August 6, 2025 • 10 mins
Old Chile stirs up a Texas-sized tale of friendship, faith, and 75 gallons of gumbo gone rogue. When the local Episcopal minister ropes him and the McKinney police chief into cooking for a church fundraiser, things quickly go off-recipe—no silverware, no idea how to use the soup kettles, and a final gumbo spill that sends the neighborhood pets into a Cajun frenzy. It’s a story of community, chaos, and just enough roux to raise $10K (and a few eyebrows). Bring your appetite—this one’s loaded.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
It's old chili. Come back at you. I got one
for you today. That's about me and the police chief
of mckinne, the Episcopal minister in McKinnie, Texas, getting together
cooking cagent gumbo for two thousand people, and the little
adventures that ensued.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
I hope he enjoyed, and let's have some fun.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
In nineteen eighty six, I was a member of the
Episcopal Church in McKinny, Texas. The flock was led by
Reverend Dean Pratt. Dean would lead me every Sunday to
a place I needed to go by way of his
thoughtful sermons. I followed and supported him in every way
I could.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Now.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
The Vestry is a group of parishioners charged with conducting
the church's business. I gladly accepted the position as a
member when asked by Dean. I was on the vestry
with Ken Walker, and that was great.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
Ken was the.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
Chief police, powerweight lefter, ex football team member of the
Southern Methodist University Mustangs, and my good friend. He grew
up in Needland, Texas, forty miles from my childhood home.
You know, the Vestry meetings were mostly cookie cutter, with
(01:27):
little excitement or drama. After one such meeting, Dean approached
Ken and me for a favor and, of course, an
opportunity for service. Two local high school girls had an
invitation to go to China to play volleyball.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
In an international tournament.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
Dean asked us to come up with a plan to
raise money for their trip. One of the girls could
not afford to go, and the other one was from
a very wealthy family in town. I suggested to the
chief that I take the father with all the money,
hold him upside don by the legs, and shake all
the money we needed from his pockets. However, another plan
(02:10):
was necessary. As I said earlier, Ken and I were
from similar areas, both close to southern Louisiana. Gumbow was
an easy call, and we knew how to make a pot.
Ten thousand dollars was our target amount to send the
girls to China. You know, that's a lot of gumbo
(02:33):
for any old boy to cook, but we were both
big ones, and calculating the amount each person would be served,
we used our consumption formula of twelve thousand dollars divided
by six dollars per bowl equals two thousand bowls of chili.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
I mean no gumbo. We aren't good to mean chili.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
Our target profit was ten thousand dollars and was easy
to arrive at the two thousand bowls of combo. Neither
of us used anything that we anyway resemble a recipe,
and the fun was just beginning. Arrangements were made for
us to use McKinny High School cafeteria for food prep
(03:20):
and service. My only reservation that I refused to wear
one of those little hairnets. An inspection of the kitchen
was made. We found two fifty gallon steam heated soup cookers.
Seventy five gallons was what we were going to make.
And if we went over that, you know, it was
(03:40):
just fine. KENA and i'm ed at the local Brookshire's
food market and the manager and was meeting with us,
and E consented to supply produce chicken stock sausage for
our event. Next came the question I had not really
anticipate painted or planned on. How much everything do you need?
(04:03):
Asked the Brookshires manager. Ken and I looked at each
other and we said plenty. We settled on two hundred
and fifty two hundred and fifty chickens, one hundred sausage rounds,
fifty pounds sack of onions, and thirty pounds of celery.
The ticket sales went briskly and we did not see
(04:24):
any wisdom in counting sales. All I wanted to know
was how much money we had received. The week before
the event was very busy. Ken was in charge of
the rue preparation and we needed fifteen pounds of the
brown gold and a masterful job Ken did. Friday, before
(04:47):
the Sunday we were to serve Gunbow, we picked supplies
up from our new friends at Brookshers. There were plenty
There's plenty of room in the chill box at the
school for our ingredients, so we were all set to cook.
Early Sunday morning. Ken and I met at the school
cafeteria with Buddy's galore, and then we were beginning the
(05:09):
gum bowl. We filled the two soup caldrons with water
and put chickens in the cool water. One hour later,
those old chickens were still swimming in cold water. No
one had shown us how to start the cookers. Soon
help arrived and the steam valve was open and the
gum bowl was saved. The chickens cooked quickly and they
(05:33):
were moved from the stocked cool before de boning. While
cel regarlic, green peppers, and onion were cooking. In the cooking,
the chickens were being stripped by less than enthusiastic family members.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
We mistakenly thought.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
We could handle all the cooking, but our family was
summoned once again. We brought friends too to help bail
us out. The job was just too much for tool boys.
How much rude do we use one help arrest? We said,
just cut the bricks up and put a little bit
(06:11):
in each pot and making sure it gets to a
good color. Great, We were all well on our way
to becoming the star chefs of McKinney, Texas. Service was
to begin at three that afternoon. At noon, ninety five gallons,
no seventy five gallons gumbo was simmering, ready to be tasted.
