Grits

My first thoughts of the day are usually about grits. Specifically, Corned beef hash and grits. Actually, this morning it was, “I can see it raining fire in the sky, the echoes from the campfire are softer than a lullaby” as it drummed through my mind. The tune loops through my mind with bits and pieces of the PBS show about John Denver. Swiftly, thoughts of breakfast set up shop in my mind. I may fight the compelshion to eat for several hours only to succumb to how much grits to mix with how much water. You can buy regular grits, instant grits or quick grits. I cannot see much difference between quick or regular grits. They both need boiling water, salt and time.

I found this concoction of corned beef hash and grits about a year ago. You can find true love in the strangest places. I now keep my eyes peeled for corned beef hash. The grits are easy like a date in Singapore but the hash is mystery meat “thing”. The obsession of love transcends logic. I used to talk fondly of fried catfish and grits. The comparative equals are a short list. Fried Catfish is mostly fried stuff with a little bit of farm raised bland fish. In fact, the fried part is mostly cornmeal. I think that is grits so you are getting fried grits and boiled grits. It is good, capable of infatuation but not true love. It does not have a soul.

The John Denver PBS show featured interviews with the love of his life, Annie who was with him while he saw the fire in the sky. Anyway, I do think they had grits that morning while he ignored her and wrote the love song about the love for her. Maybe if he would have said :screw you!” to the songwriting a little more and “screw you?” to Annie a little more they would not have gotten divorced. Corned beef hash and grits could be the culinary love of the rest of my life. The exploration of its complexities and textures will take a lifetime. The quality of the corned beef and the potatoes need to be investigated. I need to learn the art of creating the hash. Grits and Corned beef hash is a perfect match of North and South. Grits are smooth like a southern girl's coo. Corned beef hash is blue blood, north of the Mason-Dixon abruptly arrogant and male. Together they battle lovingly like staged drills of a high school band. All those female and male hormones raging yet controlled to create a much finer presentation.

While taking a class in college, one of the questions on the multiple choice test was “What is the main ingredient in grits” 1: wheat b: corn C: rice 5: barley. This was a bird class that I never even bought the course recommended book for review. I picked C: rice even though I had been eating grits for twenty years. I desire grits but I love Corned Beef Hash and Grits. Besides,if I eat a huge volume of rice I have trouble peeing. I am glad grits are made of corn.