Shrimp and Grits

When Dave was in culinary school in Charleston, we went there at least twice a year. I was introduced to shrimp, and grits then. I had she-crab soup there for the first time too. Both dishes are among my favorites now. A contest sounds fun; I'd be happy observing, and inhaling the aromas.

Not currently on the "Winter Menu", the shrimp and grits at Bourbon's Bistro are awesome. I think they used white grits. To me the grits are not the star of the show anyway. They are usually overshadowed by the shrimp and sauce/gravy.

http://www.bourbonsbistro.com/dinner.pdf

Limestone Restaurant does a great shrimp and grits
limestone grits

Shrimp on Andouille Grits..........BBQ Shrimp meets Shrimp Etouffee over Weisenberger Mill Grits...........only at Furlongs......

Shrimp on Andouille Grits..........BBQ Shrimp meets Shrimp Etouffee over Weisenberger Mill Grits...........only at Furlongs......

Really? You have no other opinion on anything except Furlong's? Where else in the entire world do you enjoy thier S + G and can you share with the community these opinions... please!

Let the Throw Down begin.

The Monkey Wrench has a very good shrimp -n- grits with red-eye gravy. I believe they used white grits too.

I haven't attended a Throwdown yet. I can sort of imagine what the concept is, but are there any set rules? Neutral venue? Judging panel? I'm interested in this one as I have just recently discovered the wonders of shrimp & grits.

Had some at Brendan's. Alittle too much sauce, not enough grits, but that's probably me. It was soupier than what I am use to. Is that a more correct presentation?

I'm not sure what people are looking for in Shrimp and Grits up here. My home is Charleston South Carolina. I was raised on Shrimp & Grits. I was eating Shrimp & Grits when Shrimp & Grits wasn't cool. It was traditionally a poor folks food. Anyone could go to the marsh and stand at an opening in the marsh grass and throw a hand made cast net into the creek and catch fresh shrimp on a low tide from May to September and come home with a bucket of creek shrimp. Grits were cheap and different families had some what different ways of fixing it. How you fixed it had alot to do with what you had. I remember when I was old enough to throw a cast net going to the marsh, catching shrimp and finger mullet until I was tired and taking them home to momma. She would make Shrimp & Grits with what she had. We always had country ham and coffee so red eye gravy was always available. She was a good cook and had an art for making food taste good. Any grits that were left over were not thrown away. We would pour them in a baking pan, push any left over cooked shrimp in them, then let them cool down until they jelled. Then they were cut into squares, bread'em in Calabash seafood breader and drop'em in the fring pan until they were golden brown. Now in the Low Country, all of the fancy restaurants are cooking that stuff and charging a lot of money for it because the tourist want it. Ain't that somethin'.

I'm not sure what people are looking for in Shrimp and Grits up here. My home is Charleston South Carolina. I was raised on Shrimp & Grits. I was eating Shrimp & Grits when Shrimp & Grits wasn't cool. It was traditionally a poor folks food. Anyone could go to the marsh and stand at an opening in the marsh grass and throw a hand made cast net into the creek and catch fresh shrimp on a low tide from May to September and come home with a bucket of creek shrimp. Grits were cheap and different families had some what different ways of fixing it. How you fixed it had alot to do with what you had. I remember when I was old enough to throw a cast net going to the marsh, catching shrimp and finger mullet until I was tired and taking them home to momma. She would make Shrimp & Grits with what she had. We always had country ham and coffee so red eye gravy was always available. She was a good cook and had an art for making food taste good. Any grits that were left over were not thrown away. We would pour them in a baking pan, push any left over cooked shrimp in them, then let them cool down until they jelled. Then they were cut into squares, bread'em in Calabash seafood breader and drop'em in the fring pan until they were golden brown. Now in the Low Country, all of the fancy restaurants are cooking that stuff and charging a lot of money for it because the tourist want it. Ain't that somethin'.

Both of your suggestions there sound fantastic.

I'd like to throw my hat in the ring for the Showdown if it happens!

Coincidentally, I just put Shrimp and Grits back on the menu at the club for the next couple of weeks.

My version of it is a sort of fusion "Calabash" meets "Cajun"...

I'm not giving away any details, but it's very tasty IMHO and our Members seem to like it a lot!

For the record Steve, to answer your original question, Don't think too much about what people are used to ...
About 85% of the dining publics idea of good fish around here is fried "whitefish" with tarter sauce stuck between rye bread!
Go ahead and run your best version of it as a special and see what happens!