“Remember the Alamo!”
"Remember the Alamo!" was the war cry at the battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836, about a month after the fall of the Alamo. The Texas forces, led by commander-in-chief Sam Houston,…
Texas Toothpick (onion and jalapeño strips)
An "Arkansas toothpick" is a 19th century term for a knife. A knife was sometimes (rarely) also called a "Texas toothpick." "Texas toothpicks" is a 1990s name for…
Texas Philly (sandwich)
A "Texas Philly" is a Philadelphia cheesteak sandwich with jalapeños. The "Philly" is a steak sandwich with Cheez Whiz, popularized by Pat's King of Steaks in…
Cowboy Caviar (bean dip)
"Cowboy caviar" is sometimes just another name for "Texas Caviar," a black-eyed peas dish. When black beans are substituted for black-eyed peas, "Texas caviar" becomes…
Cowboy Cookies (Laura Bush’s Governor’s Mansion Cowboy Cookies)
"Cowboy Cookies" are cookies that perhaps have gone under different names (such as "ranger cookies"). Roy Rogers (the famous singing cowboy) sold "cowboy cookies" in…
Texas Cow Chips
"Texas Cow Chips" recipes can be seen on postcards of Texas. They's a Texas name for chocolate chip cookies, with raisins and pecans also added. It is not known who first baked the…
Texas Tumbleweeds (snack)
"Texas Tumbleweeds" is a snack name, a microwaved jumbled of peanut butter chips, potato sticks, peanuts, and almond bark. It is not often served, and it's not known who originated…
Texas Sunshine (citrus-ade)
"Texas Sunshine" is a citrus drink found in the book Cooking Texas Style. The history of the drink (possibly with other names) is not known. Google BooksCooking Texas StyleTenth…
Texas Torpedo (stuffed jalapeños)
A "Texas Torpedo" is a cheese-stuffed jalapeño, popular on several Dallas menus. A "Texas Torpedo" can also mean a sandwich with jalapeños or salsa added. Culpepper Steak…
“Welcome to Texas—Now Go Home” & “Beautify Texas—Put a Yankee on a Bus” (bumper stickers)
There are several Texas bumper stickers that have been popular for several decades. Many of the bumper sticker sayings may have been coined in the 1970s and 1980s by Allied Printing of Dallas, as…
“Hoover Hog,” “Poor Man’s Pig,” “Poverty Pig” (armadillo nicknames)
The armadillo (the little armored one) has had many nicknames. "Hoover Hog" was originally applied to the jackrabbit after Herbert Hoover's Great Depression, but the nickname was…
Texas Wedge (golf putter)
"Texas wedge" is an old, humorous term for a golf putter. The golf courses in Texas were bare and didn't have much grass, so a putter was often used. The courses have changed from…
Texas Caesar Salad
The original "Caesar salad" has nothing to do with Julius Caesar of ancient Rome. Caesar Cardini developed the salad at his Tijuana, Mexico establishment (supposedly on July 4, 1924), and…
“How many Aggies/Texans does it take to eat an armadillo?”
This one has made the rounds of several internet joke files: Q: How many Aggies/Texans does it take to eat an armadillo?A: Three. One to eat the creature, and two to stop traffic. Google Groups:…
Big Apple Triple (thoroughbred racing)
In the spirit of "the Big Apple" itself, OTB has run the "Big Apple Triple" (New York State's version of the triple crown) since 1999. The first leg is the Mike Lee Stakes…
Texas Crabgrass or Texas Crab Grass (a spinach and crabmeat dish)
"Texas crabgrass" (or "Texas crab grass") is a dish that consists of spinach (the green "grass") and crabmeat. It is not known when or where the dish originated, but…
Panchos
"Panchos" are "nachos" with more things added, such as beans and guacamole (or sour cream). Some say that panchos also contain a different type of tortilla chip, not simply the…
Live Music Capital of the World (Austin nickname)
The city of Austin, Texas has called itself the "Live Music Capital of the World" since 1985, when the Austin Convention and Visitors Council used that nickname in an advertisement in…
Texas Champagne (hot sauce)
D. L. Jardine's food company has called its cayenne pepper hot sauce "Texas Champagne" since 1980. Champagne is not hot; what's meant is that it's a famous food product of…
Chalupa
"Chalupas" are popular served at Taco Bell and other Mexican-American restaurants, but they're not new. Versions of the "chalupa" ("boat" or "canoe" in…