The Help, written by Kathryn Stockett is number one on the New York Times Best Seller list for a record 25 weeks is back at number one. The just released film version of The Help debut week brought in over 25 million dollars. The interest in this story of life in Jackson, Mississippi in the 1960’s from a perspective of the privileged and their help, the maids will definitely be an Academy Award contender, especially for the acting. A well written screenplay and impressive ensemble cast drives the story home of lives in the south in the 1960’s.
Integral to the storyline in The Help is the food of the south from pies to cakes, peanut brittle to deviled eggs – food is a key to the storytelling. Another great storyteller of southern life is Martha Foose. Foose, an award-winning Southern cookbook author of Screen Doors and Sweet Tea and her most recent cookbook A Southerly Course, was one of the key food stylist’s for The Help.
Martha went to high school in Jackson, Mississippi with The Help’s author Kathryn Stockett and Brunson Green, a producer on the film. “A lot of history can take place in Mississippi in 20 years,” said Martha, somewhat melancholy. “We’re nostalgic for the place where we still live –but we want to reinvent it to make Mississippi better for everyone.“ During the interview Foose talked of the 1960’s in Mississippi when a farm had 200 people living on it to on average nine people living on the farm today. “Sometimes it is complicated to stay in Mississippi,” quipped Martha.
When the actors are vegan and gluten intolerant
As Martha Foose said, “there are no stunt eaters.” If an actor has food allergies or special dietary needs you must come up with a palatable solution.
For anyone who has read the book or seen The Help, you know that the chocolate pie is truly a catalyst, sweet glue that ties the story together. Martha was quite clear she didn’t make Minnie’s chocolate pie; it was made by her co-food stylist, Lee Ann Flemming, food columnist for the Greenwood Commonwealth. And it wasn’t one pie, it was 52 pies and 12 were gluten free for actress Bryce Dallas Howard, playing villainess Hilly Holbrook, who in a pivotal scene eats two slices of chocolate pie.
Fried chicken
It wouldn’t be the south without fried chicken. Character Celia Foote played by Jessica Chastain is vegan in real life and in a scene she had to bite into a fried chicken leg. The cookbook author stated, “They were filming over Chastain's shoulder so the chicken drumstick had to be realistic once bitten. “
Foose described the trials and tribulations of making a realistic fried drumstick vegan.”The initial try was with yellow squash that looked good for about 30 seconds and then became flaccid.” Trial and error brought her to the faux drumstick. Martha explained, “We used ½ a Popsicle stick, 1/3 of a vegan hot dog and wrapped it in tofurkey, and wrapped it in very thin vegan pie dough and trimmed it with manicure scissors. We couldn’t use milk so we used almond milk and rolled it in flour.”
In order to test that it was realistic, Martha made real fried drumsticks and a vegan version having her husband choose which was the vegan chicken leg. Did her husband find it? The cookbook author responded, “My husband has eaten fried chicken almost every Sunday of his life....hard to trick him!”
On set the fried chicken was cooked in a roofless trailer in the back “without a lick of shade but it was so fun,” Foose said with a sparkle in her voice. Unlike Kentucky Fried Chicken, Martha cooked to order asking for 25 minutes notice before it was needed on The Help set, 12 minutes per side.
The more the merrier
Martha made five Peking ducks, four were stand-ins and you hardly see the duck in the film. She is waiting for the DVD of The Help in hopes to see a lot of the food shots that never made the final version. Her other culinary credits for the film were the German chocolate cakes, double crust apple and cranberry pies, endless stuffed mushroom caps, meatballs and the iconic 60’s whole ham with pineapple slices and the maraschino cherries. Add butter peas and cornbread to round out a selection of southern food dishes that Ms. Foose created for The Help.
It takes a village
Greenwood, Mississippi was the scenic backdrop for the filming of The Help. Ms. Foose said they went local for the food. A number of the school teachers baked cakes, the retired CPA made the pralines and peanut brittle, Mary from the luncheonette and Deborah who cooks at the nursing home prepared other local dishes. Even Martha’s mother supplied a number of plates, platters and tablecloths.
Foose waxed reflectively, “Economics of cotton surround the south, and commonality around food brings people together. The process of filming The Help brought the community together, different races, religions and economics. You can cement a lot of friendships by cooking in the kitchen and sharing food around the table.”
What hasn’t changed?
When asked what foods haven’t changed and are still around Ms Foose replied, “Foods you see in the movie served in the 60’s are stilled served at weddings and bridal showers down in Mississippi like the chicken salad stuffed tomato, crab salad, finger sandwiches, caramel cakes and petit fours.”
Tomato aspic is making a comeback and that is a good thing for woman of a certain age in the Delta, Martha included herself in that group with enthusiasm.
As for what’s new to eat in the Mississippi delta, Martha’s family had just dined on redneck sushi when the interview started. Redneck sushi is similar to a Boston Roll which has shrimp; the redneck version has poached catfish.
Martha ended the interview with the way this story will be ended, with southern charm, “ You be sweet.”
Martha Foose www.marthafoose.com
The Help www.thehelpmovie.com/us/
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