Polentina with Bananas and Maple Syrup

Polenta, or cornmeal mush, can be a delicious alternative to oatmeal and shows up in many nations across the world. In Romania and Moldavia, it is known as mamaliga; in South Africa, as mealie. In 1607, English settlers who came ashore at present-day Virginia were offered steaming bowls of what the Native Americans called rockahominy, corn without skin. Polentina refers to a creamier, more liquid form of polenta that is often served in Italy as a comforting breakfast porridge and is used as baby food.