Culture and Region As Told Through Props: East Texas Hot Links
Throughout the run of East Texas Hot Links, one moment continually elicits a strong audience response: Roy Moore – played by Kelvin Roston Jr. – eating pig’s feet onstage. Court Theatre staff has received questions – online and in-person – about the pickled pig’s feet, wondering if they’re real (yes, they are); asking if the actor is really eating them (yes, he is); and where we got them (that’s a secret!).
Court’s Properties Manager Lara Musard shines a light on the prop that has everyone abuzz. Read more below!
The Pickled Pig’s Foot
Pickled pig’s feet have become an important element in the diverse tapestry of soul food. Serving as a powerful emblem of heritage in the South, pickled pig’s feet are more than just a richly flavored food item; they are a symbol of resilience and resourcefulness. Enslaved Africans in the South would often receive the less desirable cuts of meat from their oppressors; these communities exercised culinary creativity to transform such cuts into the delectable dish that Roy enjoys with a little Texas Pete’s hot Sauce and Schlitz beer at the Top o’ the Hill Cafe.