I've never seen white cornmeal up here, either. And no brands such as Martha White or Sunflower.

When we drove down to Gulf Port and NOLA, we stopped at gas stations (yes gas stations) that had the best biscuits I've ever eaten in my life. And I was told it was because they use lard in their buscuits. I didn't know anyone still used lard, but I have a big box in the fridge now. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Do you southerner's have a good recipe for grits?

For spicy cornbread, you can dice up a couple of jalapenos or green chilies. The seeds and pulp are the really spicy bit; the flesh is spicy but flavorful.

Corn pone is more of a dough-bread, where cornbread is a batter-bread. Corn pone requires a bit of kneading and you put it in a loaf pan or on a stone like an ordinary loaf of bread. The one time I tried it was almost inedibly hard. Cornbread, on the other hand, is a batter bread that you pour in an already hot iron skillet.

As for grits - pronounced griyuts here in the south (two syllables!) - there are tons of recipes on allrecipes.com. I'm actually a Texas transplant and thus not an expert, but it seems that most folks mix in cheese, eggs, or shrimp, and top with butter and/or sugar.

If you're ever in the south - go to Bojangles. They have the best biscuits going. Take your lipitor first <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

When you travel to Italy, be on the lookout for Polenta. It is the Italian version of cornmeal. My favorite way to prepare it is fried, Yum-O <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Polenta was a "poor man's meal". My father used to tell me stories of his childhood where the family would sit at the dinner table with creamy (soft) style polenta prepared on a large wooden board topped with tomato sauce and a small amount of meat in the center. Everyone would start eating at the edges and work their way to the center and the meat surprise. I think I'm gonna cry. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Mr. G

Mr G, polenta is our only source of cornmeal here in the UK ! But even then it snot easy to get.

Trouble is it mostly comes made into most polenta cakes which is hard to use in baking.

I've eaten a meal like you describe in rural Greece - in Evia.

A few roast lamb slices in the centre under layers of grilled polenta, roasted vegetables and tomato & oregano sauce. Yum.

I can't help but think we in the west have lost more than we gained as we have sophisticated our cuisine.

Oh man, I'm going to try roasted chillies chopped and dropped in the cornbread ! I might just drool myself to death !

Thanks everybody ! This is great !