annecros

I found hard rolls here: http://not-too-shabby.net/eats/?p=90 This person just tented a muffin pan with aluminum foil. They look great.

Does letting the dough rise in an oiled bowl change the texture of the final crust? ← Wondering as well. I haven't seen any mention of a greased bowl on the thread, but think I saw one in the video.

I've always found blue corn bitter as well. Thought it was just me. Make Johnnycake kind of grits I think, honey or sugar, though I love honey. If you can pour sugar into cream of wheat, surely it is not a sin to pour it into cream of corn?

Do you have suggestions as to what I can do with myself during that 45 minutes? Never in my life have I mustered 45 minutes worth of self-restraint, and doing so with the aroma of freshly-baked bread in the house is unthinkable! While I'm sure that what you say is true, how does one get through that 45 minutes? ← It is a hard thing. Mow the lawn, rake the grass, change the oil in your car, go grocery shopping for the week, play catch with a kid. Remove yourself.

I want to do rolls as well! Maybe start with a pull-apart type of thing? I've been wondering how to shape the rolls.

I think you are right. When the lid comes off the enamel, the top is more uniformly brown. Perhaps the light enamel has some convective properties that the dark cast iron does not? My cast iron loaves stay in longer in order to brown the top, and just now comparing the bottoms, the cast iron loaf definitely has a darker bottom. Somebody with more experience around here might be able to explain to us the science. I haven't ventured away from the 450 degree oven, but perhaps the cast iron was too close to the elements in the oven? I don't know, just guessing.

I wonder how many loaves of bread have been baked and consumed at home because of this New York Times article. I know of three people in my immediate circle of family and friends that have never baked a loaf of yeast bread in their lives, who are now on their second or third loaves. I'm baking two loaves at a time in the runup to Thanksgiving, one in cast iron the other in enamel on cast iron. I seem to be getting a slightly shinier finish on the cast iron loaves and faster browning on the enamel, but otherwise no decernable difference except for the shape.

I had relatives in Adel, Georgia who made a sardine gravy for grits. Sardines and canned (home canned) tomato if I recall correctly. I can't say that I was especially fond of it, but she was proud of it and her boys loved it. They were about as southern and common as they come, so it is a traditinal variation. Sounds rather Italian peasant, now that I think of it as well, but they weren't EYE-talyun in the slightest. I guess it goes to show you that there's nothing new under the sun.

I'm baking them tomorrow, then just putting them in the fridge still in thier jackets until Thursday AM. No special reason. Just the way Mom always did it, with good results.

So, jackal10, is it your opinion that taking the lid off after about ten to fifteen minutes would result in thinner crust? Or would that mess up the works? Anne

Great fun! I am looking forward to looking in.

Welcome djyee100. First post, you are in trouble now! I wondered about oiling the dough. I had noticed in the video posted with the original story that the dough ball appeared to be encircled with oil. I like what a nice olive oil does for bread, before and after it is baked. I am enthused as well. It is one of those recipes that I love in that it is open ended and allows for creativity. Bread is so honest and wholesome, but very very scary for any number of reasons. Nobody likes to flop. My raisin bread is wonderful! I used the earlier method mentioned with the olive loaf (got to do that one soon) in that I folded raisins in before the second rise, along with cinnamon and brown sugar, rolled up like a jelly roll. Browned faster, but I expected that. Very tasty. The latest Whole wheat loaf came out nicely as well. I cut down the whole wheat flour to three quarters of a cup, quarter cup of sour manioc, and the rest bread flour (Pillsubry's Best, I am such a bargain slut) with two teaspoons of salt. I was well pleased, and more importantly hubby can't quit eating! Much fun. It did take up a good deal more liquid because the manioc is so absorbant. That's why I like adding the liquid to bring it up to a shaggy ball. Neutralizes the variables. Yeast is a wonderful thing! Dianne, let us know how things turn out tomorrow. AP flour kind of scares me. Anne Edit: Forgot to add that I dissolved a quarter cup of white sugar into the water before adding the first cup to the raisin bread. Got a shiny finish on the bread.

I love Al Green, but doubt if the story of an assault would have stuck in my mind for this many years if it hadn't been for the grits involved. From Al Green Biography. Got some powerful imagery going on with grits. ........................... Must run - time to cook some grits with . . .with. . .well gosh. There's so many good recipes. But what indeed should one add, besides. . .at best. . .more grits. Sigh. ← I had an uncle who was working part time in a prison kitchen in central Florida when he managed to seriously burn himself with an institutional sized pot of grits. Unfortunately, hot grits stick like napalm. Literally took the skin off when he tried to remove the hot grits from his forearms. Yep, grits are serious. Grits vs. Polenta cookoff? Where does one get in line to judge?

