Comal
The comal (or comalli) is a flat dish or griddle that is popularly used for making tortillas and other foods in Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisines. Comal County in Texas is named after this flat dish.…
Archive for 12/2007
Stinkadena (Pasadena nickname)
The city of Pasadena (near Houston, from a Chippewa Indian word meaning "Crown of the Valley") was a small, strawberry-growing community until the 1920s, when petrochemical plants began…
Food for the Gods
"Food for the Gods" is not to be confused with ambrosia ("Food of the Gods"). made of fruits and coconut layers. Foor for the Gods contains dates, walnuts, and cracker crumbs.…
“Keep Georgetown Normal”
Georgetown is a suburb north of the city of Austin, but it's not nearly as quirky as the capital city is. "Keep Georgetown Normal" is a 2005 imitation/parody of the popular slogan…
“Keep Round Rock Mildly Unusual”
Round Rock is a growing suburb of the city of Austin, but it's not nearly as quirky as the capital city is. "Keep Round Rock Mildly Unusual" is a 2006 imitation/parody of the popular…
Texas of Panama (Chiriqui province nickname)
The Chiriqui province on the western coast of Panama has an agricultural economy. Bananas and coffee are grown in Chiriqui, and there are many cattle farms and horse ranches. Chiriqui has been…
Texas of Cuba (Camagüey province nickname)
Camagüey province is a large province in Cuba, with an agricultural economy of primarily cattle and sugar farming. The province is known for its cowboy culture and has been called "the Texas…
Texas of Venezuela (Zulia state nickname)
The state of Zulia in northwest Venezuela has oil, cattle, and mostly conservative politics and has been called the "Texas of Venezuela." The nickname comes from a news story in the April…
Texas of Costa Rica (Guanacaste province nickname)
Guanacaste province in northwest Costa Rica is known for its cattle ranches and its cowboys. Guanacaste has been called the "cattle province" and "Texas of Costa Rica" since at…
Texas of South Africa (Vryburg, North West province nickname)
Vryburg (in the North West province of South Africa) is South Africa's largest cattle-farming area and is often called the "Texas of South Africa." The landscape is similar to West…
Texas of Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul nickname)
Rio Grande do Sul ("Great River of the South") is the southernmost state of Brazil. Like Texas, there is a large cattle-growing industry and there are gauchos (similar to the cowboys of…
Silver Alert 〈“Amber Alert” for seniors〉
The "Silver Alert" was signed into Texas law in 2007 to protect elderly people with dementia-related diseases (such as Alzheimer's) who wander away from their usual residences. The…
Texas of China (Szechuan/Sichuan province nickname)
China's Szechuan province (also spelled "Sichuan" or "Szechwan") has been called the "Texas of China" since at least the 1890s. The province is large, has an…
Ambrosia
Ambrosia (Greek for "not mortal") is the food of the immortals or "food of the gods." Ambrosia is also the name for a Southern dish that resembles a fruit cup. The origins of…
“We own the night” (Street Crimes Unit motto)
"We own the night" was the unofficial motto of the New York Police Department's Street Crimes Unit in the 1990s. The unit was disbanded in 2002. The phrase "We own the…
Texas of Germany (Bavaria nickname)
Bavaria is the geographically largest state in Germany, and it has an independent spirit. Although Bavaria's climate differs from that of Texas, Bavaria has been called the "Texas of…
Texas of Russia (Russian Texas; Texas of the Soviet Union)
Russia (or the former Soviet Union), like Texas, has plenty of land -- some of it with oil. Also, many of these regions have shown an independent, "wild west" spirit, just like Texas.…
“Where music still matters” (Waterloo Records slogan)
Waterloo Records (now Waterloo Records & Video) began in Austin in 1982 with the slogan "Where music still matters." Waterloo is the original name of the city of Austin; the…
Ten-Foot Cop (NYPD Mounted Unit)
The New York Police Department has a mounted unit; such an officer is sometimes called a "ten-foot cop." The term "ten-foot cop" also appears to be used by mounted units of…
Egg Drop Soup (Egg Flower Soup)
Egg drop soup (also called egg flower soup) is a staple of Chinese American cuisine. The origins of the soup are unclear. Egg drop/flower soup was served in New York's Chinatown by the early…