Oatmeal or Grits

[SGT Rock]

OK, which is it?

[troglobil]

Oatmeal sticks with me better.

[JAK]

If it's no oats, IT'S CRAP.

[SGT Rock]

I always thought oatmeal tasted like boogers.

[BigStu]

Oats... can't get enough of them but grits - sorry, didn't matter what I put in them I could not take to grits at all

Oats every time

[superman]

The civil war was not about state vs federal rights. It was about grits vs oatmeal.:)

[JAK]

I always thought oatmeal tasted like boogers.Only if you do 'em up right.

I've never had grits, though my mother tried cream of wheat on me once. Once. :)

[Bootstrap]

I always thought oatmeal tasted like boogers.

That's instant oatmeal. Rolled oats, properly made, has a very different texture and flavor. (Scottish Oats is even better, but totally impractical for the trail.)

Jonathan

[jesse]

oatmeal provides much more protein than grits. I choose the box with the weight control symbol. More protein, less sugar.

[AlwaysHiking]

Love me some grits with a little bit of butter, salt-n-pepper, and shredded cheddar! Yummy!

But, I can't stand instant grits so I gotta go with oatmeal on the trail.

[Skidsteer]

Grits with salsa filched from Waffle House.

And I'm a Northern boy. Never could stand oatmeal.

[Wilson]

How do you get a yankee to eat grits?
Tell em its white polenta and they can't get enuff of the stuff.;)

[Lone Wolf]

I want my Maypo! http://www.vermontcountrystore.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=5632&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=39&iSubCat=174&iProductID=5632&searchid=inceptor

[SGT Rock]

How do you get a yankee to eat grits?
Tell em its white polenta and they can't get enuff of the stuff.;)
And charge 'em $4 a bowl. Just like that fru-fru coffee.

[JAK]

So what exactly is grits?

[Tipi Walter]

And don't forget about cream of wheat!

[Lone Wolf]

So what exactly is grits?

kinda like wallpaper paste

[sheepdog]

Now if someone would only come up with a decent packable biscut and sausage gravy

[SGT Rock]

So what exactly is grits?
Your too smart for that, you gotta be pullin' my leg.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grits

[jesse]

Years ago, some Yankee tourist were visiting Vicksburg, and they asked the server if they could have grits with their breakfast, since they had heard of them but haven't ever tried them. The server replied, "grits is automatic"

[ChinMusic]

I like grits and oatmeal, but had to select one. Not too many of my northern buddies share my taste in grits. To them it is as bad as poi.

[jlb2012]

this is a tough poll to answer for me - far and away I prefer grits over oatmeal - except when I am backpacking and making quick breakfasts - I can eat oatmeal uncooked with sugar and water but I just can't eat uncooked grits - if I am going to be slow in the morning then boiling water for the grits is no big deal and that is what I would do

[Doughnut]

Why is it a choice? alternate grits and oatmeal, yummy yummy.

[BigStu]

kinda like wallpaper paste

That was my reaction when I tried them but didn't want to cause a riot by saying so

Keep the grits, give me livermush biscuits and coffee for breakfast

[Dances with Mice]

Oats are for breakfast. The fruit and cream style add flavor to the coffee that cleans the cup.

Grits are for supper - boiling water with a dash of instant milk and a bit of cheese, a foil pack of anything, more cheese, a glug of olive oil, add cheese and crumple some crackers on top. That's good eating. Serve with cheese.

[Fiddler]

Oatmeal ain't too bad, but when I have a choice I'll take grits. Even the instant kind.

[JAK]

Your too smart for that, you gotta be pullin' my leg.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GritsSo it is cornmeal eh. Cool. I love cornmeal muffins. I will definitely try grits next time I run into someone I think might know what the heck they are doing.

[bigcranky]

Both. Oatmeal with dried fruit and walnuts, grits with cheese and extra cheese. Alternate days so I don't get bored.

Homemade granola with dried fruit and powdered milk in the summer.

[highway]

Grits-best trail food ever.
It is chock full of carbohydrate for energy for a powerful morning or even lunch or dinner gourmet delight with the right ingredients added to the warming mixture.. They are extremely light, very, very cheap and considerably tastier than any spoonful of mucous-looking (and tasting?) oatmeal.Throw a couple of envelopes of grits into your pot of warming water and it is done as soon as the bubbles begin to reverberate. Then stir to dissolve the lumps and savor. I wouldn't leave home without it:)

[Jack Tarlin]

Wow, I guess I'm one of those rare people who can't stand either one, tho being a New Englander, I suffered thru the Maypo years just like Lone Wolf. As I recall, it was served with buttter, milk, and either brown sugar or Vermont Maid syrup.

I also recall it looked a whole lot like something that had just fallen out of a goat. :eek:

I'm REALLY not a hot cereal fan.

The other funny thing is that I NEVER eat breakfast on the Trail, having no appetite whatsover in the morning.