Anne, I think you're giving me too much credit. MelissaH ← I don't think so, credit where it is earned.

Found it. Bill Neal. Southern Cooking. Revised and Enlarged. Respec' Anne

Thanks, but what is authentic ? I am just looking for guidance ..... ← OK, authentic in a Southern household is very flexible and subjective. It is a very well kept secret, but a southern person will steal the best and leave the rest. Grits are hard to mess up. Sheesh, will have to leave the 'puter and look up. I hope your shrimp are not getting warm! Anne

Excellent question, and perfectly reasonable. Southern people do not necessarily depend upon reason. But you deserve an answer, and it is the best I can give you. Yes, there is an intersection. Yes, there is a union. All grits = polenta, grits, and other various derivations of dried corn, and possibly other ground grains. Considering history, all polenta = grits, all grits = either hominy or dried corn, all hominy = dried corn. Corn culture. In my opinion it changed the world, with very little credit to this day to the origin. I am beginning to sound a bit like Mayhaw Man and Okra, though I do agree that Okra is the universal answer to all the world's problems. Another story.. Just make a nice, lovely porridge, and enjoy.

To answer another question, Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock published as good a Shrimp and Grits recipe as I have ever seen. See that thread! I didn't see a recipe in the thread for Shrimp and Grits, can someone brief me? Gonna make 'em for dinner tonight and have several recipes I'm looking at. Still don't know which one or what to serve with it.....other than beer........................ ← So sorry, was on the "Cookbook Roullete" thread, and Daniel really produced grits that would, and did, make a Southern lady hungry. http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=94980&st=30 Not enough time now, and probably late, but will PM a good recipe later. An awful lot going on in the house at the moment! Have fun. Grits are not really that hard, and if you have prepared shrimp before, well it all just comes natural. If you have shrimp AND grits on the same plate, you are pretty much assured of a decent meal. Nobody is going to complain with those components. Anne Edit: WOW, my really bad, can't find it, but still looking...

Judge not lest ye be judged: My skinny ol' Da was stuck on a boat cruising Italy for the past two weeks, and Motherdear sent a postcard wherein the poor man was heard to wail, "I'd give $10 for a bowl of grits." Moments later, a water materialized with a lovely dish of polenta with cheese and mushrooms, and peace descended over the Adriatic Sea ...... ← Lovely story. Take comfort where you can, and we all have more in common than we do differences, I think.

I haven't had the same experience either in the past, but it has been some time since I have baked bread on a stone. I always hated tossing water into a hot oven, kinda scary even if it goes into a broiler pan. And seems contrary to the minimalist philosophy. But, just my opinion.

Oh, don't be silly! No disrespect perceived! I think I understood your meaning, but was probably more concerned about outside perceptions. Yes, yankees will serve grits in a rather pretentious manner, then explain that they are actually a more rustic version of polenta, and are therefore better. Shrimp and grits, as a feature, requiring explanation. I can just picture Granny's reaction. South Florida is a very interesting place, socially and culturally.

I second Jack's recs. The "new" method advanced in the article is in fact very old, but I guess more rediscovered than anything. And you really can get the same results by simply using a very hot pre-heated oven and a baking stone. ← Once again, where is "Old Foodie" when you need her? I am sure she has recipes that adequatly trace the method. I guess I need to PM her. There really is nothing new under the sun. Do you really get the same results by using an oven and stone?

Beer. And lots of it. ← Well, as much as I love ya Carrot Top, grits were and are a lifestyle. Maybe not "lifestyle" in terms of "we are very affluent, therefore we are eating grits" though that does go on these days. But a lifestyle in the terms of this is how we live and nourish ourselves and our family. Polenta eaters in Europe were considered "cheap white trash" in a much more familiar vernacular. The only difference is that they were sick, whereas poor in the south remained relatively healthy. Hey, "respec", in the words of Ali G. It was necessary for the Native Americans, the colonists, and the pre and post Civil War residents of the states in question to eat and live. I am really intriqued by the adaptation of corn in the Eastern hemisphere. Very creative. To answer another question, Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock published as good a Shrimp and Grits recipe as I have ever seen. See that thread! Where is "Old Foodie" anyway? She could chime in anytime...

