maybe it's me... but grits seems to have no real... flavor? never has... do I have faulty taste buds?
Plain grits and water can be as bland as unseasoned pasta. I make my grits for shrimp and grits with chicken stock instead of water and throw in some sharp cheddar. The savory shrimp part of the dish is what really makes it magic. Edit:. Quality of grits makes a huge difference. Better corn and grind and cleaning can add depths of flavor. Compare the difference between bleached white rice and quality wild rice.
Don't fer-get da budda, Mo budda, Mo betta! Where I'm from, we always had ours like Oat meal, add a pat of butter, some black strap molasses, and sweet cream! YUMMY Works the same with Wheat or Rice meal if you have issues with Corn like I do!