True Grits

One would think that you could find a wide variety of grits -- and I do NOT mean the instant kind -- in a Georgia grocery store. However, I discovered on Saturday night that if one assumed this, one would be very wrong. I wanted to serve baked garlic cheese grits, which are delicious, as one of many side dishes at our Christmas Eve dinner. I assumed that procuring grits would be fairly simple. After all, I had made it to the South, where grits are a staple -- right? In actuality, I had to go to three different grocery stores before finding anything other than Quaker instant grits (which you cannot bake and which would not be appropriate to serve as a side), and the only option I finally found was a beaten up box from Aunt Jemima.

In contrast, every New York grocery store offers several types of grits. Odd.

Fum Fum Fum

No, I have no idea what that actually means, but someone thought it would make a great title for a carol.

Today I think I spent about $70 on Christmas music at the iTunes store. This is a bit frightening, and I blame Auntie Amanda, whose Christmas craziness must be contagious (it also manifests itself in an uncontrollable urge to bake the most delicious confections imaginable). For Christmas, she gave me two CDs full of holiday tunes, and I just couldn't stop amassing more. I bought a whole Robert Shaw Chorale Christmas CD just for the nostalgia factor (I grew up singing in the Atlanta Symphony "Christmas with Robert Shaw" concerts -- amazing stuff).

And I just remembered one more that I need -- "Fairytale of New York" by the Pogues. Sadly, this song fits my current mood, brought on, of course, by chronic vocal schizophrenia (luckily tempered by Christmas almost-cheer -- my mood not my other issues), so it's definitely worth the $0.99.

Anyway, I'll leave you all with a list of the next 10 songs on my Christmas playlist (at 107 songs and climbing!) before I go cheer myself up with some of Auntie Amanda's bourbon balls and eggnog cookies (stolen from last night's Christmas fest).

1. "A Mad Russian's Christmas" from the Trans-Siberian Orchestra's Christmas Eve and Other Stories (it's the Nutcracker hyped up with electric guitars)
2. "Auld Lang Syne" by Guy Lombardo (this one's from Auntie Amanda)
3. "Winter Wonderland" interpreted by Macy Gray
4. "Christmas Is the Time to Say 'I Love You'" by Billy Squire (also from AA; I was totally unfamiliar with this one)
5. "Christmas Is Coming" from John Denver & the Muppets (courtesy of AA again; so fun that it makes me feel 5 again)
6. "Es Ist Ein' Ros' Entsprungen" by the Trapp Family (aka "Lo, How a Rose" as sung auf Deutsche by the Sound of Music fam)
7. "Corpus Christi Carol" from Jeff Buckley's Grace (It's a carol, so that makes it Christmas-y)
8. "O Holy Night (Minuit Chretien)" sung by Luciano Pavarotti (no Christmas collection is complete without this)
9. "All I Want for Christmas Is You" a la Mariah Carey (More Christmas Music from Amanda)
10. "Here Comes Santa Claus" from the Andrews Sisters' Christmas album (LOVE it)

And that's just a smattering. Now go make your own!