy. I was bemoaning the fact that my flax-seed-and-blueberry oatmeal is not available, when Marvin pointed out that they DID have instant grits, in flavor varieties just like they do with oatmeal. So again, trying to acclimate, here.

Are grits good for you? Maybe not this processed, cheddar cheese flavor kind like I have here. But generally? What are grits made from? The grit flower? The grit plant?

Yeah. I think I like 'em. Whatever they are.

I got to spend money yesterday. Our cats have tags with their old LA phone number, so I had to get them updated digits. There is no pet store here, so I went on petsmart.com and I am afraid I got them bone-shaped, pave diamond tags.

Hey, it's the only excitement I have! I haven't gotten to buy many glamorous things this year. Plus, I enjoy humiliating my cats with diamond bonewear and such.

Currently, Francis' ID tag just has "I am nuts" written on it with his phone number. Trust me, you need to know that way before you need to know his name.

Anyway, I am going to walk down to the library today and return my book that I read this week (Beach Music by Pat Conroy) and get another (my Aunt Kathy recommended Winds of War) (can you tell my freelance work has yet to roll in?). At the library there is a book club, and I am going to find out when it meets and what they're reading. I am going to make a friend in this place if I have to beat up each and every person until they like me.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

June, dear...Grits are made from corn...Not the best if you're trying for the South Beach Diet route, but overall not horrible for you. Do yourself a favor and buy regular instant grits and then add your own salt, butter and shredded cheddar. They are major yumm that way. Extra cheddar is the way to go there!

Book club is a great idea. You will meet some people that can actually read!!! How exciting!

Ok. That's my last snobby comment about southerners. At least for a while!!

Anonymous said...

You should read some books by Anne Rivers Siddons. They will definitely get you into that Southern state of mind! "The Outer Banks" is about North Carolina.

Anonymous said...

Microwave grits?

Please cook them stove top, stirring constantly.

The great thing about grits is that you can make them sweet with brown sugar and butter, savory with cream, cheddar, and scallions, really however you want. Your imagination is your only limitation.

Anonymous said...

Have you ever tried Irish Oatmeal? It takes forever to cook, but has lots more fiber etc for those of us that need it! My husband's family lives near Raleigh, and they all love shrimp grits. Hello? It's polenta, as far as I'm concerned.

Now, have you had all the southern veggies yet? The kind that are cooked and cooked and cooked until there is nary a squeak to the green bean, nor a bit of green to the greens (they turn gray, in my opinion)? Also not my thing, but not entirely horrible. All depends on what you are used to, I guess.

I'm sorry you sound lonely. I can relate, I'm in the same boat. Good luck with the book club, that should be interesting!

campbell said...

Clearly you have not seen "My Cousin Vinny" as many times as I have: "Well, yeah, I've heard of grits. I've just never actually seen a grit before."

Anonymous said...

I love your title. You are so clever.

Anonymous said...

Seriously, don't tell any locals that you got instant grits. They'll shun you forever. You need to forget the books and watch "My Cousin Vinny"... pronto!

Lara said...

If you want to make enemies fast in the south tell them you cook your grits in the Microwave...actually that probably isn't true and just promotes stereotypes, but I'm all about survival through humor so lets just pretend and laugh...and yes rent My Cousin Vinny...it will explain a LOT :) By the way my favorite way to eat grits is with butter, salt and crumbled up turkey bacon...but as I am also South Beaching it won't be something I eat for a while.

Anonymous said...

Grits are made from corn. High carb food if you are watching your weight. However, they are delicious with butter or cheddar cheese. Yum! Real southerners cook their grits on top of the stove. They don't use instant grits. Real southerners DO NOT put sugar in their grits. Kinda like cornbread, you don't put sugar in it. :-) I'm a real G.R.I.T.S.--Girl Raised In The South.

Anonymous said...

Woman, you make me laugh. "I am nuts." I laughed out loud. You know how people say LOL? They don't really mean it. I did just then.

When I was a kid I ended up in a hospital in Knoxville Tennessee. That's not important. What is important is that I noticed when I ordered my meals that this thing called grits was available for every single meal. I tried and I liked.

I may have been the only person to eat grits in Southern California.

I like the stove top better than the microwaved ones. Gets more polenta like.

Nutrition? I would stick with the oatmeal.

Anonymous said...

"Beach Music" was pretty good, although kind of depressing. Look for "Soldier of The Great War" by Mark Helprin; it's a great book (but nothing to do with the USA even; you don't want to get a culture cramp, do you?)

Unknown said...

Grits and library friends in the same week?

You are a brave woman!

Anonymous said...

Grits are great if you cook them with milk instead of water. I like to add some milk and brown sugar on mine, and no, I am not from the south.

Anonymous said...

If you want a depressing book, try: The Year of Magical Thinking. Actually it's not depressing so much as it's just what life can bring all at once. But it's a great book. Oh, did I go off topic?

I've never had grits. I KNOW you are shocked.

Book club was pretty much how it all started in LA, n'est-ce pas?

Anonymous said...

Next up: Sweet Tea.

And peaches. This time of year, southern peaches are heaven on a tree.

Christie said...

I've never had grits, but all I can think of is Flo saying, "Well, kiss my grits."

I, too, am in the stalking-new-people-until-they're-my-best-friend-phase of life.

Becky said...

I was born and raised in San Diego and now I am in the south. I'd never heard of or tried grits either. It took 16 years of avoiding them to find out that the instant kind is pretty good with butter and sugar. They do taste like cream of wheat to me too. Not too exciting. But for some reason people LOVE them.

Unknown said...

June, I had just tried grits too! But I had a little different reaction... I ran to the sink, spit them out and said NO! very firmly. But ssshhh...they might kick me out of my new country of TX if they find out I won't eat them. The person I was with was also a TX transplant and swore not to say anything.

Good for you joining the book club, I am just now, after almost a year becoming a joiner. This is my first experience of being the new kid that has to make friends. It is a lot more work than I thought and hard. I have been comiserating with the recently relocated Hawaiian O'brien. But I just joined a walking club and as it turns out I am the fat kid. They have been very nice and encouraging, (thank God!) They are all very fit to say the least. I walk with the over 50 crowd that looks amazing. Maybe I can become just like them by hanging out with them! Does that work?