grits
"Grits" are a classic Southern food made from ground corn, boiled into a hot porridge. A staple of Appalachian and Southern cooking, they’re eaten plain, with butter, cheese, or alongside eggs and meat.
Hillbilly Dude Says...
I didn't grow up on 'grits' like alotta folks around here. But if you get some from somebody who knows what they're doin'? Outstandin'. Pronunciation
[GRITS]
Meaning & Usage
- A porridge made from ground corn (noun)
Mae:
What’s for breakfast?
What’s for breakfast?
Earl:
Eggs, bacon, and a bowl of grits.
Eggs, bacon, and a bowl of grits.- A cultural Southern staple (noun, figurative)
Uncle Joe:
Grits are as Southern as front porches and sweet tea.
Grits are as Southern as front porches and sweet tea.★ Some folks put sugar on their grits, but in most of the South, it’s salt, butter, and maybe cheese or gravy. That debate can split a table quick. ★
Origin
From Native American cornmeal dishes, adopted by early settlers and spread across the South. "Grits" comes from an old English word for coarsely ground grain.
Notes
A food with deep cultural meaning in the South and Appalachia. It’s also the baseline for sayings like "gooder’n grits." See also: gooder’n grits.
Say It Like a Southerner
Said plain: "grits." Always plural, even when talking about one bowl.