My Trail breakfast for years was always a cup of coffee and 3 Camels, and the occasional restorative adult beverage, especially in cold weather. Now I guess it'll just be coffee.

The R.J. Reynolds stock must be tanking! :D

[JAK]

If you want something really snot-like you gotta try tapioca pudding. Yum.

[BigStu]

If you want something really snot-like you gotta try tapioca pudding. Yum.

No.. tapioca is more like eating frog-spawn

Oysters are like snot though

[JAK]

Frog-spawn. Very apt description.

I had this pickled herring in Holland once that was total slime.

[BigStu]

I had this pickled herring in Holland once that was total slime.

Yea.. they're wierd like that on the Continent :D

On the other hand, no 'proper' breakfast is complete without black pudding

[SGT Rock]

A proper breakfast is country fried steak with sawmill gravy, hash browns with onions and peppers (cheese too sometimes), scrambled eggs covered in salsa, wheat toast with butter, lots of coffee, and a little bit of sourwood honey to spread on the toast.

And a bowl of grits.

[canerunner]

Hey, Rock, I can't pick one. I like them all.

If I have to pick one, most of the time I'll go with oatmeal. Thing is, I eat all of them, either alone or with accompaniment.

Oatmeal and eggs is great, as is grits and eggs. Throw in some ham, bacon, or a good sausage, and I'm in heaven. Of course, my doctor tells me that if it tastes good, I should spit it out. It can't be healthy for me. What does he know. They're my tastebuds.

In truth, I tend to eat oatmeal or cream of wheat (made really thick) if I'm having them alone. Grits that are flavored are really good too, but the Scottish heritage tends to make me want oatmeal.

[jrwiesz]

I always thought oatmeal tasted like boogers.

Try steel cut oats, popping boogers!:D

Actually the only way to go with oats.:sun

[mudhead]

How do you get a yankee to eat grits?
Tell em its white polenta and they can't get enuff of the stuff.;)
Or tell them they can have potatoes when they get home.

So what exactly is grits?

Big grocer up your way should have hominy grits near the funky hot cereals. I can only get the quick kind here, it will give you an idea.

Hey Jack! Damn fine work! How's them taste buds workin'?

[Dances with Mice]

So it is cornmeal eh. Cool. I love cornmeal muffins. I will definitely try grits next time I run into someone I think might know what the heck they are doing.Almost. If you grind dry corn you get cornmeal, the fine stuff, and corn grits, the coarse stuff. Boil corn grits and you get polenta. If you bake cornmeal you get cornbread.

If you take corn and soak it in water with a strong caustic you get hominy. If you dry the hominy you get, well, dried hominy, I guess. But if you grind the dried hominy you get maseca, the fine stuff, and hominy grits. If you boil hominy grits you're right. But if you bake maseca you are using the wrong recipe book because you should be frying it into tortillas or steaming it into tamales.

So. Grits are to polenta as maseca is to cornmeal.

And if you don't know what maseca is, then I feel very, very sorry for you.

[BigStu]

A proper breakfast is country fried steak with sawmill gravy, hash browns with onions and peppers (cheese too sometimes), scrambled eggs covered in salsa, wheat toast with butter, lots of coffee, and a little bit of sourwood honey to spread on the toast.

And a bowl of grits.

Sarge- you got me going there.... steak, gravy, hash browns... with you all the way (no biscuits ?) ... and then I got to the grits

You had to spoil it, huh ? :mad:

[BigStu]

..anyway, a proper breakfast is a couple of fried eggs (over-easy I think is your quaint way of describing them :D) bacon (cooked - not cremated and crunchy) sausages (nice plump tubes of pork in their intestinal skins not those silly little flattened discs of whatever it is) mushrooms, black pudding, tomatoes, toast and tea or coffee according to preference

That's a proper breakfast :banana

[Jack Tarlin]

Mudhead:

It'll be 100 days on the 25th!

(Actually I'm still a pretty miserable SOB, especially early in the morning. But there are those who maintain that the lack of Camels has nothing to do with this!)

[Dances with Mice]

..anyway, a proper breakfast is a couple of fried eggs (over-easy I think is your quaint way of describing them :D) bacon (cooked - not cremated and crunchy) sausages (nice plump tubes of pork in their intestinal skins not those silly little flattened discs of whatever it is) mushrooms, black pudding, tomatoes, toast and tea or coffee according to preference

That's a proper breakfast Where's the beans?

[SGT Rock]

Mudhead:

It'll be 100 days on the 25th!

(Actually I'm still a pretty miserable SOB, especially early in the morning. But there are those who maintain that the lack of Camels has nothing to do with this!)
Drink more Bourbon (as if that wass possible)

[BigStu]

Where's the beans?

