Not your typical McCormick: recipes preserving a family history for decades

Not your typical McCormick: recipes preserving a family history for decades Nicole Kimball Nicole@steelcountrybee.com Wed, 09/11/2024 - 06:12 Image

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  Dominique McCormick, owner of McCormick Products

  Dominique McCormick, owner of McCormick Products
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  McCormick Products recipes passed from grandmother to grandson COURTESY PHOTOS / DOMINIQUE MCCORMICK

  McCormick Products recipes passed from grandmother to grandson COURTESY PHOTOS / DOMINIQUE MCCORMICK
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  A homemade chicken seasoning that spans decades in the McCormick name

  A homemade chicken seasoning that spans decades in the McCormick name

• McCormick Products sold at Duke’s Travel Stop

  McCormick Products sold at Duke’s Travel Stop
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  Homemade peanut brittle, freshly made by McCormick

  Homemade peanut brittle, freshly made by McCormick

• COURTESY PHOTOS / DOMINIQUE MCCORMICK

  COURTESY PHOTOS / DOMINIQUE MCCORMICK

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For over 30 years, an East Texan has been preserving the memory of his grandmother through recipes, sharing a taste of history with Northeast Texas.

Millions of people drive along Interstate-30, right through Mount Vernon. Duke’s gas station sees thousands of those drivers stop at their store to refuel, eat, and rest. Among the shelves, a special brand of McCormick Products is sought out.

No, it’s not the McCormick & Company spices you see on every day retail shelves. McCormick Products can only be found in places like the Duke’s gas station in Mount Vernon and Canton, as well as one of the few Piggly Wiggly stores left in Athens.

Dominique McCormick is an East Texan at heart and owner of McCormick Products. When asked if there was any relation to the corporate giant, he chuckled, “You know, I’ve been asked that a million times and no, not to my knowledge.” For 30 years, McCormick has been selling homemade peanut brittle, patties, and pralines, barbecue sauce, and a chicken and steak seasoning that seems to fly off the shelves.

When asked what started it all, McCormick answered with pride, “My grandmother’s fantastic homemade cooking. I decided because of those childhood memories I have with her visiting during the summertime. And she didn’t just make brittle or pecan pralines. She made chocolate fudge brownies and homemade ice cream on the front porch. I just wanted to take a handful of those recipes and share the taste with everybody.”

McCormick went on to share the history of his family, telling the Tribune that his grandmother was actually adoptive. His father was in the army and visited France, where he met McCormick’s mother. They married and had Dominique, later coming to the United States in 1966. That’s when McCormick met his adoptive grandmother, Winell, in Texas.

“She took me in her arms and gave me so much love,” McCormick said. “I felt so much trust with her, coming from a different country. She’d teach me at her kitchen table how to read and write. I told her I wanted to be a police officer one day and she said, ‘Yes, you can be and you will be.’ I did that forever too and retired.”

McCormick started his career in law enforcement at the age of 19, retiring when he was 64 years old. He’s worked at the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office, Fannin County, and the Honey Grove Police Department. Now, he focuses on his business.

Sadly, McCormick’s grandmother passed away in 2011. However, he explained she got to see the start of the business and was amazed, “She got to see quite a bit. She said, ‘I just can’t believe this all is happening.’ She walked us through the process. She’s had to fix every product, the print, all the patties, everything. She pulled us through it.”

When it comes to the products he makes and sells, McCormick laughed, “My favorite is the peanut butter brittle. I grew up with a sweet tooth, but that’s died a little with age, so the brittle is right up my alley. But I think anyone can find a flavor they like there.”

McCormick also hopes that through his recipes, he can encourage others to stay connected with their own grandparents, “If you have a grandmother still with you, just treasure every day that you have her. Call her, have a cup of coffee with her and tell her that you love her. That’s what I would like everybody to know.”

If you’d like to get a taste of McCormick Products, they can be found at the Duke’s Gas Station at 300 NE Access Road in Mount Vernon.