I found this adaptation of a the classic Southern dish by Sean Brock in the NY Times intriguing in its use of fennel and smoked breakfast sausage. It's definitely on my "must try" list.

Another interesting technique is the use of cream cheese in the grits. I can see the benefits. I personally fell into a method of cooking my hominy grits in straight cream, which eliminates the need for butter or cheese, as there is enough fat content in the cream to carry the flavors, as well as provide a rich, creamy texture. All too often, I've seen cooks use too much water, then try to flavor the grits with a ton of butter and cheap shredded cheddar, which once it cools a bit, becomes a gloppy mess. I'd argue there's probably less calories in just using cream vs all the butter and cheese I've seen added. Which is why I see the use of cream cheese as being a fair option. It's basically like folding reduced cream into the mixture at the end. Certainly worth testing out.

Read the full recipe for Shrimp and Grits with Roasted Tomato, Fennel, and Sausage from the NY Times. The accompanying article about the chef Sean Brock is worth a read as well.

Edna Lewis, 89, Dies; Wrote Cookbooks That Revived Refined Southern Cuisine - New York Times

As a young cook living in Denver, I used to go to Tattered Cover book store and read cookbooks on my days off if I wasn't out thrifting. It's been a life time since I've been there, but I remember clearly the basement, a clearance section of sorts. I would scour the cookbooks, looking for gems to take home. One that stands out was this one. Though only a first generation Southerner, my paternal side of the family was quite rural, and many of those traits marry well with the southern food. So I would read Miss Lewis's book, and find a marriage between my past and present, all the while gain a love and appreciation for food that is still at the core of my existence today. I can say I'm a better cook because I discovered Edna Lewis, and I will cherish both the memories of my discovery of her cooking, as well as that cookbook, which I just retrieved from beside my bed, as I still find reading her anecdotes far more inspiring than a recipe. Thank you Miss Lewis, and may you rest in peace.