Quite right... should have added fried bread as well but I wouldn't want people to think that I have no thought for the well-being of my arteries :D

Of course this should always be accompanied my a small glass of orange juice so that there are some vitamins in the feast

Say what you like but this is THE hangover cure

[kayak karl]

Your too smart for that, you gotta be pullin' my leg.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grits
Was it something i said? grits are bad, my vote is oatmeal

[Montego]

Now Sgt has the idea for a good breakfast. I picked both grits and oatmeal. As a western boy I was raised on oatmeal but having been stationed (Army) a couple of years down in Chatham County, Georgia I learned to eat my grits with lots of butter and salt (discovered why I should have been born and raised in the South LOL)

[Frozen Bait]

All of this corn and cheese talk makes me want to try and make cheese arepas on the trail.
More of a dinner thing though

[Lellers]

You call that stuff proper breakfast food??? Everyone knows that REAL breakfast is scrapple and eggs.

[briarpatch]

In 1979, I was car camping across Canada with about 8 other Georgia college students. We were thinking ahead and brought a big bag of grits and a big bag of cornmeal with us. We fished a lot, and fried fish and hushpuppies endeared us to anyone we invited over for dinner.

We were camping outside Montreal and had invited the folks camping in the next site to come over for breakfast. Eddie was the morning chef. Eddie was from Kite, Georgia (that's suburban Swainsboro, its really tiny) and was a true grits expert.

He cooked up a real masterpiece of a breakfast. Eggs, Bacon, Biscuits, Hash Browns, Red Eye Gravy and of course grits - real grits, not that instant mush. He served our guests and when asked "What's that?", Eddie replied, "Them's grits!". He showed them how to doctor the grits - salt -pepper - butter, and a sprinkling of grated chedar. Heaven in a paper bowl.

They sat down to eat. One of them tasted the grits and when he thought no one was looking, he emptied the bowl into the bushes behind his chair, then innocently started drinking his coffee. One of his friends said something to him in French, which resulted in coffee coming out of his nose as he started laughing hysterically. After some coaxing, we got a rough translation,

"Don't put 'them grits' into the bushes, the chipmunks might eat them and get stopped up!".

As for me, I way prefer grits over oatmeal.

[Bulldawg]

How about shrimp and grits? A real cajun delicacy. Cook your course ground yellow grits in half and half instead of water. Add about a pound of new yourk sharp cheddar, pepper them up real good. Server on a plate with shrimp on top. Oh yeah, you saute' the shrimp with a little white wine or beer and lots of red pepper. Man, now your talking eating. You can eat this dish anytime of day. we have it at about every tailgate party in the fall.

I got a little off there. I take instant grits on the trail. They aint as good as real grits, but they are a sure sight better than oatmeal or cream of wheat. YUCK!!

[JAK]

Almost. If you grind dry corn you get cornmeal, the fine stuff, and corn grits, the coarse stuff. Boil corn grits and you get polenta. If you bake cornmeal you get cornbread.

If you take corn and soak it in water with a strong caustic you get hominy. If you dry the hominy you get, well, dried hominy, I guess. But if you grind the dried hominy you get maseca, the fine stuff, and hominy grits. If you boil hominy grits you're right. But if you bake maseca you are using the wrong recipe book because you should be frying it into tortillas or steaming it into tamales.

So. Grits are to polenta as maseca is to cornmeal.

And if you don't know what maseca is, then I feel very, very sorry for you.I think I actually followed some of that. That's what I had at Harold's in Abinene Texas. It was halepeno corn bread. They were sort of egg shaped, only bigger than eggs, and brown on the outside like they might have been fried before being baked maybe. Not sure. But they were damn good, as was the pulled pork, the brisket, the chicken, the sauce. Oh man, I was in heaven. I had no idea what barbeque was until they took me to Harold's. When I went back the next day I actually wept while I was waiting in line I was so looking forward to eating, and making up for all those years of deprivation. Now I know I'm missing out on something more. Come March Break, a road trip just might be in order.

Another dumb question. How far South do I need to go on the I95?

[kayak karl]

lookin like you will need to post a southern and northern menu on your site. you got the southern one done.
http://hikinghq.net/at_stuff/at_menu.html
This menu has been a GREAT help. Thank You:)

[JAK]

Let me put that another way.

If I'm driving south on the I95, where is the first place I should pull over and eat to get my first taste of grits, hominy grits, polenta, maseca, that sort of thing, properly done?

Second, where is the first place to get a decent Southern Barbeque?

[JAK]

Alternatively, if I'm doing a SOBO on the AT, same questions.

[Skidsteer]

I think I actually followed some of that. That's what I had at Harold's in Abinene Texas. It was halepeno corn bread. They were sort of egg shaped, only bigger than eggs, and brown on the outside like they might have been fried before being baked maybe. Not sure. But they were damn good, as was the pulled pork, the brisket, the chicken, the sauce. Oh man, I was in heaven. I had no idea what barbeque was until they took me to Harold's. When I went back the next day I actually wept while I was waiting in line I was so looking forward to eating, and making up for all those years of deprivation. Now I know I'm missing out on something more. Come March Break, a road trip just might be in order.

