Jimmy Stewart, Rear Window, 1954: "Would you fix me a sandwich, please?"
Thelma, as Stella: "Yes, I will. And I'll spread a little common sense on the bread."
Thelma's seafood dip is a bit of a mid-century curiosity (a little liberal with the sour cream and Miracle Whip), but I've given you a crowd-pleasing alternative below that, from Donya Mullins of "A Southern Soul".
Thelma's recipe is from: Christmas in Tinseltown, Celebrity Recipes. Frank DeCaro, 1962
Thelma Ritter's Seafood Dip
Mix the first five ingredients until well combined. Season, to taste, with soy sauce. Serve with potato chips.
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
1/2 pound crab meat
1 teaspoon grated onion
Soy sauce, to taste
Then, as an alternative, here's a classic southern crab dip, courtesy of Donya Mullins.
Donya Mullins' Easy Hot Crab Dip
Servings 8
Rich, creamy Hot Crab Dip cooked in a cast-iron skillet is the ultimate appetizer for any party! Loaded with fresh crab meat and seasoned perfectly, your friends and family will be begging for this easy-to-make recipe.
Prep Time 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes minutes
Ingredients
8 ounce block of room temperature cream cheese
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons Dan-O's Original Seasoning
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1-¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 pound lump or claw crab meat
2 tablespoons chopped green onions - optional
Instructions
Set oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a medium-size cast-iron skillet with cooking spray and set it aside.
Using a hand or stand mixer, whip the cream cheese until smooth. Add in the sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, seasoning, and pepper flakes and mix together.
Gently fold in 1 cup of shredded cheese and crab meat. Spoon into the prepared skillet, top with remaining cheese, a sprinkle of Dan-O's and bake for 20-25 minutes until hot and bubbly.
Remove from oven, top with chopped green onions, and serve with crackers or toasted bread.