Nothing beats warm shrimp and grits, Southern comfort food at it’s finest! I have tried perfecting this Southern speciality and found my favorite recipe, at least so far, on epicurious.com. This version comes from Peels, a restaurant in New York, from chefs Preston and Ginger Madison.

I prefer bacon over tasso ham or andouille sausage and omit the garlic. The grits portion of the recipe calls for sharp white cheddar, but I have prepared with various  kinds of cheddar, mostly those made in Wisconsin (a little touch of home). Other than that I stick to this fairly basic recipe. Topping with a fried egg and a little bit of tarragon is genius!