Texas (Lone Star State Dictionary)

Peanut Gallery

A "peanut gallery" is the top balcony of a theater -- the cheapest seats with usually the furthest views of the stage, and where the crowd often got rowdy. The term "peanut…

Peanut Sticks (Peanut Stix)

Peanut sticks are sticks of glazed donuts, coated in crushed peanuts. The food is a specialty of Buffalo, New York, where it was made at Freddies Doughnuts (1935-1989). They are a popular item at…

Peanutzi or Peanazi (peanut + Nazi)

"Peanutzi" or "peanazi" (peanut + Nazi) is a term-- similar to "feminazi" (feminist + Nazi) -- that describes a militant anti-peanut activist. Some people suffer from…

Pearl of the Prairie (El Campo nickname)

The term "pearl of the prairie" has been used since at least 1880, when there was a show titled Buffalo Bill at bay or, The pearl of the prairie. According to The Handbook of Texas…

Pecos Bill (legendary superhuman cowboy)

"Pecos Bill" really did exist and was the nickname of William Rufus Shafter (1835-1906), a United States Army officer. The mythical cowboy "Pecos Bill" appeared in 1923, in the…

Pecos Cantaloupe

The Pecos area of West Texas began irrigation and cultivation of the cantaloupe in the early 1900s. By 1913, Pecos cantaloupes were famous for their sweetness and overall flavor. The term…

Pecosin’ (Pecosing) & Pecos Swap

"Pecosin'" is an old-time term that means to kill someone and throw the body into the Pecos River, often with weights so it drowns. Later, the term "Pecosin'" (or the…

Pecosite (inhabitant of Pecos)

"Pecosite” is the name of an inhabitant of Pecos, Texas. The name “Pecosite” has been cited in print since at least 1890. Wikipedia: Pecos, TexasPecos is the largest city in and the…

Pedernales River Chili (LBJ recipe)

Lyndon Baines Johnson of Texas was the 36th President of the United States, but this recipe was published when he was vice president in 1961. Pronounced "Pur-DIN-alice," the Pedernales…

Pedestrian Manager

A "pedestrian manager" might also be called a "crossing guard." Sam Schwartz Engineering (Sam Schwartz was an assistant commissioner of transportation who helped popularize the…

Pedlock (pedestrian + gridlock)

Pedlock = pedestrian + gridlock. The term "pedlock" followed "gridlock" in the 1980s, but really didn't catch on until the 2000s. 19 May 1986, Newsday (Long Island, NY),…

Peking Ravioli (Chinese dumplings)

Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: JiaoziGuotie (Chinese: 鍋貼; pinyin: guōtiē; literally: "pot stick") is pan-fried jiaozi, also known as potstickers (a direct character…

Pelado

"Pelado" means "to peel." Pelados were the shirtless of Mexico, the underclass. The slang term has been used frequently in parts of Texas, especially along the border.…

Pellizcada (“pinched” tortilla appetizer)

Pellizcada (Spanish for "pinched") is a Mexican appetizer similar to a gordita and a chalupa. Tortillas dough is "pinched" up around the edges to contain a filling, and then…