Chokelahoma (Oklahoma nickname)
"Chokelahoma" (choke + Oklahoma) is an unflattering nickname for the state of Oklahoma, more usually for just Oklahoma University. The nickname is used most often at the Texas-Oklahoma…
“Veritas Liberabit Vos” (SMU motto)
Southern Methodist University has a Latin motto taken from the Bible: "Veritas Liberabit Vos" ("The truth shall make you free," John 8:32). The Johns Hopkins University motto…
Coyotes (“wolves of the border” immigration smugglers)
The coyote is an animal seen in the Southwest; J. Frank Dobie's The Voice of the Coyote (1949) tells of the folklore of the coyote. Smugglers of aliens (Mexicans and other nationalities) into…
Tequila Sour (cocktail)
A "tequila sour" is a cocktail that contains tequila, lemon, sugar, and crushed ice. It's a similar drink to "border buttermilk," although that drink sometimes replaces the…
Grilled Cheese Sandwich (Toasted Cheese Sandwich)
Los Angeles hosts an annual "Grilled Cheese Invitational," but the origins of the grilled cheese sandwich are up for debate. The name "grilled cheese" sandwich is cited in a New…
Cannibal Sandwich (“hamburger in the raw” or “beef tartar”)
The "cannibal sandwich" is another name for "hamburger in the raw" or "beef tartar." This type of sandwich (said to be less healthful than cooked meat) was somewhat…
“Onward Thru the Fog” or “Onward Through the Fog” (Oat Willie’s of Austin)
Oat Willie's is a headshop at West 29th Street and Guadalupe that was operated by Norman "Doug" Brown in 1968. The name "Oat Willie" is from an Austin-based comic…
Jalapeño Pie
Jalapeño pie is simply a pie made with jalapeños (the official state pepper) and cheese and usually eggs. Recipes are cited since at least the 1960s. Cooks.comJALAPENO PIE 8 eggs2 lb. Monterey…
Border Buttermilk (tequila sour)
"Border buttermilk" is not what it sounds like -- it's basically a tequila sour, containing tequila, lime or lemonade, and crushed ice. The drink is sometimes made with rum and was…
“Bugled to Jesus” (to die)
"Bugled to Jesus" is another term for "to die" or "to go to heaven." The term was first used by writer Larry L. King (Best Little Whorehouse in Texas), but has been…
Texpatriate (Texpat)
Sometimes a Texan leaves Texas -- usually for a very short time. When a person leaves a country, he or she becomes an "expatriate" or "expat." When a Texan leaves Texas, he or…
Hi Sign (Hidy Sign; One-Finger Wave; Medina Wave; Texas Finger Wave)
The "hi sign" (also called the "hidy sign" or "one-finger wave" or "Medina wave" or "Texas finger wave") is when one driver lifts the index finger…
“Politics is like football. You must be smart enough to play, dumb enough to think it’s important”
A popular Texas phrase that's not originally from Texas is: "Being in politics is like being a football coach. You have to be smart enough to understand the game and dumb enough to think…
“It’s a good book, but everyone gets killed in the end” (Pete Gent on Dallas Cowboys playbook)
Pete Gent was a Dallas Cowboys football player (1964-1968) under coach Tom Landry. Landry's playbook was known to be top secret and enormously complicated. Gent would write a 1973 novel about…
“If God isn’t a Longhorn, why is the sunset burnt orange?”
"If God isn't a Longhorn, why is the sunset burnt orange?" is a saying used by some fans of the University of Texas Longhorns. The official team color is burnt orange. Similar…
“We’re from here” (Frost Bank slogan)
Frost Bank began in San Antonio after the Civil War and is today the largest home-grown bank in the state of Texas. ""We're from here" is its Texas slogan. All Business…
Cup Cake (Cupcake)
The origin of the "cup cake" (or "cupcake") is unknown, but the food name appears in American cookbooks, beginning in 1828. It is possible that the cupcake originated in the…
Jalapeño Chicken (Chinese restaurant recipe)
"Jalapeño Chicken" is offered at several Chinese restaurants, especially in and around Austin, Texas. The state pepper of Texas is the jalapeño. The recipe (cited from the 1990s)…
“Why did the chicken cross the road?”/“To show the armadillo it could be done!”
The ancient joke "Q: Why did the chicken cross the road? A: To get to the other side!" gets a Texas twist when the armadillo is added. A famous Texas phrase is: "There's nothing…
“You no longer associate bridges over rivers with water” (Texas heat joke)
One of the items on popular "You Know You Are in Texas When..." internet lists is: "You no longer associate bridges over rivers with water." It's hot in Texas, but 2007…