Let's eat some GRITS!

DanG · March 10, 2008, 03:19:21 AM

Now settle down Furby. Read this before you go moving it to the food section. ;D

As many of you know, I have been working at the Masters golf tournament for a number of years. Every year, my trek to Augusta takes me through the little town of Warwick, Ga, the Grits Capitol of the World. As luck would have it, the National Grits Festival is held in Warwick on the same weekend as the Masters, every cottonpickin' year, so I have never been able to attend. Well, now my job at the Masters has gone away 8) 8) 8) and I am free on April 12 to go and celebrate the South's favorite comfort food with other Grits lovers from all over the world. I think it is fitting, since we have had so much fun talking about Grits on this Forum over the years, that THE ForestryForum should be well represented there. I will be there to do my part. It sure would be nice to have some other members there to share in the fun. ;D

Eat mo' Grits, y'all! ;)

Dave Shepard · March 10, 2008, 10:12:57 AM

When I saw the title of this on the main board, I thought no, I can't be, a National Grits Festival, lo and behold, that's exactly what it is. I must be psychic, I'll have to start one of those 900 numbers. "I see grits in your future, that'll be $5 please". :D Eat some for me DanG, then let me know if I liked them. ;)

Dave

sawguy21 · March 10, 2008, 10:14:26 AM

:D :D :D :D :D

thecfarm · March 10, 2008, 10:27:23 AM

How about moving it to the wood shed?

Now you settle down DanG, I did not really mean it. :D

As long as someone don't harm little kids or old people I don't care what they do.
I don't know what I will be doing on April 12th,but I will be busy. ;D

Timburr · March 10, 2008, 04:18:11 PM

Hmm! :

??? "Thecfarm grits" are famous throughout the FF are they not!?! :D :D

woodbowl · March 10, 2008, 07:08:45 PM

That's only in 4 weeks. I've got to get to scratchin' now if I'm gonna make it. 8)

Dave Shepard · April 09, 2008, 08:43:22 PM

You got your grit eating hat on DanG? ;D It's about time.

Dave

crtreedude · April 09, 2008, 08:54:44 PM

Is it true that a wall paper paste company is bidding on the leftovers?

thecfarm · April 09, 2008, 09:07:50 PM

Won't be able to make it this year.There is a WM open house in my town on the 12th.I'll try to make it next year. :D

Dave Shepard · April 09, 2008, 10:42:55 PM

I think you're fibbin', thecfarm. :D

Dave

thecfarm · April 10, 2008, 02:29:40 AM

I am not fibbin'.

I will be at the Chesterville WM show on Saturday. :D

Lanier_Lurker · April 10, 2008, 02:45:30 AM

Warwick is in the middle of my old stomping grounds in SW Georgia.

In addition to the Grits Festival, they also have on of the best meat markets in the South. That would be Striplings, which has been mentioned in some other posts.

DanG, I'm sure you won't go to Warwick without going to Striplings will you?

Dave Shepard · April 10, 2008, 07:29:28 PM

I meant this part. ;D

Quote from: thecfarm on April 09, 2008, 09:07:50 PM
I'll try to make it next year. :D

Dave

DanG · April 10, 2008, 10:46:33 PM

Lanier, I'll definitely be stopping in and stocking up at Striplings. They built a new store, ya know. I heard tell that there was a family rift. The old store is still open under a new name, and I heard that's where the good stuff is. We'll hafta see. ;D

Cfarm, you seem like a reasonable sort, a pretty good feller overall. It is obvious to me that you've just never had the opportunity to eat some good grits, properly prepared by a true Southerner. I'd like to rectify that for you someday. BTW, grits go really well with crow. ;D :D