(06:36):
Ken had the honors. Where's this soup spoon? He asked,
A cold shudder came over me. We had no silver wearing,
no napkins, no soup bowls, no plastic cups. We did
have enough iced tea and gumbow to drown the horse
ind but family to the rescue. Any stores open on
(06:58):
Sunday needed to be relieved of all their picnic supplies.
At two o'clock, to plates and surprise arrived, as well
did some of the hungry church crowd. The line began
to form and spread out the door of the cafeteria.
Dean thanked each diner and took the money. Very few
(07:20):
paid the six dollars per head. Most contributed between ten
and twenty dollars each. Ken and I proudly served bowls
of gumbow and surveyed the cafeteria for anyone choking on
in airrant chicken bone God, A mighty no calamity the
only praise we ladled until the last one in line
(07:44):
was served. I called back to the pot crew, how
much gumbo do we have left? I figure a little
over twenty gallons?
Speaker 2 (07:53):
Came back.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
Oh. At that we announced free seconds, free seconds from
the gumbo is available. Some came for an extra bowl
or to go portion, but in the end we were
left over about fifteen gallons of gumbo. Ken asked, Okay,
what are we gonna do with all this stuff? I
(08:15):
handed him a servant spoon and said, let's start eating
slowly and maybe we can put a big dnt in it.
He rolled his eyes and said, Dru, I'm going to
take you to jail. And I asked, if you know
what are we gonna what are we gonna do with it?
And Dean said I'll take it. I asked me how
he wanted to take his fifteen gallons of gumbo home.
(08:37):
And he looked around the kitchen and saw an empty
garbage canned in the corner. Let's put a couple of
trash bags in this can and I'll put them in
the garage until I figure out what.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
To do with it, he said.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
Kitchen cleaned, gumbo loaded, money stashed that day well spent.
We cleared more than enough to send the girls to
Shining to give them some spending money. The extra crack
cash was a contribution to our dear Dean Pratt to
spend as he.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
Desired in his ministry. Oh what became of the fifteen
gallons of gumbo? Well here it is.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
The gumbo container was put in the back of the
Pratt's garage. The weather was cold, so the gumbo was
safe for a day or so. Later that night my
phone rang with gumbo news. Drew Barb, Dean's wife came
home after dark and pulled into the garage. He continued,
(09:42):
I had a light out in there and it was dark.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
Barb ran into the can.
Speaker 1 (09:49):
I stopped him, and as did any of it spell Yep,
all of it went down the driveway on the way
into the street.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
I asked, Can I come over and help you clean
it up? He said, en.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
Neighborhood dogs and cats are doing a fine job with
a miss I love, Dan Prant. It's amazing what friends
can do together for fun and good. This story I
have great fun remembering Gumbo for a two thousand chill out. Peace,
(10:25):
and please watch those intersects
It's old chili. Come back at you. I got one
for you today. That's about me and the police chief
of mckinne, the Episcopal minister in McKinnie, Texas, getting together
cooking cagent gumbo for two thousand people, and the little
adventures that ensued.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
I hope he enjoyed, and let's have some fun.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
In nineteen eighty six, I was a member of the
Episcopal Church in McKinny, Texas. The flock was led by
Reverend Dean Pratt. Dean would lead me every Sunday to
a place I needed to go by way of his
thoughtful sermons. I followed and supported him in every way
I could.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Now.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
The Vestry is a group of parishioners charged with conducting
the church's business. I gladly accepted the position as a
member when asked by Dean. I was on the vestry
with Ken Walker, and that was great.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
Ken was the.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
Chief police, powerweight lefter, ex football team member of the
Southern Methodist University Mustangs, and my good friend. He grew
up in Needland, Texas, forty miles from my childhood home.
You know, the Vestry meetings were mostly cookie cutter, with
(01:27):
little excitement or drama. After one such meeting, Dean approached
Ken and me for a favor and, of course, an
opportunity for service. Two local high school girls had an
invitation to go to China to play volleyball.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
In an international tournament.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
Dean asked us to come up with a plan to
raise money for their trip. One of the girls could
not afford to go, and the other one was from
a very wealthy family in town. I suggested to the
chief that I take the father with all the money,
hold him upside don by the legs, and shake all
the money we needed from his pockets. However, another plan
(02:10):
was necessary. As I said earlier, Ken and I were
from similar areas, both close to southern Louisiana. Gumbow was
an easy call, and we knew how to make a pot.
Ten thousand dollars was our target amount to send the
girls to China. You know, that's a lot of gumbo
(02:33):
for any old boy to cook, but we were both
big ones, and calculating the amount each person would be served,
we used our consumption formula of twelve thousand dollars divided
by six dollars per bowl equals two thousand bowls of chili.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
I mean no gumbo. We aren't good to mean chili.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
Our target profit was ten thousand dollars and was easy
to arrive at the two thousand bowls of combo. Neither
of us used anything that we anyway resemble a recipe,
and the fun was just beginning. Arrangements were made for
us to use McKinny High School cafeteria for food prep
(03:20):
and service. My only reservation that I refused to wear
one of those little hairnets. An inspection of the kitchen
was made. We found two fifty gallon steam heated soup cookers.
