“Grits and turnip greens are a bad memory of my childhood and adolescence.”
Well, not to try to out do your hard times story; but I grew up on my grandfathers east Texas red clay farm (outhouse, cold shower in the well-house, etc). Anyway, we ate grits regularily. In fact, we often ate them as a breakfast ceral with some sugar, butter and milk, much the same as oatmeal is eaten today. In fact, I still make grits for breakfast from time to time (but I cheat and use the instant stuff). However, I have to confess that I am the only one in my family that will eat it - but that’s ok, more for me! Btw, I still like greens too - try them with a little tabasco. I also like southern staples such as fried okra and black eyed peas - gotta have with snaps though!
I can still handle the fried okra and blackeyed peas with snaps, but I get a faint wave of nausea when I smell greens cooking.