Investigating the origins of American words, names, quotations and phrases.
Texas and Australia both boast about their large size, so it's no surprise that a Texas/Australia size joke appeared in the 1950s and is still told today. A Texan was visiting Australia.…
South Texas contains some large agricultural areas. "As goes South Texas, so goes the U.S. crop" is said to be an old saying, indicating that South Texas is the bellwether for American…
"You can get any legislator to vote for anything if you buy him a big enough steak" is said to be an old saying in Louisiana. However, the bribe of a "big enough steak" seems to…
Alaska became the 49th state in the United States on January 3, 1959. Alaska's great size meant that Texas was no longer the largest state in the United States -- as Texans have long liked to…
Deep-fried cookie dough (or deep-fried chocolate chip cookie dough or Texas-fried cookie dough) by Abel Gonzales won the best fried food award of the 2007 State Fair of Texas. Deep-fried cookie…
Deep-fried chocolate chip cookie dough was a hit at the 2007 State Fair of Texas, although deep-fried cookies had been served at other state fairs before this time. In 2008, Torchy's Tacos of…
Entry in progress -- B.P. rooterfandom Wikipedia: Fan (person)A fan, aficionado or supporter is someone who has an intense, occasionally overwhelming liking of a sporting club, person, group of…
"Texas T-shirt" is a (usually paper) disposable toilet seat cover, often found in the bathrooms of gas stations and restaurants. The term is derogatory and probably did not originate in…
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: MargaritaThe Margarita is one of the most common tequila-based cocktails, made with tequila mixed with triple sec and lime or lemon juice, often served with…
It's often said that the most dangerous place to be in the world is between a politician and a camera (or a microphone). You'll get crushed! U.S. Senator Bob Dole (R-Kansas) said in 1995…
It's often said that the most dangerous place to be in the world is between a politician and a camera (or a microphone). You'll get crushed! U.S. Senator Bob Dole (R-Kansas) said in 1995…
The exact date of when hot dogs were first sold at baseball games is not known. Some say that St. Louis Browns owner Chris von der Ahe (1851-1913) first served frankfurters at his St. Louis…
Corn tortillas ("tortilla de maiz") date back several centuries, but flour tortillas ("tortilla de harina") are cited in the 19th century and are believed to have been first…
Louisiana cuisine has its "Holy Trinity" of onions, celery and bell peppers. There is no single "Texas trinity" of food, but both "brisket, ribs and sausage" and…
The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus performs often at Madison Square Garden in New York City, but the circus is also frequently on the road. The performers are fed in a railroad…
"Tres leches" (three milks cake) contains evaporated milk, condensed milk, and whole milk or cream. "Cuatro leches" (or "quatro leches") is a "four milks…
The San Antonio tradition of the "beanburger" (or "bean burger") supposedly began at Sill's Snack Shack ("Triple S") in 1953. The building (at the corner of…
German immigration to New York City was high in the years before World War I. The term "Dutch" was often used for Germans (for "Deutsch"). Courtlandt Avenue in the Bronx had so…
The "Blue Alert" for law enforcement officers was patterned after the "Amber Alert" (children) and the "Silver Alert" (seniors). If a law enforcement officer is killed…
"Harder than eating red beans with a pitchfork" is said to be an East Texas saying for something that is very difficult to do. Nobody eats beans with a pitchfork -- the beans slip…