P-ville (Pflugerville nickname)
"P-ville" is a shortened version of the name of the city of "Pflugerville." Pflugerville (whose slogan is "Where Quality Meets Life") is a rapidly growing suburb of…
Where Quality Meets Life (Pflugerville slogan)
"Where Quality Meets Life" has been the slogan of the city of Pflugerville since 2005. Pflugerville is a rapidly growing suburb of Austin, the capital of Texas. Other slogans considered…
Big Apple Mojito
Since about 2000, there has been a Big Apple Martini (Big Apple-tini). In 2005, Bacardi launched its Bacardi Big Apple rum. A "Big Apple Mojito" recipe soon followed. Wikipedia:…
Gorilla Bread
Gorilla bread is a new recipe that's been cited on the internet from only 2000. Paula Deen served gorilla bread to Jimmy Carter on her Food Network show in 2005, and this helped popularize the…
Turducken (Churkendoose; Chuckey; Churkey; Qua-duc-ant; Osturducken)
"Turducken" is a combination of turkey, duck, and chicken, all somehow stuffed together like Russian matryoshka nesting dolls. Trademark office records show that Paul Prudhomme claims a…
WD-40 (White Democrat Over 40)
WD-40 is a popular lubricant, often used in Texas. In 2003, some Texas Democrats referred to themselves as the "WD-40s" (White Democrats Over 40). The WD-40 company actually sent the…
“Put chili on stove to simmer. Broil a steak. Eat the steak. Let chili simmer. Ignore it.” (Shivers)
"Put a pot of chili on the back of the stove to simmer. Let it keep simmering. Meanwhile, broil a good sirloin steak. Eat the steak. Let the chili continue to simmer. Then ignore it."…
Three Sisters: Corn, Beans, Squash (Three Sisters Soup; Three Sisters Stew)
The Native American "three sisters" are the spirits of corn (maize), beans, and squash. The "three sisters" term dates to the 19th century and was probably first applied by the…
Vegetarian Chili (Meatless Chili)
Chili is the official state dish of Texas, but the legislators meant chili con carne (chili with meat). Vegetarian chili became popular in the 1960s and 1970s and was first featured in cookoffs in…
Jalapeño Cornbread (Jalapeño Corn Bread)
Jalapeño cornbread is a popular side dish and a good way to use the official Texas state pepper, the
Buttermilk Pie
Buttermilk pie is popular all over the South, but it's especially popular in Texas. In West Texas -- where there's not always enough fruit for fruit pies -- buttermilk pie is a classic…
Buttermilk Dressing (Buttermilk Salad Dressing)
Buttermilk became widely used in salad dressings from the 1920s. By the 1950s and 1960s, recipes for "buttermilk (salad) dressing" became quite numerous in newspapers. In 1967, Hidden…
Ranch Dressing (Ranch Salad Dressing; Ranch Dip)
"Ranch dressing" is a 1967-trademarked product of the Hidden Valley Ranch in California. (The trademark has since been sold.) In the 1980s, ranch dressing began to be used on everything,…
Ranch Burger (Ranchburger; Ranchero Burger)
A "ranch burger" (ranch hamburger) is very different from a "ranchburger" house. The name "ranch burger" has been used by various hamburger-selling establishments…
Texas Bird of Paradise (Flycatcher; Road-Runner or Roadrunner; Paisano; Clown of the Desert)
"Texas bird of paradise" can mean several things. Since at least 1859, the "Texas bird of paradise" has meant bird also known as the scissor-tailed flycatcher. This is usually…
Texas of Canada (Alberta province nickname)
The Canadian province of Alberta is often compared with Texas. The "Texas of Canada" is rich in oil reserves, has many ranches, has a love of rodeo (the Calgary Stampede), has plenty of…
Agg Town or Aggtown (Arlington nickname)
Agg Town (or Aggtown) is a hip-hop nickname for the city of Arlington, dating from about 2003. The nickname is confusing -- it has nothing to do with the Texas A&M Aggies. The origin of the…
Bandit Signs (Street Spam; Vertical Litter; Snipe Signs; Stuff On a Stick or SOS)
"Bandit signs" have been a problem throughout Texas. The "bandit" signs appear illegally on street poles advertising to repair credit, sell your house, stop a foreclosure, et…
Lebanese Iced Tea
Iced tea is a favorite drink in the South. Sweet tea is sometimes called "the champagne of the South." Lebanese iced tea is made with rosewater and pine nuts and is served at Middle…