Howlers (Jalapeño Howlers or Texas Howlers)
"Howlers" (also called "Jalapeño Howlers" or Texas Howlers") are "jalapeño poppers." They're sliced jalapeños, breaded and deep fried, often combined with…
Huaraches (sandal- or shoe-shaped Mexican appetizers)
Huaraches (Spanish for "sandals" or "shoes") are thick, oval-shaped corn tortillas, often topped with meat, cheese, beans, and cooked cactus leaves. The name…
Hub of the Plains (Lubbock nickname)
Lubbock has been called the "Hub of the Plains" (or "Hub City of the Plains" or "Hub City") since at least 1909. Oliver Wendell Holmes, in his book The Autocrat of the…
Huckdummy (Hucky Dummy)
"Huckdummy" (also "huck dummy") or "huckydummy" (also "hucky-dummy" or "hucky dummy") is a cowboy's name for baking-powder biscuits with…
Huevos Rancheros (Ranch Eggs)
"Huevos Rancheros" (ranch eggs) is a Mexican dish that came to Texas in the late 1800s. The "ranch style" is eggs with chili peppers and tomatoes and onions, often with potatoes…
Huntsvegas (Huntsville nickname)
Huntsville, Alabama, is the largest of the many "Huntsvilles" in the United States. By at least 1992, Huntsville (called "Rocket City" because of the NASA Marshall Space Flight…
Hurricane Cocktail (Hurricane Punch)
The Hurricane Cocktail is said to have been invented at Pat O'Brien's in New Orleans, a bar that began in 1933. Whiskey had been in short supply during World War II, but rum was readily…
Hustle Town or Hustletown (Houston nickname)
"Hustle Town" (or "Hustletown") is a nickname for the city of Houston. There was a night club (ca. 2000) called Hustle Town in Houston. The nickname "Hustle Town" is…
Huttoan (inhabitant of Hutto)
"Huttoan” is the name of an inhabitant of Hutto, Texas. The name “Huttoan” (the term used in The Hutto News) has been cited in print since at least 2005. Wikipedia: Hutto, TexasHutto is…
Iced Tea
"Iced tea" (cited since at least the 1830s) is a popular drink in the South. About 1868, iced tea became popular in New York City. In early cookbooks, the drink is also sometimes referred…
Icehouse (Ice House)
The "icehouse" (or "ice house") began life as a house to store ice. Later, that included beer and other cold drinks. The icehouse became a grocery, a bar, a cafe, a gambling…
Iggy (iguana sculpture at the Fort Worth Zoo)
New York's Lone Star Cafe at 61 Fifth Avenue (corner of 13th Street) featured country music acts from 1976 to 1989. A 40-foot polyurethane-and-steel iguana sculpture named "Iggy" was…
Ike Dike (proposed Texas Gulf Coast flooding barrier)
Hurricane Ike damaged the city of Galveston and much of the Texas Gulf Coast in September 2008. A 55-mile barrier along the Texas Gulf Coast was soon proposed to prevent flooding from another…
Irish Nachos
"Irish nachos" are nachos with potatoes (something Ireland is famous for) used instead of tortilla chips. The same variety of toppings can be used, such as cheese, beans, onions, lettuce,…
Irvingite (inhabitant of Irving)
"Irvingite” is the name of an inhabitant of Irving, Texas. The name “Irvingite” has been cited in print since at least 1919. Wikipedia: Irving, TexasIrving (pronounced…
Jack in the Crack (Jack in the Box nickname)
Jack in the Box fast food restaurants are located primarily in the West and in the South; there are over 900 restaurants in California and over 600 restaurants in Texas. The company began in 1951…
Jackalope Dog (hot dog of rabbit, antelope and pork)
The restaurant Frank in Austin offers a "Jackalope" hot dog on its menu, described as "Our custom-made antelope, rabbit & pork sausage, huckleberry compote, sriracha aioli,…
Jacob’s Rail (Veloway in Austin)
The Veloway is a 3.1-mile paved trail in southwest Austin for bicycle and rollerblade traffic only. According to the 1998 Austin Chronicle (below), a particularly steep hill in the Veloway has been…
JAG (Just A Guy)
"JAG" ("Just A Guy") is a term that Bill Parcells used when coaching the Dallas Cowboys from 2003 to 2006. The term refers to a football player who is no different than any…
Jalapeño (State Pepper)
Jalapeño peppers are from the Mexico, but they are an important part of Tex-Mex cuisine. Jalapeños are cited by that name in English from at least 1929. The Texas legislature named the jalapeño…