When I was young, cornmeal porridge was a regular member in our breakfast congee rotation, and I always looked forward to eating it with my fried eggs. It wasn't until my trip to Italy, though, that I fell in love. I still remember the initial encounter: the waiter set a plate in front of my dad piled high with fish and curious golden discs (fried polenta, as my internet research later revealed). I left the fish alone–I've never been a seafood lover–but before my dad could take a bite, I inhaled every last granule of the polenta. Its crunchy, savory crusts and creamy insides were a world away from the bland breakfast porridge of days past, and I was utterly smitten. I had learned an essential lesson that day: when cornmeal meets a hot pan, beautiful things happen.
