Grits: Born, Loved and Hated in the USA

Had grits this morning and was reminded of my love for this controversial breakfast fare.

What are grits anyhow? I can hardly eat them without thinking of the hilarious scene from My Cousin Vinny.

The only thing that people seem to know about grits is that they are made from corn. I also know for a fact that they are far superior to their cousin hominy. Ever tried that stuff? Like corn on steroids, but then kind of mushy, depending I guess on how it's cooked. Gross.
 
According to Wikipedia, we can thank the Native Americans for grits. Who would have thought they did anything special with corn?

I wonder if when Columbus sailed the ocean blue he found two camps of Native Americans: Those who loved grits and those who hated them, because there is absolutely no middle ground in modern America. Everyone I know is zealous one way or the other. Some people who claim to not like them admit to never having tried them. I have given up on pushing grits to grit-haters for lack of success.

Being from the South, I grew up on standard grits, not the cheese-flavored varieties and other fancy travesties. I am a purist. Focus on getting the consistency right so they aren't too runny or too stiff. After that all you need is butter, salt and pepper.