Another dumb question. How far South do I need to go on the I95?

You won't find Texas Barbecue on I-95.

Try I-35 or I-10.

[Dances with Mice]

Let me put that another way.

If I'm driving south on the I95, where is the first place I should pull over and eat to get my first taste of grits, hominy grits, polenta, maseca, that sort of thing, properly done?

Second, where is the first place to get a decent Southern Barbeque?Finding decent grits is easy - just ask the waitress for sweet iced tea. If she brings you a glass of sweet iced tea then order grits. If she tells you no, or you can add your own sugar, or that iced tea is "seasonal", then you won't get grits there. Richmond VA is my guess but some places in Maryland might also be civilized.

Or find a gourmet restaurant called "Waffle House".

Polenta is Italian dish, family owned Italian restaurants in NY would have it for sure.

Maseca is a dry flour, what you want is the product like fresh corn tortillas or, heaven or earh, real tamales. For that you need to find a community of Mexican immigrants. And for that you shouldn't have to drive too far from where ever you are right now.

[JAK]

I here you. Actually, as it was explained to me at the time, Harold's in Abilene was rather eclectic as it included pork and chicken in addition to beef. I think he may have been from Georgia or the Carolina's orginally. We actually do a fairly good job on steaks up here, just not brisket, and not the pork and chicken like down south. I would be interested in any style of barbeque, as long as its southern.

[JAK]

Dang I gotta run again. Check back later.

[Cuffs]

For the trail, I like oats, but I doctor mine up... 1 pkt of hot cocoa mix, chopped nuts, dash of cinnamon and a squeeze pkt of honey!

I like Cream Of Wheat, but only at home... I dont like it when it gets lumpy.

[Cuffs]

On the trail its oats, but doctor'd up with a packet of hot cocoa mix, chopped nuts, dash of cinnamon and a squeeze pkt of honey!

For home, its Cream of Wheat! Only at home, because I cant stand when it gets lumpy!

[Dances with Mice]

Second, where is the first place to get a decent Southern Barbeque?You trying to start a flame war here or what?

What makes "decent" southern BBQ has split more families than religion.

No kidding. (http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3190/is_6_34/ai_59458430) That's just one small town.

Some states don't even agree from one end (http://www.ncbbqsociety.com/)to the other. (http://www.scbarbeque.com/) And that's neglecting the whole east to west debate within that state.

[Lone Wolf]

breakfast of/for champs http://www.benjerry.com/our_products/flavorWorld.cfm click ice cream range then cinnamon buns

[AT-HITMAN2005]

my dad being from Georgia, i grew up eating grits. salt and lots of butter is one way. mixed together with some corned beef hash is another. he would also make cheese gravy for the grits.

speaking of where to get grits. i was in Atlanta one august to go to six flags. we all went to mcdonalds for breakfast. ordered the big breakfast. which in florida comes with scrambled eggs, a sausage patty, biscuit, and hash brown. at this McD's i was pleasantly surprised to see they added a little bowl of grits to it.

my southern breakfast:
Grits
Corned beef hash- to mix with the grits
eggs-however you like them
smoked sausage
biscuits

[Cookerhiker]

Oatmeal....but not the sweet sticky stuff in packets. I mix it at home and mail to my maildrops. Mix: quick oats, flax meal, cracked wheat, spice (clove or ginger), brown sugar, dried fruits.

[Thoughtful Owl]

Oatmeal sticks with me better.

Second that! Grits by themself just doesn't stay with me long and then I am hungrey again. Now grits with eggs, sausage or bacon, & biscuits...we are talking a meal fit for a king here.

[bigcranky]

DWM is correct. You could start an actual shooting war talking about barbecue. I like and will eat all kinds of 'cue, but my favorite is still the local stuff -- pork shoulders slow-cooked for 12-14 hours over hickory wood, coarsely chopped and served with a vinegar-based dip, hush puppies, and red slaw. (This is called "Lexington Style" here in North Carolina. That's as opposed to "Wilson Style," the other kind, which is an Eastern N.C. thing.)

[T-Dubs]

Love me some grits with a little bit of butter, salt-n-pepper, and shredded cheddar! Yummy!

But, I can't stand instant grits so I gotta go with oatmeal on the trail.

This is my choice as well. Some slow cooked, stone ground grits are heaven in the morning (or for lunch or supper, too) but I've got to go with oats out hiking.

TWS

[Bearpaw]

Second, where is the first place to get a decent Southern Barbeque?

