On 11/19/2016 11:12 AM, Brooklyn1 wrote:
> I cooked lots of breakfast grits, 40 quarts at a time, more than half
> the crew were southerners from the deep south and half of those of
> those were black (the fleet started to nickname the ship African
> Queen) and I never got a request to add anything, they all wanted
> their grits plain, some liked their runny sunnysides on top. I can't
> imagine grits with tomato anything (TIAD), no one wanted any sort of
> cheese mixed in, none wanted grits with shrimp or any kind of meat in
> it, not even bacon or sausage.... all I ever saw anyone add was s n'p
> and lots of budda. No asked for grits at any meal but breakfast.
(snippage)

You know, your experience cooking on a ship decades ago doesn't negate
the fact that there is a Southern dish known as shrimp and grits. Did
you cook a lot of shrimp on that ship?

The dish comes from humble origins. People made do with what was
available. Shrimp was abundant and people could (physically) net shrimp
for free, pretty much in their own back yard. Grits are cheap. Here's
a quick history:

http://deepsouthmag.com/2014/10/01/s...its-a-history/

Quick excerpt on how the dish evolved, according to that and other articles:

"With the combination of fresh shrimp, creamy grits and your choice of
topping — whether it be sausage, bacon, tomato and butter sauce,
bellpeppers, or a fried egg — shrimp and grits is bound to remain a
fundamental Southern dish that will continue to expand its recognition
and acclaim."

Jill