The United States continues to be a house divided, with cultural borders that are as real as the political ones. In the eastern half of the country, a phenomenon known as the Grits Belt defines a region where grits are not just a novelty, but a way of life.
According to Matthew Zook, a professor of geography at the University of Kentucky, the Grits Belt is a real geographic phenomenon with porous and diffuse borders. While grits are rare in New England, the Mid-Atlantic, and Midwest, they are gloriously abundant in the Southeast, the heart of the Grits Belt.
Zook and other scholars mapped the Grits Belt in 2014 using social media geotags, revealing that the South demonstrates a general preference for grits over the rest of the country. However, it is a relatively small number of coastal localities in the Low Country that have the strongest connection to grits through social media.
Erin Byers Murray, author of “Grits: A Cultural and Culinary Journey Through the South,” notes that the history of grits dates back to European settlers adopting the Native American staple in coastal Virginia in the 1630s. The name quickly evolved into grits, permanently tying the dish to the southeastern United States.
High-profile chefs like Sean Brock in Nashville, Frank Stitt in Birmingham, Alabama, and Dominic Lee in New Orleans are devoted to Southern cuisine and elevating humble grits. These chefs are at the forefront of the grits renaissance, making the dish fancy and delicious.
The Grits Belt may not appear on a map, but its influence on Southern culture and cuisine is undeniable. As preferences change and tastes evolve, the border of the Grits Belt continues to shift, reflecting the dynamic nature of American food culture.
