What is the difference between grits and polenta?

Question

I've eaten both and except for the fact that sometimes polenta is a little bit more firm, they taste the same...Any southerners out there that can help?

Answer

Some people say it's just preparation and the base is the same ground corn / corn meal, some people say for grits you need (more coarsely) ground hominy (which is corn that has been soaked in lye or lime).

Polenta can be found loose and really solid: grits are generally loose.

Corn type may also differ, as may the dish's 'typical cultural trappings' (fat cheddar and bacon vs. leaner stuff)

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