Dear followers who have not lived in the southeastern US, allow me to educate you about the most glorious yet criminally underrated dish in Southern cuisine: corn grits (just called "grits" because of course the corn is implied). A thread: (1/n)

First off, if you have had "instant grits" these are NOT the same as proper, well-prepared, stone-ground grits. They are as different as cheap canned tuna is from top quality freshly-caught Ahi Tuna eaten off the boat. Both have their place, but are non-interchangeable.

Proper grits have three primary qualities when they're done cooking: THICK, CREAMY, and DELICIOUS. There are also several key additions that will elevate your grits to new heights:

Addition 1: fats category. The main contenders in this category (traditionally) are either butter or bacon grease - bonus points if the bacon grease is leftover from a meal you made several days ago and saved in a container in the fridge.

Addition 2: seasonings. SALT and PEPPER. Lots of pepper, this is non-negotiable. There are many dishes that need lots of exciting spices - this is not one of those dishes. Let the ingredients do the work.

Addition 3: Cheeses. This is where one can get creative. I prefer something sharpish/aged with a good amount of nutty flavor. Cheddar is a classic, parmesan is also a darkhorse contender.

End of thread! I hope this motivates you to give grits a second chance and appreciate them for the beautiful, hardworking, unassuming dish that they are.