“You realize that asphalt has a liquid state” (Texas heat joke)
How hot is it in Texas? So hot that "you realize that asphalt has a liquid state." That joke (among many others) has been circulating around the internet since at least 1998. Stanford…
Archive for 12/2006
Rat Cheer (“right here”)
"Rat cheer" is (supposedly) how people in the South say "right here." The joke pronunciation dates from at least the early 1960s. Urban Dictionarycheer Southern U.S. slang for…
Alambres (Mexican Shish Kebab)
Alambres (Spanish for "wires" or "skewers") is a dish that's sometimes called "Mexican Shish Kebab." It's served in fancier Tex-Mex restaurants. Iguana Grill…
Chili Burger; Chili Dog
Chili hot dogs (or "chili dogs" or "chilidogs") and chili hamburgers (or "chili burgers" or "chiliburgers") continue to be popular. No one knows exactly…
Chile con Queso (Chili con Queso)
Chile con queso (or chili con queso) is a simple Tex-Mex dish of chili and cheese. President Lyndon B. Johnson published a favorite recipe in 1964. Wikipedia: Chile con quesoChili con queso (also…
Texas Twist or Texas Tornado or Country Boy (three-card monte scam)
Texas Twist (also called Texas Tornado or Country Boy) is an involved three-card monte scam that's appeared in Texas and other western states. Scoundrels' GlossaryTexas Tornado. A…
Mural Capital of Texas (Breckenridge nickname)
Breckenridge was named the "Mural Capital of Texas" by the Texas legislature in 2001. Murals were painted around the town by Billy Ines, based on historic town photos. ePodunk:…
Confederate Heroes Day
Confederate Heroes Day is celebrated every January 19th (General Robert E. Lee's birthday). This may or may not be the same day as Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, which is celebrated on the third…
Red Grapefruit (State Fruit)
The Texas Red Grapefruit is the official state fruit of Texas, pronounced by the Texas legislature in 1993. A few years later, the Texas legislature would name the city of Weslaco the Citrus…
Strudel (State Pastry)
Germans have given much to Texas, and the strudel pastry is one such food. In 2003, the Texas legislature declared the strudel and the sopaipilla to both be official state pastries (with the law…
Sopaipilla (Sopapilla)
The sopaipilla (or "sopapilla") was declared in 2003 (with the law expiring in 2005) the official state pastry of Texas, along with the strudel. Yes, there are two official state…
Tamal (Tamale)
The tamal (or tamale) is an ancient (pre-Columbian) Mexican food that's popular throughout the southwestern United States. Texas Tamale CompanyTexas Tamale Seasonal SpecialsChristmas Tamale…
Gringo
"Gringo" is a term used for when an American goes to Mexico. There's a myth that the term comes from the Mexican-American War in the 1840s, when soldiers were singing "Green…
Texas Bowl
The first Texas Bowl was held in Houston's Reliant Stadium on December 28, 2006. The football bowl features representatives of the Big 12 and Big East Conferences. "Texas Bowl" was…
Chiltepin (State Native Pepper)
The chiltepin is the official state native pepper. The Texas legislature named the jalapeño official state pepper in 1995, so the chiltepin was distinguished as the official state…
Pan de Campo (State Bread)
"Pan de campo" (also known as "cowboy bread" or "camp bread") was declared the official bread of the state of Texas by the Texas legislature in 2005. The south Texas…
Chocolate Chip Muffin (State Muffin?)
The chocolate chip muffin is (perhaps) the official state muffin of Texas according to the Wikipedia, but the Texas state legislature passed no such law. Chocolate chip muffins became nationally…
Tortilla Chips and Salsa (State Snack)
"Tortilla chips and salsa" is the official state snack of Texas. Yes, there is an official state snack of Texas! The combination is an obvious one, but it became popular with commercial…
Storyfest Capital of Texas (George West)
The city of George West (near Corpus Christi) holds an annual Storyfest since the 1980s and was named by the Texas Lesiglature in 1995 as the "Storyfest Capital of Texas." A Texas State…
Birding Capital of East Texas (Mineola nickname)
Mineola (near Dallas) was declared the "Birding Capital of East Texas" by the Texas Legislature in 2003. The Mineola Nature Preserve is a new park that the town hopes will attract…