washington postThe family’s secret is that Korie Robertson is not the cook in the Robertson home. Instead, it’s her husband, Willie Robertson. Korie is just the “assistant.” Although, Willie is sure Korie could make their family’s famous fried bologna. However, she’ll be leaving Duck Gumbo to father-in-law Phil.
Good food, and the dinner table is not only family tradition in the Robertson home, it is its life blood.
While the Robertson boys, Allan, Jase, Willie and Jep were growing up their mom, Miss Kay kept them well fed. Although there wasn’t much money, their father was an avid hunter. This, along with his commercial fishing business kept food on the table.
Miss Kay, as she is affectionately called by her husband and patriarch of the Robertson family is a world class southern cook. Miss Kay’s cooking talent is a gift that she readily shares.
It’s not uncommon for her to feed the entire family and a good portion of the neighborhood.
From deer steak to crawfish pie, Miss Kay has kept the family together by feeding them well around the dinner table. This tradition has held in hard times and still true to this day when they could certainly hire a cook. But, it’s so much more than that.
In an interview with CBN, Willie likens their company, Duck Commander, like their family recipe for Duck Gumbo.
The family recipe takes a few days to make. They like it rich in flavor, says Willie. Their company took 40 years to get where it is today. No overnight success here. Neither is there anything instant in their Gumbo, or show.
“If you really want right, and done right, you’re going to have to be patient and wait. And it will pay off in the end. But that’s how we like ours, it’s pretty rich–it’s kind of like our family. It’s a powerful family–just like a gumbo.”
Powerful is right. Duck Dynasty has broken records in television. With its beginning in 2012, just one year later it garnered $80 million in advertising sales in the first nine months. Merchandise, that has sprung from the show generated another $400 million. That’s not including duck calls. [https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duck_Dynasty]
Few of us can emulate the Robertson family, or their success. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t eat like them. Miss Kay is happy to share her love of family and food with you.
In her book Miss Kay’s Kitchen, (published by Simon & Schuster) she will aquatint you with her Louisiana cooking like “Fabulous Frog Legs” “Boiled Squirrel & Dumplings” and of course, “Phil’s Duck Gumbo”
Like creating a strong family, making Phil’s Duck Gumbo takes work, but is well worth the time and effort you put into it.