Any place but the Carolinas. Those people put VINEGAR in their barbecue. What the hay-ull is THAT about?!?!?http://www.appalachiantrailservices.com/pics/smilies/taz.gif Barbecue is supposed to be seductive with a bit of sweet smoky tang to it. http://www.appalachiantrailservices.com/pics/smilies/drool5.gif

[Strategic]

Don't eat any of them for breakfast on the trail, I'm strictly a powerbar (my own recipe) man in the mornings because I hate to wash a pot that early. I'll boil water for coffee (indeed, I'm "reluctant" to leave camp without it) but that's it.

That said, being an old TN boy myself (Memphis, in case you're wondering Sarge), I do have a fond spot for grits at any time of day. Nothing like a good casserole full of cheese grits, as my aunt used to make. My wife (a nice Yankee girl) can't stand them. The first time she had some she described them as "bumpy nothing", but I convinced her to try again since those had been plain. She didn't like them much better with anything in them though, so i gave up and now just feed her cream of wheat.

[The Weasel]

Poll needs to be changed. I assume the question deals with hominy ("white grits") which is different significantly from Yellow Grits. Former is a (mainly) breakfast food, while Yellow Grits is used to make cornmeal mush, polenta, cheese grits and a lot of other sides, much like rice or in place of potatoes.

TW

[Strategic]

And don't even get me started on barbeque. In Memphis it's everybody's second religion (or first, for heathens like me) and taken just as seriously. I always drive this home to people by mentioning the film version of Grisham's "The Firm" and the scene where all the lawyers are at a black tie function at the Peabody Hotel (Memphis' rather grand old lady.) They're eating ribs at a black tie reception, which seems strange to everyone except a Memphian. You'll never get a one of us to agree that barbeque anywhere else (much less made by any other recipe than an authentic mid-southern one) is actually barbeque.

[Lone Wolf]

this is the way to bbq http://www.lacajachina.com/

[Hooch]

I always thought oatmeal tasted like boogers.Was that by blind taste test or did you actually know you were eating the booger? :eek::D

[envirodiver]

Second, where is the first place to get a decent Southern Barbeque?

That question is liable to start a fight.

[BitBucket]

OK, which is it?
Grits and sausage - the staple of a good southern breakfast.....

But an up and coming delicacy...grits and boiled shrimp...

I guess you can put just about anything with a good bowl of grits and you can have a meal!

[Hooch]

Second, where is the first place to get a decent Southern Barbeque?It's not too close to the AT, but my money is on an old favorite: Windy Cite Grill in Hickory, NC on North Center Street. The locals call it Homer's (the original owner). They have the barbecue sandwich you ever sank your teeth in. Good stuff!

[Montego]

Let me put that another way.

If I'm driving south on the I95, where is the first place I should pull over and eat to get my first taste of grits, hominy grits, polenta, maseca, that sort of thing, properly done?

Second, where is the first place to get a decent Southern Barbeque?

Ya know, a thousand years from now, some paleontoligist will unearth our old BBQ's and wonder why us primitive people still sacraficed animals to the gods! :D

[Hooch]

[/b]

Ya know, a thousand years from now, some paleontoligist will unearth our old BBQ's and wonder why us primitive people still sacraficed animals to the gods! :D'Cause it's good! PETA doesn't stand for People Eating Tasty Animals for nothin'! :D

[Lone Wolf]

Let me put that another way.

If I'm driving south on the I95, where is the first place I should pull over and eat to get my first taste of grits, hominy grits, polenta, maseca, that sort of thing, properly done?

Second, where is the first place to get a decent Southern Barbeque?

for bbq. providence, RI. just off I-95 http://www.wesribhouse.com/

[Skidsteer]

And so begins the great BBQ thread of 2008....

[Dances with Mice]

Speakin' of BBQ....

... and noting that I did not bring the subject up first or anything, but ...

There will be a humble demonstration of mid-south style BBQ at the SoRuck Friday potluck (2 hickory smoked pork shoulders) with a home-made tomato style BBQ sauce made with home-grown tomatos. Friday night there will be two apple juice marinated pork loins smoked on the premises with wild muscadine grapevine that I'll have to leave with a reliable volunteer to re-warm for Sunday breakfast because I have to pull up stakes and skeedaddle Saturday morning.

I'll be using a semi-portable BBQ pit made out of terra cotta planters bought at a garden center. Not hiking style portable or even close, but for base camping or car camping this is something y'all might want to check out. I've been fiddling with it for over a year now. It ain't no gas-fired overgrown Hibachi, it's a true slow cooking wood charcoal fired BBQ pit with temperature control that you can slap together in one trip to a garden center or the Home Depot. It even makes a mean wood-fired oven pizza.

So I'll be doing my best to put some south in your mouth.

And I gotta point out that I'm a native Texan, an Aggie even, bbq'ing pork. It's good my daddy ain't here to see that. He got over me marrying a Yankee, a Catholic even, but putting pork in a pit would have gotten me disowned fer shure.

