Preparation Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan. Stir in the salt and the coarse grits, stirring until the contents of the pot return to a boil. Turn the heat to low, and cook very gently for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Be sure to stir across the bottom of the pot to keep the grits from sticking. Remove from the heat and allow to stand about a half hour or until the grits are tender. Stir in the milk and sugar (and any desired optional spices). Variation—To make a more deluxe version, you can use cream in place of milk, add sweet spices to taste (like cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, cloves, or ginger) and 1/2 cup of currants or raisins. Reprinted with permission from Giving Thanks: Thanksgiving Recipes and History, from Pilgrims to Pumpkin Pie by Kathleen Curtin, Sandra L. Oliver, and Plimoth Plantation. © 2005 Clarkson Potter Buy the full book from Amazon.