Special Travel Issue; Kansas; Chicken Run; Crisscrossing Kansas
to Sample the State's Legendary Dinners:[HOME EDITION]
Cynthia Mines. Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, Calif.: Oct 12,
2003. pg. I.26
(Copyright (c) 2003 Los Angeles Times)
My first stop, at noon on Saturday, was a converted dairy barn
near Walnut called Chicken-N-Pickin'. It features dinner and
entertainment on Saturday evenings, but was offering a matinee
to accommodate a visiting church group.
The place is a family affair. Owner Karen Duling had added a
kitchen to the family barn. Her 72-year-old mother, Mary Ann
Duling, hemmed the purple curtains for the stage, helps fry
chicken--and plays the harmonica. Tables were lined up in front
of the stage. I was seated next to Ray and Carol Wall, a Kearney,
Neb., retired couple who were on their way to Branson, Mo.,
where they had seen 77 musical shows over the years.
Four Duling grandkids served each of the 50 guests two large
pieces of juicy chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans,
applesauce, a biscuit and, for dessert, a root beer float.
Some diners were given white meat, others dark, and all were
encouraged to trade pieces if they liked.
Then Karen, sans chef coat, walked to the front and slipped behind
the curtain. I was slack-jawed (as they say in the Ozarks)
at the music, especially Karen's multilayered Patsy Cline voice.
She was joined on guitar by her brother Dan Duling, a school
principal, and on drums by brother Rick Duling, a computer
tech. The bass player was from a neighboring county. Their
talent was broad and versatile, ranging smoothly from "I
Fall to Pieces" to "Jambalaya" to "Goin'
to Kansas City."
I came for the chicken but stayed for the pickin'. Was it really
that good? I looked at the veteran Branson show-goers for a
sign. At intermission, Ray said matter-of-factly: "Better'n
anything we've seen in Branson. May as well just turn around
and go right back home."
I went to find Mother Duling to ask how she had raised such talented
children. The petite woman had changed into a turquoise vest
for her appearance in the second set. She refused credit, saying
only that her five kids had grown up performing together at
church suppers and county fairs.
After intermission, Dan turned to the fiddle, and it soon became
apparent that the grandkids could do more than serve diners.
Rick's 13-year-old son prompted a standing ovation during a
trap-set solo. The show was almost over when I left--two hours
later than I'd intended.
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