“We own the night” (Street Crimes Unit motto)
"We own the night" was the unofficial motto of the New York Police Department's Street Crimes Unit in the 1990s. The unit was disbanded in 2002. The phrase "We own the…
Texas of Germany (Bavaria nickname)
Bavaria is the geographically largest state in Germany, and it has an independent spirit. Although Bavaria's climate differs from that of Texas, Bavaria has been called the "Texas of…
Texas of Russia (Russian Texas; Texas of the Soviet Union)
Russia (or the former Soviet Union), like Texas, has plenty of land -- some of it with oil. Also, many of these regions have shown an independent, "wild west" spirit, just like Texas.…
“Where music still matters” (Waterloo Records slogan)
Waterloo Records (now Waterloo Records & Video) began in Austin in 1982 with the slogan "Where music still matters." Waterloo is the original name of the city of Austin; the…
Ten-Foot Cop (NYPD Mounted Unit)
The New York Police Department has a mounted unit; such an officer is sometimes called a "ten-foot cop." The term "ten-foot cop" also appears to be used by mounted units of…
Egg Drop Soup (Egg Flower Soup)
Egg drop soup (also called egg flower soup) is a staple of Chinese American cuisine. The origins of the soup are unclear. Egg drop/flower soup was served in New York's Chinatown by the early…
Chili Gravy (Chile Gravy)
"Chili gravy" (or "chile gravy") has been called the soul of Tex-Mex. It's popularly served with enchiladas (and is sometimes called "enchilada sauce"), but is…
Texas Exit (traffic term)
A "Texas exit" is made when a vehicle exits a freeway or highway (usually when traffic is backed up, such as during rush hours or after a traffic accident) by driving across the…
Bat City (Austin nickname)
Austin's Congress Avenue Bridge was rehabilitated in 1982. Hundreds of thousands of Mexican free-tailed bats chose the under-side of the bridge to sleep during the daytime, and the city of…
Rum Rita or Rumrita (cocktail)
A "Rum Rita" (or "Rumrita") is a "Margarita" cocktail, with rum included instead of tequila. In 2000, there was a tequila shortage and restaurants were facing…
“What’s the fastest way to the hospital?”/“Just say something bad about Texas!” (joke)
Don't say something bad about Texas to a Texan. There's a joke that this is "the fastest way to get to the hospital." 30 June 1954, Mexia (TX) Daily News, "The Way It Seems…
“Acres and acres, and she’s all mine!” (Texas size joke)
Everything's bigger in Texas, but this joke is a little extreme. Google BooksWhy, When I Was A Kid...Autobiographical Ramblingsby James R. PalmerVictoria, British Columbia: Trafford…
Texas Heart Shot (hunting shot)
A "Texas heart shot" is a hunting term for shooting at the tail (buttocks region) of the animal. The femoral artery is aimed for, with a bullet (or arrow) penetrating the length of an…
Cowboys and Culture (Fort Worth slogan)
Fort Worth has been called "Cowtown" and "Where the West begins." Beginning at least 1974, the Fort Worth Convention and Visitor's Bureau advertised the city's…
Tacos de Trompo (Tacos Arabes)
Tacos de Trompo (also called Tacos Arabes) is another name for Tacos al Pastor. "Trompo" is Spanish for "(spinning) top," and meat is placed on a "trompo" similarly to…
Tortilla Soup or Sopa de Tortilla (Aztec Soup or Sopa Azteca)
Tortilla Soup (Sopa de Tortilla) is often called Aztec Soup (Sopa Azteca) in Mexico. Tortilla soup is one of the most popular soups in Texas; El Mirador in San Antonio is famous for its Sopa Azteca…
Tostada (Tostado)
"Tostada" (or the less-used "tostado") is simply Spanish for "toasted." By the 1930s, tostadas (fried tortillas) were advertised as "original Mexican corn…
“All broth and no beans”
"All broth and no beans" is another way for a Texan to say "All hat and no cattle." In other words, "all puffery and no substance." The phrase doesn't appear to…
Cream Gravy
Texans love cream gravy (sometimes called "pan gravy" or "country gravy"). Cream gravy is famously served with chicken fried steak, but it's also served with biscuits,…
“Fine as cream gravy”
"Fine as cream gravy" appears on many recent (post-1990) lists of Texas sayings, but pre-1990 citations are few. Possibly, the phrase began as "good gravy" and then expanded to…