[envirodiver]

And so begins the great BBQ thread of 2008....

I saw this one coming as soon as I read Jak's post.

[envirodiver]

And I gotta point out that I'm a native Texan, an Aggie even, bbq'ing pork. It's good my daddy ain't here to see that. He got over me marrying a Yankee, a Catholic even, but putting pork in a pit would have gotten me disowned fer shure.

Blasphemer

[Skidsteer]

Reliable volunteer at SoRuck.

Therein lies the rub.

[Dances with Mice]

this is the way to bbq http://www.lacajachina.com/ (http://www.lacajachina.com/)
from that link:

Use the electric smoke generator for real smoked food the easy and professional way! Real wood burned the right way to produce the best smoked flavor in La Caja China. Refill cartridges available in 9 real wood flavors. Sold separetly. Bless your heart.

[Lone Wolf]

i grew up on these http://www.riclambake.com/clambakes.html my grandpa was a bakemaster

[Cuffs]

Everyone likes a good butt rub now and again... http://www.buttrub.com/

[Hooch]

Everyone likes a good butt rub now and again... / (http://www.buttrub.com/)Please rephrase before I start making fun of you. :p:eek:

[Cuffs]

Rephrase? Just making a statement! Try a butt rub, you'll like it too!

[envirodiver]

from that link:
Bless your heart.

LMAO another true southern phrase. You can say anything about anyone and if you close by saying "Bless their heart" it's OK

[Hooch]

LMAO another true southern phrase. You can say anything about anyone and if you close by saying "Bless their heart" it's OKAs long as you're below the Mason-Dixon line, it's ok. :D

[envirodiver]

Bless your heart

[Gaiter]

GRITS!!!
Just thought about this, i've seen the foil packs of shrimp, has anyone tried a shrimp'n'grits recipe on the trail? if so how did it turn out and will you share your recipe?




Any place but the Carolinas. Those people put VINEGAR in their barbecue. What the hay-ull is THAT about?!?!?

hey, those are fighting words, watch it
the truth is carolina barbeque is the best, but which do yall side w/, eastern or western, despite being raised in the eastern half of the state, i like both, they are each very good in their own way, my family barbeque recipe is a combination of eastern and western, kinda different for around here, maybe i'll mix some up if i have time before the soruck

[Nearly Normal]

Most people that don't like grits probably ate some from a waffle house.
They have been sitting all day and water added repeatedly. A sticky glue for sure.
Regular grits take about 30 minutes to cook and the grain is larger.
Quick Grits take about 10 minutes to cook and are ground finer. (easier to turn into glue)
Both should be eaten when cooked. Grits don't last long held over.
Serve with buter, salt and pepper or shrimp gravey.
Instant grits are a last option.

[highway]

A proper breakfast is country fried steak with sawmill gravy, hash browns with onions and peppers (cheese too sometimes), scrambled eggs covered in salsa, wheat toast with butter, lots of coffee, and a little bit of sourwood honey to spread on the toast.

And a bowl of grits.

Now that is a proper breakfast. But consider occasionally alternating the country fried steak and sawmill gravy with good 'ole country ham and red-eye gravy.

[ATbound]

Are grits similar to cream of corn (found near cream of wheat and oatmeal in the grocery store)? If so---love it! That was my almost daily breakfast in the winter growing up in Alaska.

[Hikes in Rain]

A proper breakfast is country fried steak with sawmill gravy, hash browns with onions and peppers (cheese too sometimes), scrambled eggs covered in salsa, wheat toast with butter, lots of coffee, and a little bit of sourwood honey to spread on the toast.

And a bowl of grits.

I think I'm in love! :p

Cheese grits. With bacon bits, fresh-ground pepper from my tiny Lexan grinder, and maybe a little more cheese. Mmm..

[Furlough]

I like all 3 equally, this also helps with not getting tired of one or the other.

Furlough

[NICKTHEGREEK]

The civil war was not about state vs federal rights. It was about grits vs oatmeal.:)
My eyes have seen the glory of oats within my bowl, with a heaping dose of raisins they doth warm the very soul-----

[NICKTHEGREEK]

How do you get a yankee to eat grits?
Tell em its white polenta and they can't get enuff of the stuff.;)

I thought the grits they served in the Navy chow hall in Jacksonville Fl was cream of wheat, I got a bowl added some milk and sugar--
That was 1968. I tried some again on a bet a couple of years back and they're not too bad at all without milk and sugar, that is.

[Mrs Baggins]

I always thought oatmeal tasted like boogers.

And to me grits (and cream of wheat) have the consistency of tiny little bugs moving around in my mouth. Born and raised out west and never even saw grits til we moved to Georgia in 1986. Disgusting.

[Furlough]

A truly good breakfast is fried catfish, bacon, biscuits with honey, grits with real butter and plenty of pepper, a big ole glass of orange juice and a pot of coffee.

