kiss my *&%$

Okay that actually was GRITS.  Remember Mel's Diner of the 80's TV fame.  Flo, saying "Kiss my Grits!"  In that high pitched Texan Drawl.  That - to me was the E - PIT- ome of the SOUTH!  Well now, I had me some grits.  Me, a northern girl.  Me.   And they came from my own personal hand (or pan as it were).

I lived with a real live southern lady (I won't call her a belle cuz she'd punch me :D) for a number of years and studied her profusely - so I think I had the SOUTHERN thing in hand.  But Grits, they eluded me.  Until I moved here.  Virginia that is. Wisconsin - via (illannoying) to Virginia.  and suddenly - I CAN make me some grits!  No capitol letters needed.  I can make them.  Now, maybe baby don't have much back - but she can cook!!!  umhmmm!  (sorry I work with some sweet sistas who love me up some.) 

Okay really it's another language.  here.  it is.  ifs yous in - yous in.  I did learned how to speak efficiently and properly to THE BACK OF THE F"N ROOM!  ask anyone in my way  - I got some lungs - but here there is a protocol and form and it's respected.  I get respect.  Finally - I get earned respect.  But it took the south to teach me. 

It's complicated here.  You want to understand our f'd up country? Come live here.  Come here with an open mind and open to issues.  You will be rocked.  You think politics is cut and dried? just a little "he said/he said?"  Live here.  You think cultural differences are easy? - again live where YOU are the minority in your own freakin country!!!  It will blow your mind!  We are not living in Mexico, or Korea but most folks here speak both Korean or some level of both Spanish and Mandarin or Korean dialect.  Do you?.  YES ENGISH should be the first language spoken here.  But IT"S NOT!!!  Reality -  all you Hispanic haters.  They out number us and shocker here - THEY ARE BILINGUAL!!!  Are you?  didn't think so!

Sorry didn't mean to bust your cool.  It's good.  That is really how the south rolls.  They are cool (except when today it was 103 - yup it's Sept. 24)  I like it here because my nature is here.  I feel I was meant to be here.  I never felt that way ever before.  I was born in WI - loved Texas and Key West but VA makes me feel good.  VA feels more "home" than Wisconsin ever did.  Oh Maybe a move to Hawaii is in order . . . . okay kidding - no one would ever visit then . .. . oh wait? it's HI we'd never get them to LEAVE!  Okay SORRY back on task.

The cooking - so I made this Coconut dessert that frankly underwhelmed me.  I need to play and tweek more.  Roger (he'd eat a boot if I said it was tasty) can't be my guinea pig.  It was gluten free but not lactose.  Thank God for Lactaid.  I will try again tomorrow.  I hate sharing my failures but it can't all be good (heck even Mel burnt things now and then!)   I experiment because I love it.  Tomorrow will be better.  And it will involve calamari and shrimp.  Yes it will by goodness.  Yes it will.  No grits though.  They were good.  But not that good.  I'm northern by birth and grits are - well, southern.  and corn is one thing I eat on the cob. peace out.

So can a Northern Girl make Grits? Hell yah.  It's all in the attitude.  And butter and stirring.  Tell me it's not ALL in the butter and stirring!!!!  cuz it is.