# The Maize Mystery lol!



## Snip 13 (Feb 12, 2013)

Thought this might help clear up some confusion about the maize and corn products used in recipes on DC !

Corn has been getting a lot of publicity lately. But even before industrial agriculture *dug its claws* into this versatile cereal and invented high-fructose corn syrup, cultures around the world had devised myriad techniques for consuming *every edible part* of the plant. In Zimbabwe, you can buy *roasted maize* by the side of the road, or bags of popped maize, called _maputi_. Finely ground white maize (mealie-meal) is used to make the staple dish, _sadza_, as well as a thin porridge commonly eaten for breakfast. A Zimbabwean could easily eat corn *three times a day*.

Another *corn permutation*, common in southern Africa as well as the southern U.S. and Mexico – not to mention a food that kept the colonists alive in New England – is *samp*. Much has been written in an attempt to explain the difference between samp, hominy and grits, a task complicated by *regional usages* of these terms within the U.S. Here is how I distinguish between them:

- Hominy is *dried, whole kernels* of corn whose skins (or hulls) and germs (the little bit inside the kernel) have been removed.
- *Samp* is the same thing, except the kernels are *cracked* into a few pieces.
- Grits are *ground hominy*. Mealie-meal and polenta (typically made from yellow corn, instead of white) both differ from grits in that the *hull and germ* are not removed before grinding the dried kernels.

*Got it?*

Samp is typically *paired with dried beans* in southern Africa. In fact, you can often buy the soulmates packaged together in one bag. In South Africa, samp and beans (_umngqusho_) is a traditional dish of the Xhosa people, and was supposedly one of *Nelson Mandela’s favorite meals* growing up. You can serve cooked samp and beans with sautéed or fried onions, with butter, or with any sauce of your choosing.


SAMP



Pap (Maizemeal)




HOMINY


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## Snip 13 (Feb 12, 2013)

GRITS





POLENTA


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## Snip 13 (Feb 12, 2013)

WHITE POLENTA


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## Steve Kroll (Feb 12, 2013)

Snip 13 said:


> - Grits are *ground hominy*. Mealie-meal and polenta (typically made from yellow corn, instead of white) both differ from grits in that the *hull and germ* are not removed before grinding the dried kernels.



Not to confuse matters further but, depending on where you live in the US, grits can be made from yellow corn, as well as hominy. Yellow corn grits is essentially the same thing as polenta. Grits made from hominy can be called "hominy grits", "white grits", or simply "grits" in many places. There is also "blue grits" which is made from lye-treated blue corn.

I think this is probably a better explanation.
http://ask.yahoo.com/20021007.html

Some companies even go so far as to label the package like this:


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## taxlady (Feb 12, 2013)

I'm pretty sure it isn't hominy if it hasn't been treated with lye, called nixtamalization. That process makes more nutrients available.


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## Snip 13 (Feb 12, 2013)

Steve Kroll said:


> Not to confuse matters further but, depending on where you live in the US, grits can be made from yellow corn, as well as hominy. Yellow corn grits is essentially the same thing as polenta. Grits made from hominy can be called "hominy grits", "white grits", or simply "grits" in many places. There is also "blue grits" which is made from lye-treated blue corn.
> 
> I think this is probably a better explanation.
> What's the difference between polenta and grits?
> ...


 

Thanks Steve 
It's not confusing, just more info. Now I know you get yellow and white grits!

All the products are similar anyway and they all taste good to me!!!!

How do you prepare grits for shrimp and grits? I would really love to try it. We have coarse pap that looks just like the white grits. Would love to try it.


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## Kayelle (Feb 13, 2013)

I'm needing some Shrimp and Grits myself Snip! I went searching for the recipe I posted some time ago. Here tiz...
http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f16/kayelles-shrimp-and-glorified-grits-82632-2.html


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## Addie (Feb 13, 2013)

Thanks Snip. I love hearing more about food of other lands. Even if they are the same foods we eat here. Just by a different name. And you are right. Corn has been getting a bad name of late. I try my dangest to cook from scratch. The less chemicals I put into my body, the better I feel. And with the corn syrup, it is the chemicals that are used that make it unacceptable as an additive to Americans and the foods that it is used in to provide a cheap way of added sweetener. 

Corn is on my no no list. Aside from the hight carb content in its natural state, I can't digest the skins on the kernals. And I so dealy love corn chowder. One of my favorite foods. I am a label reader. Have to be. The food industry loves to sneak that pesky corn syrup into their products. As a diabetic, I have to watch for that. I also love white grits with cheese and an egg on top. Don't eat that too often either along with corn muffins. In fact 'corn' anything. Have to stop and think before I do.


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## CraigC (Feb 13, 2013)

Any huitlacoche (corn fungus) likers here? I've never been able to find any.


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## pacanis (Feb 13, 2013)

Clear up any confusion?
This is why I stick with plain old corn


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## Snip 13 (Feb 14, 2013)

Kayelle said:


> I'm needing some Shrimp and Grits myself Snip! I went searching for the recipe I posted some time ago. Here tiz...
> http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f16/kayelles-shrimp-and-glorified-grits-82632-2.html


 

Thank you  I'm gonna make me some shrimp and grits


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## Snip 13 (Feb 14, 2013)

Addie said:


> Thanks Snip. I love hearing more about food of other lands. Even if they are the same foods we eat here. Just by a different name. And you are right. Corn has been getting a bad name of late. I try my dangest to cook from scratch. The less chemicals I put into my body, the better I feel. And with the corn syrup, it is the chemicals that are used that make it unacceptable as an additive to Americans and the foods that it is used in to provide a cheap way of added sweetener.
> 
> Corn is on my no no list. Aside from the hight carb content in its natural state, I can't digest the skins on the kernals. And I so dealy love corn chowder. One of my favorite foods. I am a label reader. Have to be. The food industry loves to sneak that pesky corn syrup into their products. As a diabetic, I have to watch for that. I also love white grits with cheese and an egg on top. Don't eat that too often either along with corn muffins. In fact 'corn' anything. Have to stop and think before I do.


 
It's always interesting to hear how people from other countries enjoy the same products. We use similar ingredients but turn them into something completely different.

I eat my pap with cheese and a fried egg on top too  Even halfway across the world people can still have the same taste!


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## Snip 13 (Feb 14, 2013)

CraigC said:


> Any huitlacoche (corn fungus) likers here? I've never been able to find any.


 
Had to google it. I've never had it but it looks gross 
I would try it though, sometimes gross looking foods taste great!


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