Furlough

[Thoughtful Owl]

A truly good breakfast is fried catfish, bacon, biscuits with honey, grits with real butter and plenty of pepper, a big ole glass of orange juice and a pot of coffee.

Furlough

You cooking? What time we eat'en? You're making me hungry!

[Gray Blazer]

You can't get grits in Boulder, just a funny look. As for me, for breakfast I prefer to go to an AYCE breakfast place and then go back to bed. On the trail I'll eat pop tarts just to get something in my stomach.

[Wilson]

BBQ is a pork shoulder cooked all night on hickory coals. Basted Lexington style.

Everything else is more accurately called GRILLIN.:rolleyes:

[SGT Rock]

BBQ gets a new thread.

[D'Artagnan]

Sort of surprised no one has mentioned MOLASSES as a part of any self-respecting Southern breakfast fare. Smear in a pat of real butter (not that poser margarine stuff) and sop it up with a biscuit. That'll get your dog off the porch.

[Ewker]

Sort of surprised no one has mentioned MOLASSES as a part of any self-respecting Southern breakfast fare. Smear in a pat of real butter (not that poser margarine stuff) and sop it up with a biscuit. That'll get your dog off the porch.

finding the really good Molasses is hard anymore. Most of the ones for sell locally are runny just like syrup. The good molasses is thick. It takes about an hour for that air bubble to make it to the top of the jar when turned upside down

[Cuffs]

I use molasses but not for food purposes... Its the best grasshopper catcher there is... keeps the buggers out of my veggie garden!

[Ewker]

what a waste of good molasses

[Cuffs]

Yes, but I get great veggies with no holes in them because of it!

[Cuffs]

I hate duplicate posts!

[HIKER7s]

I always thought oatmeal tasted like boogers.
Nah, thats cream o wheat

[homebrew]

Quaker oats makes a oatmeal bar thats quick and easy to eat and easy to pack. I subststuted these for power bars. No fus no mus just amke sure to stow that wrapper.
;)Oh, I love biscuts and gravey and I live up north where they make the best B&G anywhere. All the places I stopped at near the trail (down south) for B&G could'nt make it right if Paul P. from New Orleans,La. were standing right there guiding them along.

[mudhead]

Sort of surprised no one has mentioned MOLASSES as a part of any self-respecting Southern breakfast fare. Smear in a pat of real butter (not that poser margarine stuff) and sop it up with a biscuit. That'll get your dog off the porch.

I always thought that was a Northern taste. Jif rules.

[chezrad]

Any place but the Carolinas. Those people put VINEGAR in their barbecue. What the hay-ull is THAT about?!?!?http://www.appalachiantrailservices.com/pics/smilies/taz.gif Barbecue is supposed to be seductive with a bit of sweet smoky tang to it. http://www.appalachiantrailservices.com/pics/smilies/drool5.gif

:bananaA good mustard and vinegar based Carolina Gold barbecue sauce beats any tomato based concoction that I've ever had! I can't help that you just don't know how to live!

Bless your heart. Hah! :D

[chezrad]

Oh yeah, I voted for Grits. Any day of the week it beats the other choices.

I see by the polls it places second. (sorry, but it is the political season here!) Bet you guys don't like boiled peanuts either. The "caviar" of the South!

[Montego]

I use to love the tast of molasses (sulfered) and would just sit and eat it with a spoon. Don't do that anymore but still love coffee with chicory :D

[bigcranky]

Dragonfly makes apple butter -- good stuff on homemade biscuits in the morning.

[Jaybird62]

:-?Dogfish Head Chicory Stout MMMMMMM.......... Sorry, I know this thread aint about beer, but now I am gonna have to go get me some of that dogfish head. Thanks a lot ,Montego:D

[Nightwalker]

I always thought oatmeal tasted like boogers.

Flavored instant oatmeal. 4 packs, 600 calories, tastes good, kicks me down the trail in the morning.

And even the Ingles or Wal-Mart brand flavors taste good, so there. :P

[rainmaker]

On the trail, two packets of original Quaker grits with a tablespoon of margarine, seasoned with a tablespoon of bacon bits and one ounce of cheddar gets me started and going til lunch. Nutritionally it provides about 44 grams of carbs, 10 grams of protein, and 15 grams of fat. Now some may debate just how nutritious this is but hell, I'm hiking.

[Skidsteer]

Dragonfly makes apple butter -- good stuff on homemade biscuits in the morning.

Apple butter!

Another obscure art form. True apple butter is a thing of beauty.

The best always seems to come from Ohio, but I admit to prejudice.

[generoll]

I always thought oatmeal tasted like boogers.


So? Lots of protein in boogers. And of course there's the whole recycle/LNT thing.

[Thoughtful Owl]

Apple butter!

Another obscure art form. True apple butter is a thing of beauty.

The best always seems to come from Ohio, but I admit to prejudice.

