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…
Texatini (cocktail)
A "Texatini" cocktail is basically a "martini" (gin and vermouth) with tequila substituted for the gin. The "Texatini" was published in The El Paso Chile Company…
Oysters Texasfeller
"Oysters Texasfeller" is Jon Bonnell's (Bonnell's restaurant in Fort Worth) variation on the classic "Oysters Rockefeller." The "Texasfeller" uses gulf…
Fish Taco (Lobster Taco)
The "taco" is a Mexican sandwich wrapped in a tortilla, usually containing meat. The "fish taco" became popular in the United States when Ralph Rubio first sold them from his…
White Chili (“bowl of white”)
White chili ("bowl of white") differs greatly from the "bowl of red" that is the Texas official state dish (chili). White chili contains chicken and white beans;…
Cobb Salad (Southwest Cobb Salad; Southwestern Cobb Salad; Texas Cobb Salad)
Cobb salad was created and named after Robert (Bob) Cobb, the owner of the Brown Derby restaurant in Los Angeles, California. There is some debate as to whether Cobb invented the salad in 1926…
Coonass (Coon-ass)
"Coonass" (or "coon-ass") is a term used to describe Cajuns. The term is used especially in Lousiana and in the parts of Texas with a strong Louisiana influence (such as Port…
Dirty Rice (Cajun Rice)
Dirty rice (sometimes called "Louisiana dirty rice" or "cajun rice") is a popular Louisiana rice dish. Port Arthur ("Cajun Capital of Texas") has several places that…
Rattlesnake Code (Rattlesnake’s Code)
The "cowboy code" was an unwritten code of conduct for the cowboy, a way to treat everyone fairly and honestly. For gunslingers, there was also a "rattlesnake's code." The…
Freddie Fudpucker or Freddy Fudpucker (cocktail)
In the early 1970s, California had its "Harvey Wallbanger" (a cocktail of orange juice, vodka, and Galliano) and Texas/Mexico replied with "Freddie Fudpucker" or "Freddy…
“Never drink unless you’re alone or with somebody”
"Never drink unless you're alone or with somebody" appears as an "anonymous cowboy quote" in the book Cowboy Cocktails (2000), by Grady Spears and Brigit Binns. The…
Sombrero (cocktail)
A "Sombrero" cocktail is Kahlua (the Mexican coffee liqueur) and cream or milk. The drink is first cited in the 1970s. It is unknown why the name "Sombrero" (a Mexican hat) was…
Election Wagering (“peanut-and-toothpick” bet)
New Yorkers bet on more than the horses. Around 1900, it was popular to bet on election results. Some bets involved money, and others involved performance. The peanut-and-toothpick bet required the…
“I have calf brains, stewed kidneys, pickled pigs’ feet…” (Dallas waitress joke?)
Boyce House told the following joke in his 1955 book, You Can Always Tell a Texan (But You Can't Tell Him Much): "A man who was just getting over a spree entered a Dallas cafe and sat…