thecfarm · April 11, 2008, 07:29:30 AM

I do hate to admit it,but knew it would come to this some day.Just hope not many of my friends read this.Probaly not as south as what I would really need to be,but we have Amish friends in Lancater Co,PA.We was there one early morning to visit and to help out on chores.This all happened when I was young and foolish,about 10 years ago.That was quite a day in my life.The sun was shining and it was a beatuiful day that had began.Roosters were a crowing,the cows was all happy and I was hungry for breakfast.Eggs and bacon and biscuits were being made on the stove.Homemade jam was all waiting for us on the table.Coffee sure did smell good.And you know something,those grits were on the stove too.Now comes the bad part to a Yankee. I really should try some of those grits,just to be polite mind ya.Not that I wanted too,but I was at someone's else table and all.I live on the wild side some days.We all get seated at the table,David,the man of the house and me sit on each end of the table,the woman folk and the children are in between us.We all bow our heads and thank the Lord for the fine food and the great day that is upon us.Now come the food part.Eggs are served,bacon is in my plate,jam is spead on my biscuit,coffee is in my cup.Now comes the hard part.Those nasty grits are coming around the table at break neck speed.Sure do wish they would slow down some.They arrive by my side like a cop coming up to my window when I was doing 45mph in a 35.I'm in trouble this time.With trembling hands and a pray to the Lord I reach for the dish of that so called food,grits.I can not believe that I am that close to something that looks so bad and can still be called food.I grasp the spoon and take amount that would make any flatlander laugh out loud at me and place it on my plate.Now I'm eat around it for a good hour or so,when I finally realized I will just have to build up the strenght and eat those grits.Now I did not mix them with anything else.Did not want to make my eggs and bacon taste bad too.I came this far.There is no turning back now.David is a watching,wondering if this English man can really do it.I scoop it up with my fork,don't know if that was the right equipment to use on something like that,and I wanted to hold my nose,but being polite and all I did not,into the hole it goes where only good,ate able food has gone for the last 30 years. The bad part was,I have to admit it was all that bad.I did not die,no bolt of lighting came out of the bright sunny sky and came down to stike me.I did not like it so much I went back for seconds.Probaly those grits are not as good as what you would serve up Dan,but it was so called grits.Maybe some day you can watch me eat some of yours that you make for me.It will take me 2 hours to eat around them next time.

woodbowl · April 11, 2008, 10:49:29 AM

Here's a scary thought cfarm. Just think, if your ancestors had decided to turn the mule and wagon to the south, all their kids and their kids kids would have been raised on collard greens and corn bread, blackeyed peas and sweet taters, okra, ham hocks and grits. You would all have a southern draw and wonder why yankees don't like good food.

Ohhhhhh ........... An even more scary thought! If our ancestors had turned the mule and wagon north, we all would have to eat yankee food, speak another language and fear one of the finest foods on the planet.

Were all the same folks living with stigmas of proxy. Maybe we need another gathering around the Mason Dixon line to cook up a grits troll pie. OK we'll call it a troll grits pie. :

..... 8) 8) 8)

DanG · April 11, 2008, 11:41:14 AM

:D :D :D That was a good story, Cfarm! It really doesn't bother me that you don't care for grits. In fact, I kinda like it that way....more for me, ya know? ;D

Dave, I'll eat some grits for ya. You're gonna like'em, I'll bet! ;)

Jeff · April 11, 2008, 02:19:21 PM

Dang, for some reason the words "Rectify" and "grits", fit comfortably together. Not sure why though.

DanG · April 12, 2008, 09:32:29 AM

Well, KAPHLOOYE! I got my old carcass out of bed at 4:30 this morning, dumped some coffee down my neck, washed my hide, and was on the way to Warwick by 5:15. I got about 15 miles up the road when the "service engine soon" light came on, then started flashing at me. I says to myself, "Self, this doesn't bode well." I kept on keeping on though, for a few more miles, until the engine started sputtering a bit and losing power. It was still running, sorta, as I pulled into a convenience store, and it shut off as I coasted into a parking spot. I took the obligatory look under the hood, like I was gonna see something amiss :

but everything looked fine. I went in and bought a cup of coffee and a biscuit, and set back to cogitate about my situation. Several guys came over during the hour or so I was there, and helped me peer under the hood, like we were gonna see something amiss. :