But have you tried true apple butter made in the orchard areas of Virginia? I grew up in Southeastern Ohio and I don't think what I ate growing up there can even compare to what we have around here.

[highway]

Oh yeah, I voted for Grits. Any day of the week it beats the other choices.

I see by the polls it places second. (sorry, but it is the political season here!) Bet you guys don't like boiled peanuts either. The "caviar" of the South!

Yeah, and those snot fanciers probably wouldn't eat collards, either:D

[JAK]

Before this thread goes too much further, some mention of 'brose' is in order.

What is brose? Essentially it is very very thick oatmeal porridge. Some would argue that if it is cooked, then it isn't brose. Some would argue that brose is any oatmeal with boiling water poured over, but that could describe instant oatmeal. I would argue that it doesn't have to be steel cut or anything like that but it should at least be coarse, rather than quick cooking. The essential thing is that it is very thick, without much water absorbed, just enough so that it is all wet, so that you can eat more of it. The quick oats would tend to absorb the water unevenly, so the coarse oats is better for brose.

Something like 2 or 3 cups of coarse oats with no more than an equal amount of water, boiling or otherwise, with some salt, and perhaps some butter or fat if you have some to help it go down. Once you are underay with a full stomach of brose you can drink more water along the way. That is brose.

Sticks to your ribs.

[JAK]

The only way to really learn to eat brose is to go on a long hike with nothing else.

[Strategic]

for bbq. providence, RI. just off I-95 http://www.wesribhouse.com/

Rhode Island!

Now I know that the apocalypse is upon us!

[JAK]

Pease Brose

This is made by the Scottish peasant in this way. He puts some pea flour into a basin, and pours boiling water over it, at the same time stirring and thoroughly mixing the meal and water together. When mixed he adds a little salt, pepper, and butter, and eats it with or without oatcake.

[katagious]

Furthest place north I've eaten grits at a restaurant was at the Blueberry Muffin in North Conway New Hampshire.

Grits...love 'em with butter and sugar...my yankee momma's influence..sorry.
But..in the cold of winter on a sub zero morning..I'm gonna go with good ole rib sticking slow cooked oatmeal with brown sugar.

As for BarBQ..I've been all over the united states, southern, midwest..east coast..and have had some incredible food BUT the very very best BarBQ I've ever had was a South African Braa. Just INCREDIBLE!

[Strategic]

:-?Dogfish Head Chicory Stout MMMMMMM.......... Sorry, I know this thread aint about beer, but now I am gonna have to go get me some of that dogfish head. Thanks a lot ,Montego:D

Chicory stout? Why have I not heard of this one? We get Dogfish Head up here in Philly (I'm mighty fond of Indian Brown Ale) but you've set me a new challenge (and a reason to go to Delaware besides the Charcoal Pit.) :D

[WILLIAM HAYES]

being a southern boy and a University of Georgia graduate (not a BCS fan obviously)
I am a instant grits guy-especially like the variety pack

Hillbilly

[Jaybird62]

:)Yeah man, it is some good stuff (chicory stout). The charcoal pit is also great. Dogfish also makes a beer called Midas Touch- very expensive but very good

[jnohs]

steel cut oats are the absaloute best if you ask me. But that is my openion

[Doctari]

I like the taste of all 3. But voted for grits because Oatmeal sits heavy on my stomach for about 3 hrs after eating it & I like grits better than C.o.W.
My favorite (instant :rolleyes:) grits are the cheddar ones, & I add Spam to them. I'm drooling now.

[Tennessee Viking]

Grits I can eat them straight up. No salt, no pepper, no butter. Still tastes great. Plus, I find it more cooking friendly. I add grits to cornbread and cereals to give an extra crunch. Oatmeal you got to load it with butter, dairy, sugar or fruit to give it any flavor.

[double d]

I think the answer to your question "oatmeal or grits" is simple: if your from the North, you eat oatmeal and if your from the South-grits! Ok, sorry about the stereotypes, but I think I'm mostly correct, food is as much culture as it is anything else.

[Hooch]

I think the answer to your question "oatmeal or grits" is simple: if your from the North, you eat oatmeal and if your from the South-grits! Ok, sorry about the stereotypes, but I think I'm mostly correct, food is as much culture as it is anything else.
I have to agree that culture has a lot to do with the foods we like and eat. No matter where you're from in the world, that plays a huge part in the foods you grew up eating and enjoying. So, obviously that plays into our adult lives and how we eat in the backcountry when backpacking. I do have to respectfully disagree with the stereotypes, though. I'm from the south (Southerner by birth, North Carolinian by the grace of God) and happen to love both oatmeal and grits. However, I don't eat grits in the backcounty because I absolutely cannot stand instant grits, which are truly grits only in the academic sense and by name only. Just my opinion though. :D Bottom line? Eat what ya like, no matter who you are or where you're from.