Peacemaker or La Mediatrice (oyster loaf)
New Orleans was famous for its oyster loaf in the 19th century. When husbands came home late in New Orleans, they were sure to bring with them a "peacemaker" or "la mediatrice"…
Big Orange (Tel Aviv, Israel nickname)
Tel Aviv (Israel's commercial center) is often compared to New York City. Jaffa (now part of Tel Aviv) has long been famous for the Jaffa orange. Tel Aviv has called itself "the Big…
Cajun Egg Rolls (Cajun Eggrolls)
"Cajun egg rolls" (or "Cajun eggrolls") are a little different from Chinese-American egg rolls or Southwestern eggrolls. The ingredients vary, but the egg roll can include…
Bull Dozers or Bulldozers (similar to Southwestern Eggrolls)
"Bull Dozers" are similar to Chili's popular Southwestern Eggrolls and were developed about the same time in the 1990s. San Antonio's Bullpeppers Olde Town Cafe opened in 1999…
Southwestern Egg Rolls (Southwestern Eggrolls; Southwest Egg Rolls)
"Southwestern egg rolls" (or "Southwestern eggrolls" or "Southwest egg rolls") are different from the popular Chinese-American egg rolls. Wrapped in tortillas are…
Cowtown Wolf Turds (bacon-wrapped stuffed jalapeños)
"Cowtown Wolf Turds" are hollowed-out jalapeños stuffed with cream cheese ("Armadillo Eggs") wrapped in bacon, with a smoked sausage added in the middle. They were named…
Santa Fe Salad
What is a "Santa Fe salad" and how is it different from a "Southwest salad"? Is it simply called a "Southwest Salad" if you walk into McDonald's and a "Santa…
“Cowgirls Rule” (from earlier “Girls Rule, Boys Drool”)
"Cowgirls rule!" appears frequently on T-shirts for girls, especially young girls. This saying is seemingly taken from the earlier and slightly longer "Girls rule, boys drool"…
“Second toughest job in America” (NYC mayor)
In running for re-election in 1969, New York City Mayor John V. Lindsay admitted that he'd made some mistakes, but that he had "the second hardest job in America," and had done an…
Texasing (“Texas” as a verb)
"Texasing" is a use of "Texas" as a verb. When President George W. Bush shook up his cabinet (composed largely of people from Texas) in April 2006, it was written that he was…
Space City, USA (Houston nickname)
The Manned Spacecraft Center was established in 1961 in Houston; it was renamed the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in 1973. By 1962, Houston was being called "Space City, USA." On July…
“Where Sunshine Spends the Winter” (San Antonio, El Paso, Rio Grande Valley slogan)
"Where Sunshine Spends the Winter" was/is a slogan for San Antonio, El Paso, the Rio Grande Valley, Long Beach (CA), Tucson (AZ), Phoenix (AZ), and probably other places as well. In 1924,…
Mother-in-Law of the Army (San Antonio nickname)
San Antonio is home to Fort Sam Houston and other military bases. So many military men (including Dwight D. Eisenhower) married women while serving in the San Antonio area that the city has been…
Gunspoint or Gangspoint (Greenspoint District, Houston nickname)
The Greenspoint District (known as "the downtown of Houston's north side") experienced a crime wave in the late 1980s-early 1990s. The nicknames "Gunspoint" and, to a…
Ghost Voting (Button Punching; Button Pushing)
"Ghost voting" (also called "button punching" or "button pushing") occurs in the Texas House of Representatives when a representative is away from the desk, and…
Six Shooter Junction
A "six-shooter" is a revolver capable of firing six shots before reloading. The Texas towns of Harlingen, Hempstead, Kenedy, and Waco have all claimed to be known as "Six Shooter…
Gringolandia
"Gringolandia" is the "land" of the "Gringos" ("Americans" or "Yankees"). "Gringolandia" today most often refers to the United States of…
San Anto (“San Antonio” in Chicano slang)
"San Anto" means "San Antonio" in Chicano slang. This slang (called "Caló") was popular with Mexican-Americans in the 1970s, when several citations of "San…
Mission City (San Antonio nickname)
The city of San Antonio was named by Spanish explorers and missionaries who discovered a river of June 13 (the feast day of Saint Anthony) in 1691. The river was named "San Antonio" and…
Six Flags Over Texas
Texas has been under six flags -- Spain, France, Mexico, Republic of Texas, Confederate States of America, and United States of America. The city of Laredo, Texas claims seven flags -- one for the…