One of'em claimed to be a mechanic, but he didn't have any ideas, so he went on to the fishing hole. By and by, it occurred to me that it had acted like fuel starvation the way it sorta died out slowly like that, so I started looking for the schrader valve on the fuel rail. I finally found it, buried under some wiring, and determined that I indeed had no fuel pressure. There was gas in the tank, by the way. I'm a little slow, but I ain't that stoopid! :D :D I crawled underneath and frammed on the fuel tank with a hammer, which sometimes will encourage a balky fuel pump, but that didn't help. Then I says to myself, "Self, check the DanG fuse, you dummy!" Well, I did, but it was ok. I noticed that the fuel pump relay was right there in the fuse panel, and Bless Goodness, there was an identical relay right next to it, labeled "Auto Shutdown Relay," whatever that is. Anyway, I pulled the two relays and swapped positions and I heard the fuel pump come on! 8) 8) 8) The old battery, which I've been having trouble with anyway, managed to turn it over enough to start, so I slammed the hood, threw my tools into the passenger seat, and hauled my lucky carcass back to the house! I thought briefly about continuing on to Warwick, but rejected that notion after only a few seconds of cogitation. With the car acting up, the weather going into the dumper, and me running too late to get any grits at the Grits Festival, it just wasn't wise to continue. I really hate that, because Fla._Deadheader and Swampy were gonna be there with Tom. No tellin' when I'll get to see those guys again. :-\ I did talk with CustomSawyer on the phone, and he says the grits were good and it looked like it was gonna be a fun day. About that time, he spotted Tom and his crew, so he hung up on me. I think I'll take a nap, but not before I cook me a pot of grits. Just because I missed the festival, there is no reason not to rectify the grits situation. ;D :D

WDH · April 12, 2008, 08:23:23 PM

Sorry about your trouble, DanG. I had planned to go too but Miss Scarlet had to make a critical visit to the vet. So, I decided that if I got back soon enough, I might haul my carcass the hour drive down to Warwick and have lunch with y'all.

I called Customsawyer, and he told me of your plight. Instead of me coming down to Warwick for lunch, the gang (Customsawyer, Swampy, Tom, and Fla._Deadheader drove up the road to my place for a visit 8).

We grilled hamburgers and caught up on the ways of the world.

Ain't the Forum great ;D!!

DanG, sorry you missed the hamburgers

.

thecfarm · April 12, 2008, 08:29:39 PM

Just think DanG,if I would of been there staring at a bowl of grits waiting for ya.I can only push that stuff around the bowl for so long. :D
My father would say the same thing to me when it came to veggies,More left for me. Did not bother me than,don't bother me now.
Sorry to hear that you could not make it.I had a great time at the WM open house talking to maddog.

Dave Shepard · April 13, 2008, 12:30:36 AM

Sorry you didn't make it to the Gritfest DanG. Sounds like there wasn't as many grits as they had led you to believe anyway. :-\

Dave

Fla._Deadheader · April 13, 2008, 12:38:33 PM

:

2200 miles, to visit with that scoundrel, and HE cain't make it 100 miles :

:

Ya needs to git the shovel hot while diggin up the "stash" and git yer vehicles tuned up.

Not gonna get any grits, so, didn't bother.

Means Ed and I ain't missed enuff, EH ??? ??? ??? >:( >:( >:(

AND, them grits AND the company were ALL of IMPECCABLE quality. 8) 8) 8)

Thanks for the invite, Danny. 8) 8)

Lanier_Lurker · April 13, 2008, 11:38:08 PM

"Gritfest"

I like that! Someone should suggest to the folks in Warwick that they change the name to that! ;D

Of course, since it does not use the proper plural form (e.g. "Gritsfest"), some Southerners might consider it insulting or condescending - kinda like Joe Pesci's courtroom line in "My Cousin Vinny" where he talks about "all the people in the grit eating world".

One does not eat a grit - he eats grits.

But, we Southerners are nothing if not patient.

sgtmaconga · April 14, 2008, 10:44:06 PM

Quote from: WDH on April 12, 2008, 08:23:23 PM
Sorry about your trouble, DanG. I had planned to go too but Miss Scarlet had to make a critical visit to the vet. So, I decided that if I got back soon enough, I might haul my carcass the hour drive down to Warwick and have lunch with y'all.

I called Customsawyer, and he told me of your plight. Instead of me coming down to Warwick for lunch, the gang (Customsawyer, Swampy, Tom, and Fla._Deadheader drove up the road to my place for a visit 8).

We grilled hamburgers and caught up on the ways of the world.

Ain't the Forum great ;D!!

DanG, sorry you missed the hamburgers .

is Miss Scarlet ok?