OK, I will be as helpful as I can: The term "grits" refers to any ground grain, I think: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grits "The word "grits" comes from Old English grytta meaning a coarse meal of any kind. Yellow grits include the whole kernel, while white grits use hulled kernels. Grits are prepared by simply boiling into a porridge; normally they are boiled until enough water evaporates to leave them semi-solid. They are traditionally served at breakfast, but can also be used at any meal." This definition, from the same source as the earlier one, contradicts the white vs. yellow theory. Oh well. There may or may not be a difference between the yellow grits and polenta. It is determined by the lye treatment, I think. Traditional polenta, if I am reading the history right, is simply dried corn. "Grits" in the American South refer to a treated dried grain. I think. Texture, or how ground the corn is ground, is the only difference that I can determine between polenta and cornmeal. Every cornmeal I have tried, including right out of a Grist Mill, is finer than polenta. Cornmeal is very fine, and could be categorized as a corn flour. I think. I think soft white grits are made from white corn. Soft yellow grits? I am assuming thye are made from a hominy process. I'm sure that cleared it all up for you (not), but the important thing is that grits are wonderful, so is polenta. Bobs Red Mill products will give you a wonderful tasty result. As will other products labelled grits, or polenta for that matter. I personally cannot perceive enough of a distinction between soft white grits and polenta for there to be any, but others might. I CAN find a real distinction between "heart" grits and hominy grits to establish a preference. I like hominy grits. But "heart" grits are very good on a cold morning. Would not dream of making cornbread out of either. I may not be correct, as my personal knowledge is limited, but I do not believe that a bread type product is made from polenta, either. But even yellow hominy grits, now that I think back, have a different flavor. Hope this cleared everything up, and anybody out there that can jump in with an opinion is WELCOME. Anne Just to confuse the symptoms, "grits" in the Southern sense vary from mill to mill, brand to brand, region to region. I think the cooks skill in producing a soft, hearty porridge, are what makes grits in the American South. My opinion only.

I think it removes the germ and the hull. Which is not a bad thing, though I know that seems counterintuitive. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nixtamal Quote from article: "Nixtamalization is the process whereby ripe maize grains are soaked and cooked in an alkaline solution, usually lime based, to cause the transparent outer hull, the pericarp, to separate from the grain. This process has multiple benefits including enabling the grain to be more effectively ground; increasing protein and vitamin content availability; improving flavor and aroma and reduction of mycotoxins. The recorded Aztec word for the product of this process is nixtamal. The term can also be used to describe the removal of the pericarp from any grain such as sorghum by an alkali process." From the history section: "Maize was introduced by Christopher Columbus in the 15th century, with it being grown in Spain as early as 1498. Europeans accepted maize within a generation, but they did not adopt the nixtamalization process, perhaps because the Europeans had more efficient milling processes and so did not need to remove the pericarp. However, without the process maize is a much less beneficial foodstuff, leading to outbreaks of pellagra and kwashiorkor in areas where it became a staple grain, such as certain regions of Italy and Africa. Because of this lack of understanding of the importance of the processing, maize suffered the stigma of being an unhealthy grain that could stave off starvation but lead to malnourishment. For example, this is why polenta was considered the poor person’s food in Italy until its more recent increase in status as gourmet food." Nutritional Benefits: "The nutritional benefits are many with nixtamalization. Calcium is increased by 750% with 85% available for digestion. Other vital minerals increase as well including iron, copper and zinc which may be due to the lime being used or the vessels being used to make nixtamal. Niacin is made available for digestion which would otherwise be inaccessible with non-processed maize. Another important aspect of this process’ benefit is the significant reduction (90-94%) of the mycotoxins Fusarium vierticilloides and Fusarium proliferatum which produce fumosins which cause disease in animals and possible carcinoma in humans. If nixtamal is allowed to ferment, riboflavin, protein, and niacin increase further in addition to amino acids, such as tryptophan and lysine. It has been calculated that residents of rural Mexico acquire 50% of their daily protein and 70% of calories from nixtamal tortillas. Because of the importance of nixtamal to the diet, the Mexican government has mandated that nixtamal flour have further vitamin fortification with vitamins A and C, niacin, riboflavin, folic acid, iron and zinc." It's very confusing, even to a Southern girl like me, and I could be mistaken on any and all counts! Edit to add: After rereading and noting that the hull is transparent, I was obviously mistaken on my preconception that the hull carries the grits color, and that white grits are always hominy. It appears that both polenta and grits are "grits" - but that grits can be either raw grain (heart grits) or hominy. Clear as mud.