For a Southern belle like the Queen of Country, Dolly Parton, Southern milk gravy stands above
the five mother sauces of France. Here’s how Dolly makes this classic creamy treat.
During an interview with RuPaul for Marie Claire, Parton said she likes to get up early
and begin her day in the kitchen, where she stands over a hot stove fully made up and
in high heels making breakfast. Parton explained to Today what’s cooking:
"Every now and then I'll make my husband, Carl, an extra special breakfast. Some of
our favorites are Southern staples like sausage patties and flaky biscuits, and this creamy
milk gravy is the perfect topping."
While many Southern-style milk gravies begin with a roux that resembles béchamel sauce,
in that it starts with butter or drippings mixed with flour over heat until no lumps
remain, Parton's recipe calls for flour, salt, thyme, black pepper, whole milk, and whipping
cream — with no trace of the butter or grease.
Today reached out to Florida chef Art Smith, who waxed poetic about gravies like Parton's,
saying:
"All Southern gravies separate good cooks from great ones. There should never be a mix
involved. Gravies are not convenience food — the recipes are rich in memories and soul.
At its core, a milk gravy is sublime in its simplicity. It's the melding of technique
and tradition."
Parton's gravy is made by mixing the dry ingredients, then whisking in the milk and cream before
setting it on top of the stove to thicken. The country music queen says the recipe is
a real winner with her husband, explaining to Marie Claire:
"He likes that once in a while. Now, I can't eat like that all the time, but I enjoy eating
it when I do."
Parton, by her own reckoning, is more than just a good cook — she's a great one! She
didn’t mind tooting her own horn to Good Morning America, saying:
"You better believe it! I'm a really, really good cook. I'm not a gourmet cook. My food
is not pretty, but it's good. I cook like my mom, my grandmas, and my aunts. I'm still
one of those people that really can cook, like the old days. That soul food cooking."
“We’ve got one up at the old Tennessee mountain home. Momma fried taters in a skillet
about that big for all of us.” “Really? That’s amazing!”
Parton relies on recipes and cooking tips she learned while growing up in a small, one
bedroom log cabin in Sevierville, Tennessee. The country musician says they didn't have
much when she and her 11 siblings were growing up, so her mother Avie Lee had to get creative;
they even made "Stone Soup" according to Parton — a hearty soup made with vegetables, chicken
stock, potato, ham hock, and garlic. To this mix, Parton's mother would add one stone which
the children found outside, which added a characteristic flavor.
In 2006, Dolly Parton decided it was time to share the recipes she'd accumulated from
her mother Avie Lee and mother-in-law Ginnie Dean, as well as recipes for dishes that are
served in restaurants in her Dollywood theme park. The cookbook, called Dixie Fixin's,
also has personal photos from Parton's collection and explores her love of food and family.
On her website, Parton says:
"I still like to try new foods as often as I can. But when it comes to cooking for myself
and my husband Carl and my great big extended family, which numbers into the multiple hundreds
these days, what we really want to eat is what comforts us most: good, hearty food rooted
in Mama's cooking and those country gatherings of my childhood. It's the food from those
Mom and Pop joints that welcome you in as if you're family. We really just want food
that is lovingly made and joyfully served up. Around here, that's what we call Dixie
Fixin's."
The cookbook now sells for a whopping $700 or more on Amazon and appears to be a real
collector's item. Given this, it may be a good idea to scour the internet for more of
Parton's tips and tricks on how to make what she calls "soul food cooking." If her milk
gravy is anything to go by, Parton's recipes are well worth the search.
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