Walled City (Brooklyn)
Brooklyn became a city of warehouses by at least the Civil War (1860s). In Henry Reed Stiles's important three-volume work, A History of the City of Brooklyn (1867-1870), Brooklyn's…
Big Guava (summary)
After the 1970s popularity of "the Big Apple," everybody started getting into the act. "Big Guava" (for Tampa, Florida) is from the 1970s, but it remains popular. Tampa…
Mr. Brown (“Mr. Brown Goes to Town”) & Miss White (BBQ terms for light/inside and dark/outside meat)
"Mr. Brown" means the dark, smoky outside of pork barbecue, and "Miss White" (sometimes "Mrs. White" or "Ms White") means the light, moist inside of pork…
Texas Crutch (using aluminum foil in BBQ)
Kansas City "Baron of BBQ" Paul Kirk posed with a crutch covered with aluminum foil, titled "Texas Crutch," in 1999 or January 2000. Kirk coined or certainly popularized the…
Asphalt Capital of the World (Talco nickname)
Oil was discovered at the small town of Talco, Texas in 1936. The oil was low gravity crude, but it yielded a high percentage of asphalt. By at least March 1939, Talco was being called the…
Pecos Cantaloupe
The Pecos area of West Texas began irrigation and cultivation of the cantaloupe in the early 1900s. By 1913, Pecos cantaloupes were famous for their sweetness and overall flavor. The term…
Marranitos or Cochinitos or Puerquitos (little gingerbread pigs)
"Marranitos" or "cochintos" or "puerquitos" are Latin American pastries that mean literally "little pigs." They're often called "gingerbread…
Vuelve a la Vida (“Back to Life” or “Return to Life”)
"Vuelve a la Vida" ("Back to Life" or "Return to Life") is a ceviche cocktail that appears to have originated in Veracruz, Mexico. It contains various seafoods such as…
Machito (“Texas Haggis”)
"Machito" is sometimes called "Texas haggis" -- two dishes not for the faint of heart. Machito is made from the internal parts of a goat (such as the esophagus, heart, lungs,…
Enmolada
An "enmolada" is a rolled tortilla dipped in mole and usually with fillings, similar to the enchilada. Although the "enmolada" is from Oaxaca, Mexico, it's become an item…
Entomatada
An "entomatada" is a rolled tortilla dipped in tomato sauce and with fillings, similar to the enchilada. Although the "entomatada" is from Oaxaca, Mexico, it's become a…
Texas Pete (hot sauce from Winston-Salem, NC)
"Texas Pete" is not the name of any real individual, but is known as the name of a hot sauce from...Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The name "Texas Pete" was trademarked in 1936.…
Palanca (“lever” or straight-ticket votiing)
Candidates (especially Democrats in South Texas) have long encouraged the populace to vote "la palanca" ("the lever") or "una palanca" ("one lever") --…
Politiquera (campaign worker or vote broker)
A "politiquera" is a "campaign worker" (or "vote broker") and is a familiar figure in South Texas. The politiqueras are mostly female, and they drive people to the…
Pachanga (Pachanga Politics)
A "pachanga" is a Latin-American dance of Cuban origin. A South Texas "pachanga" is a barbecue/party, often one where politics is discussed. The term "pachanga…
Sheep and Wool Capital of the World (San Angelo nickname)
San Angelo has been called the "Wool Capital of the Nation" since the 1930s. Variations of San Angelo's title include "Sheep and Wool Capital of the World," "Woold and…
Spinach Capital of the World (Crystal City nickname)
Crystal City in Zavala County has been called "Spinach Capital of the World" since at least 1933-34. In 1936, the annual Crystal City Spinach Festival was started. In 1937, Crystal City…
Killer Bee Capital of the World (Hidalgo nickname)
Africanized honey bees ("killer bees") were found outside of the city of Hidalgo, Texas on October 15, 1990. Much publicity resulted, and Hidalgo took further advantage by creating a…
Golden Spread (Texas Panhandle and Amarillo high plains)
"Golden Spread" is another name for the Texas Panhandle, especially the high plains around Amarillo. It is believed that "Golden Spread" was coined by Bob Izzard of the Amarillo…
Step Into The Real Texas (Amarillo motto)
"Step Into The Real Texas" is the motto of the city of Amarillo, promoted by the Amarillo Convention and Visitor Council since 1990. Amarillo likes to promote its cowboy image, and two…