On the Border by the Sea (Brownsville slogan)
Brownsville in the lower Rio Grande Valley is close to the Mexico border and by the Gulf of Mexico. "On the Border by the Sea" has been a Brownsville slogan since 1966. In 2008, an…
One-Hour Fuel (dry weeds and grass)
"One-hour fuel" is the name that fire prevention workers have termed dry weeds and grass. In West Texas -- where there is plenty of dry grass, for example -- the grass can burn as quickly…
Orange Heads or Orangeheads (UT Longhorns fans)
The University of Texas Longhorns athletic teams have the official team colors of burnt orange. Longhorns supporters have been called "orange heads" (or "orangeheads"), mostly…
Orejas (Mexican pastry “ears”)
"Orejas" ('ears") are similar to Spain's "palmeras," France's "palmiers," and America's "elephant ears." The Mexican pastry is flaky…
Ostionera (Ostioneria)
An "ostionera" or "ostioneria" ia a Mexican oyster bar. The term became popular in the Houston area in the 1990s. H TexasOstioneria 7 Mares 4602 Irvington (713) 692-7776. Have a…
OTM (Other Than Mexican)
The Border Patrol on the United States-Mexican border have called a (usually illegal) immigrant not from Mexico as an "OTM," or "Other Than Mexican." OTMs have usually been from…
Outdoor Capital of Texas (Buda nickname)
How can there be an "Outdoor Capital of Texas"? Isn't Texas all about the outdoors? It's all about business. Buda opened the stores Texas Outdoor Zone (in 2003) and the huge…
Overland Trout (bacon)
"Overland trout" is a cowboy slang name for "bacon." The term "overland trout" was part of a larger cowboy slang list that was printed in many newspapers in 1887.…
Owners’ Box or Owner’s Box (Texas House gallery where lobbyists sit)
"Owners' box" (or "owner's box") is the nickname for the gallery of the Texas House. In 2003, lobbyists sat there and the name "owners' box" was a sly…
Ox Eyes (Ojos de Buey) or Eggs in Hell (Eggs in Purgatory)
Tex-Mex recipes call for a little heat applied to the normal breakfast dish of eggs. One popular dish is huevos rancheros. The dish of "Ox Eyes" ("Ojos de Buey" or "eggs in…
Oyster and Artichoke Soup (Artichoke and Oyster Soup)
Entry in progress -- B.P. Gumbo PagesOYSTER AND ARTICHOKE SOUPThis is one of the great soups of New Orleans, one of the great soups of all time! The original version was the gift of the late Chef…
Oyster Nachos
"Oyster nachos" are nachos (tortilla chips) with fried oysters. The Dallas-based restaurant chain Fish City Grill claims to be "Home of the Oyster Nacho" and trademarked…
Oysters Texasfeller
"Oysters Texasfeller" is Jon Bonnell's (Bonnell's restaurant in Fort Worth) variation on the classic "Oysters Rockefeller." The "Texasfeller" uses gulf…
P-ville (Pflugerville nickname)
"P-ville" is a shortened version of the name of the city of "Pflugerville." Pflugerville (whose slogan is "Where Quality Meets Life") is a rapidly growing suburb of…
Pachanga (Pachanga Politics)
A "pachanga" is a Latin-American dance of Cuban origin. A South Texas "pachanga" is a barbecue/party, often one where politics is discussed. The term "pachanga…
Painted Desert Soup (black bean soup + corn chile chowder)
"Painted Desert Soup" is a specialty of the Blue Mesa Grill (various locations, originally in the Dallas area in the 1990s). The soup actually combines two popular Southwestern soups --…
Palanca (“lever” or straight-ticket votiing)
Candidates (especially Democrats in South Texas) have long encouraged the populace to vote "la palanca" ("the lever") or "una palanca" ("one lever") --…
Palestinian (inhabitant of Palestine, Texas)
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: Palestine, TexasPalestine ( /ˈpælɛstiːn/ pal-e-steen) is a city in Anderson County, Texas, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population…
Paleta (Mexican popsicle)
Paletas have been called "Mexican popsicles" or "frozen fruit bars." The name "paleta" itself means "blade" or "stick." Many paleterias (places…
Pambazo (bread and sandwich)
"Pambazo" is a dark bread, from the Spanish "pan bajo," or "bread eaten by the poor." In Vera Cruz (Mexico), "pambazo" is also a sandwich filled with…