Seventy five gallons was what we were going to make.
And if we went over that, you know, it was
(03:40):
just fine. KENA and i'm ed at the local Brookshire's
food market and the manager and was meeting with us,
and E consented to supply produce chicken stock sausage for
our event. Next came the question I had not really
anticipate painted or planned on. How much everything do you need?
(04:03):
Asked the Brookshires manager. Ken and I looked at each
other and we said plenty. We settled on two hundred
and fifty two hundred and fifty chickens, one hundred sausage rounds,
fifty pounds sack of onions, and thirty pounds of celery.
The ticket sales went briskly and we did not see
(04:24):
any wisdom in counting sales. All I wanted to know
was how much money we had received. The week before
the event was very busy. Ken was in charge of
the rue preparation and we needed fifteen pounds of the
brown gold and a masterful job Ken did. Friday, before
(04:47):
the Sunday we were to serve Gunbow, we picked supplies
up from our new friends at Brookshers. There were plenty
There's plenty of room in the chill box at the
school for our ingredients, so we were all set to cook.
Early Sunday morning. Ken and I met at the school
cafeteria with Buddy's galore, and then we were beginning the
(05:09):
gum bowl. We filled the two soup caldrons with water
and put chickens in the cool water. One hour later,
those old chickens were still swimming in cold water. No
one had shown us how to start the cookers. Soon
help arrived and the steam valve was open and the
gum bowl was saved. The chickens cooked quickly and they
(05:33):
were moved from the stocked cool before de boning. While
cel regarlic, green peppers, and onion were cooking. In the cooking,
the chickens were being stripped by less than enthusiastic family members.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
We mistakenly thought.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
We could handle all the cooking, but our family was
summoned once again. We brought friends too to help bail
us out. The job was just too much for tool boys.
How much rude do we use one help arrest? We said,
just cut the bricks up and put a little bit
(06:11):
in each pot and making sure it gets to a
good color. Great, We were all well on our way
to becoming the star chefs of McKinney, Texas. Service was
to begin at three that afternoon. At noon, ninety five gallons,
no seventy five gallons gumbo was simmering, ready to be tasted.
(06:36):
Ken had the honors. Where's this soup spoon? He asked,
A cold shudder came over me. We had no silver wearing,
no napkins, no soup bowls, no plastic cups. We did
have enough iced tea and gumbow to drown the horse
ind but family to the rescue. Any stores open on
(06:58):
Sunday needed to be relieved of all their picnic supplies.
At two o'clock, to plates and surprise arrived, as well
did some of the hungry church crowd. The line began
to form and spread out the door of the cafeteria.
Dean thanked each diner and took the money. Very few
(07:20):
paid the six dollars per head. Most contributed between ten
and twenty dollars each. Ken and I proudly served bowls
of gumbow and surveyed the cafeteria for anyone choking on
in airrant chicken bone God, A mighty no calamity the
only praise we ladled until the last one in line
(07:44):
was served. I called back to the pot crew, how
much gumbo do we have left? I figure a little
over twenty gallons?
Speaker 2 (07:53):
Came back.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
Oh. At that we announced free seconds, free seconds from
the gumbo is available. Some came for an extra bowl
or to go portion, but in the end we were
left over about fifteen gallons of gumbo. Ken asked, Okay,
what are we gonna do with all this stuff? I
(08:15):
handed him a servant spoon and said, let's start eating
slowly and maybe we can put a big dnt in it.
He rolled his eyes and said, Dru, I'm going to
take you to jail. And I asked, if you know
what are we gonna what are we gonna do with it?
And Dean said I'll take it. I asked me how
he wanted to take his fifteen gallons of gumbo home.
(08:37):
And he looked around the kitchen and saw an empty
garbage canned in the corner. Let's put a couple of
trash bags in this can and I'll put them in
the garage until I figure out what.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
To do with it, he said.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
Kitchen cleaned, gumbo loaded, money stashed that day well spent.
We cleared more than enough to send the girls to
Shining to give them some spending money. The extra crack
cash was a contribution to our dear Dean Pratt to
spend as he.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
Desired in his ministry. Oh what became of the fifteen
gallons of gumbo? Well here it is.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
The gumbo container was put in the back of the
Pratt's garage. The weather was cold, so the gumbo was
safe for a day or so. Later that night my
phone rang with gumbo news. Drew Barb, Dean's wife came
home after dark and pulled into the garage. He continued,
(09:42):
I had a light out in there and it was dark.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
Barb ran into the can.
Speaker 1 (09:49):
I stopped him, and as did any of it spell Yep,
all of it went down the driveway on the way
into the street.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
I asked, Can I come over and help you clean
it up? He said, en.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
Neighborhood dogs and cats are doing a fine job with
a miss I love, Dan Prant. It's amazing what friends
can do together for fun and good. This story I
have great fun remembering Gumbo for a two thousand chill out. Peace,
(10:25):
and please watch those intersects
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