The Coach Prime effect is real. Deion Sanders has had an undeniable impact on life and the economy in Boulder since becoming CU Boulder’s football coach. The Buffs matter again.
While in Boulder, Sanders has chronicled some of his dining adventures and spotlighted a series of breakfast spots, even awarding an online A- grade to the iconic Village Coffee Shop.
Why the "minus?"
“I’m a Southern boy, they had no grits,” Sanders said on his Instagram Reel. “The pancakes, though, was thicker than the heel of an Air Force One. And that was good, but they didn’t have no grits.”
Understandably, the Village Coffee Shop and several other Boulder cafes took the hint and have added the dish to their menus.
That simple act combined with Coach Sanders’ larger-than-life persona has generated a street food myth circulating among those who don’t actually live or dine in Boulder. Recently, two Denver sports radio commentators were talking about Sanders’ celebrity glow and Boulder. One breathlessly stated: “Before Coach Prime arrived, there were no grits available in Boulder. He brought them to the city.”
Sanders has never claimed to be the bringer of grits. He’s just a fan of the dish, like so many of us who have enjoyed it at Boulder restaurants since the 1980s — Lucile’s Creole Cafe, Dot’s Diner and other earlier eateries.
Grits were even cooked in Boulder by one of the most famous chefs in American history. Several decades ago, New Orleans cuisine innovator Paul Prudhomme came through Boulder promoting a cookbook.
When he arrived at the radio station to be interviewed, I said: “Welcome to Boulder!” Prudhomme smiled and said he had actually lived in Boulder in the early 1970s: He worked at an eatery on The Hill, and served little-known Cajun/Creole dishes including shrimp and grits.
What the heck are grits?
For the uninitiated, grits — it’s always plural — are simply ground corn cooked in water, milk or broth. It’s a humble, comfy, a.m. savory sidekick often topped with butter or cheese. It can become a Creole dinner under a layer of spicy shrimp.
Purists may be horrified, but some of us like 'em best with syrup and butter.
If you choose another corn variety, the same dish is called polenta and is served at many of Boulder’s top-rated restaurants. No matter what you call it, the dish was traditional among Native American tribes who shared it with New World colonists.
Tips: Go slow, don’t scorch
The grits experts at South Carolina’s Anson Mills offer a great basic recipe at ansonmills.com/recipes/489. YouTube is also full of videos on how to properly prepare creamy grits, but some advice is common.
• Don’t use instant! Get coarse ground grits.
• Rinse the grits several times to skim off the chaff and hulls.
• Soaking grits overnight can reduce the cooking time by about half.
• On the stove, they need to be cooked low and slow and must be stirred frequently to avoid scorching. Various experts suggest cooking them in a double boiler, oven or microwave to avoid hovering and stirring.
• Pueblo Seed & Food Company, a family farm in Cortez, produces white corn grits from certified organic heirloom corn. farmdirectseed.com
While Boulder is admittedly not in the South, grits are on the menu at Dot’s Diner, Lucile’s Creole Cafe, Parkway Cafe, Foolish Craig’s Cafe, Snooze, The Buff Restaurant, Walnut Cafe, South Side Walnut Cafe, Chautauqua Dining Hall and many other local restaurants.