“Nipples to the wind”
"Nipples to the Wind" is the title of a play of Texas monologues by Paula Coco. Coco describes the phrase to mean "head up, chin out," and says that "nipples to the…
“The sun has riz, the sun has set, and here we is in Texas yet”
"The sun has riz, the sun has set, and here we is in Texas yet" shows how large Texas is. These lines are said to have been written by a hobo in the early 1900s. Compare these verses to…
40 Acres (University of Texas at Austin)
The University of Texas at Austin began with forty acres. People still talk of UT as "the forty acres." "Forty acres and a mule" was a promise supposedly made after the Civil…
Margarita Cheesecake
Margarita cheesecake is a happy blend of the Margarita cocktail and the New York cheesecake. It's not known who invented the dish or where, but Margarita cheesecake was served in Chicago in…
Dollars, Taxes (Dallas, Texas)
Did you ever hear "Dollars, Taxes" for Dallas, Texas? The joke comes from Chico Marx in the film Duck Soup (1933). Internet Movie DatabaseMemorable Quotes fromDuck Soup (1933) [Charles…
Ranchburger (ranch house)
A "ranchburger" might be a hamburger served with ranch dressing. In the housing industry, a "ranchburger" is a ranch-style home that seems "cookie-cutter," like…
Swankienda (swanky + hacienda)
"Swankienda" (portmanteau of the words "swanky" and "hacienda") was coined by Houston Chronicle "Big City Beat" columnist Maxine Mesinger (1925-2001),…
French Fried Onion Rings
French fried onion rings are said to have been invented at Texas' Pig Stand restaurants (the first "drive ins") in the 1920s. However, "French fried onions" are cited from…
Texas Rose (onion appetizer)
Texas Rose is an onion appetizer offered (since 2000) at the Lonestar Steakhouse restaurant franchise. The appetizer is similar to the Bloomin' Onion that Outback Steakhouse has served since…
Texas Rose (cocktail)
Texas Rose is a nice name for a cocktail. The ingredients differ, however. Orange juice seems to be an ingredient in all variations of the Texas Rose cocktail. The most popular other ingredients…
Home of Hilton’s First Hotel (Cisco slogan)
Conrad Hilton bought the Mobley Hotel in Cisco, Texas in 1919. It was the start of what would become the famous Hilton Hotels chain. Cisco calls itself "Home of Hilton's First…
Sometimes Islands (Lake Travis)
The "Sometimes Islands" are in the middle of Lake Travis (near Austin). When the water level of the lake goes down, the Sometimes Islands appear. When the water level goes up, the…
Texas Leica
"Texas Leica" refers to a camera with a big rangefinder. Most often, a Fuji camera is called a "Texas Leica." Texas means "big" and Leica means "best" in…
Tres Leches (three milks cake)
Tres leches ("three milks") is a cake that most probably originated in Nicaragua. In recent years, the cake has been served in Tex-Mex restaurants. Wikipedia: Tres leches cakeA Tres…
Mexi-Skins (potato skins)
"Mexi-Skins" is a Tex-Mex dish of potato skins with cheese and perhaps jalapeños or salsa or sour cream added. Various recipes differ. The exact origin of the dish is unknown, but it was…
Texas Peach Cobbler
Many southern states can serve peach cobbler (something like a peach pie), but Texas peach cobbler contains Texas peaches. "Cobbler" was known in the United States from at least the early…
Empanada
The empanada (turnover) is more familiar in Cuban and South American cuisines that in Mexican cookery. However, the empanada does appear in some Tex-Mex restaurants -- not filled with meat, but…
Whenever (W subway line)
The W train has been called the "Whenever" train because service has not been frequent. The W train has received the poorest grades of any subway line and also has another unfortunate…
“Some Village in Texas Is Missing Its Idiot”
"Somewhere in Texas a Village Is Missing Its Idiot" appeared on T-shirts and bumper stickers in 2000, as George W. Bush ran for president. The term "village idiot" has been in…
Texas Tough (Texas criminal justice)
"Texas tough" can apply to any number of things, from boxers to automobiles to HEB pansies. In 2000, the Justice Policy Institute (a George Soros-backed think-tank) issued a report on…