El Pasoan (inhabitant of El Paso)
"El Pasoan" is the name of an inhabitant of El Paso, Texas. The name "El Pasoan" has been cited in print since at least 1886. Wikipedia: DemonymEl Paso → El Pasoan Wikipedia:…
Elephant Ears (pastry)
"Elephant ears" are sugary, fried dough pastries that are popular at state fairs. In Mexican bakeries, the same pastries are called orejas (ears). Other names for elephant ears include…
Elginite (inhabitant of Elgin)
"Elginite” is the name of an inhabitant of Elgin, Texas. The name “Elginite” has been cited in print since at least 1887. Wikipedia: Elgin, TexasElgin ( /ˈɛlɡɨn/) is a city in…
Ellis Island of the West (Galveston nickname)
Galveston became an alternative to Ellis Island (the immigration center in New York City), and it took in many immigrants from about 1900 until the start of World War I. The immigration of Jews to…
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…
Enchilada
Enchiladas are a popular part of the Tex-Mex cuisine. Enchiladas in Texas are usually rolled, but New Mexico usually serves stacked enchiladas. Wikipedia: EnchiladaAn enchilada is a traditional…
Enchilada Red (color of San Antonio Public Library, Central branch)
The San Antonio Express-News held a contest to name the color of the new San Antonio Public Library building (Central branch). In 1995, the entry "enchilada red" won. Some people love the…
Enchilada Soup (Chicken Enchilada Soup)
"Enchilada soup" is a recent addition to the Tex-Mex cuisine. The soup is not known in Mexico, where "tortilla soup" is popular. In 1995, the restaurant chain Chili's…
Energy Capital of the World (Houston nickname)
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: Houston, TexasHouston (pronounced /ˈhjuːstən/) is the fourth-largest city in the United States of America and the largest city within the state of Texas. As…
Enfrijolada
"Enfrijoladas" are tortillas dipped in bean sauce, a recipe from Oaxaca, Mexico. Robb Walsh and David Garrido included enfrijoladas in their Nuevo Tex-Mex cookbook (1998). An…
Enganchadoras (female “grabbers” or people smugglers)
"Enganchadoras" are "female grabbers" who are involved in the business of smuggling people across the Mexican border and into the United States. The term…
Enmolada
An "enmolada" is a rolled tortilla dipped in mole and usually with fillings, similar to the enchilada. Although the "enmolada" is from Oaxaca, Mexico, it's become an item…
Enron Field Curse (stadium name curse)
"The Enron Field Curse" was named by The Business Insider on January 18, 2012. When a company puts its name on a stadium, the theory has it, the company's business fortunes take a…
Ensalada de Noche Buena (Christmas Eve Salad)
Ensalada de Noche Buena (Christmas Eve Salad) is a Mexican fruit salad that has spread north of the border. It now often includes pomegranate dressing. Who Cooked That Up?Christmas Eve Salad or…
Entomatada
An "entomatada" is a rolled tortilla dipped in tomato sauce and with fillings, similar to the enchilada. Although the "entomatada" is from Oaxaca, Mexico, it's become a…
Envueltos (tortilla “envelopes”)
Envueltos (Spanish for "enveloped" or "wrapped") have been described as fried tacos. Tortillas are wrapped around a filling (such as meat) and then fried. "Envueltos"…
Etouffee (Crawfish Étouffée)
"Étouffée" is French for "smothered." "Crawfish Étouffée" (smothered crawfish) is a popular dish in Louisiana, especially in Breaux Bridge, the "Crawfish…
Expendables (children in drug smuggling operations)
An October 2011 Reuters news report detailed that Mexican drug cartels recruit Texas children for their operations. The drug gangs named the children "the expendables." The name was…
Explosion Coast
Port Arthur is home to several petrochemical industries; several explosions have occurred in the 2000s. The nickname "Explosion Coast" has been cited in print in October 2010, but…
Fajita
Fajitas became popular in Texas in the 1970s. I helped find the OED's two earliest entries. "Chicken fajitas" have sparked a debate among word purists who insist that the chicken has…