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…
Pecan Capital of the World (San Saba); World’s Largest Pecan (Seguin)
Texas declared the pecan as the official state tree in 1919. Many areas of Texas and Oklahoma have competed for the title of "Pecan Capital." San Saba has been called the "Pecan…
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…
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…
Penis Motel & “So Close Yet So Far Out” (Austin Motel)
The Austin Motel (in the capital city of Austin, on Congress Avenue) has been family owned and operated since 1938. The motel boasts an original red 1938 neon sign that some see as a "middle…
People’s Republic of Austin (Austin nickname)
Austin is more liberal than the rest of Texas. Austin isn't Communist China, but it's nevertheless acquired the infrequent nickname of "The People's Republic of Austin."…
Perrymander or Perrymandering (Governor Rick Perry + gerrymander/gerrymandering)
The term "gerrymander" or "gerrymandering" (after Massachusetts governor Elbridge Gerry and the salamander) means to reshape the electoral district lines in such a way that it…
Pet Cat (underrated football player)
NFL football coach Bill Parcells was fond of cats. Parcells would pick out an under-appreciated football player and call him his "pet cat." Parcells was coach of the Dallas Cowboys from…
Petro Metro (Houston nickname)
The city of Houston has large business interests in the petrochemical industry. 'Petro Metro" (or "Petro-Metro") is an untrademarked and infrequently used Houston nickname.…
Petroplex (Midland/Odessa nickname)
"Petroplex" is an imitation of "Metroplex" (Dallas/Fort Worth, trademarked from January 1972). The west Texas cities of Midland and Odessa -- where petroleum is the most…
Pflugervillian (inhabitant of Pflugerville)
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: Pflugerville, TexasPflugerville ( /ˈfluːɡərvɪl/) is a city in Travis and Williamson counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 16,335 at the…
Picadillo
Picadillo usually (recipes vary widely) consists of meat with pimentos, olives, and raisins, served over rice. The Spanish recipe has found its way from Cuba and Mexico to the Southwestern U.S.…
Pico de gallo
"Pico de gallo" is a Mexican food, but probably more Cal-Mex than Tex-Mex. I pointed this dish out to the OED and supplied the 1962 citation below. Wikipedia: Pico de galloIn Mexican…
Piedras (Mexican pastry “rocks” or “stones”)
"Piedras" (meaning "rocks" or "stones") are served at Mi Tierra Restaurant & Bakery in San Antonio, described as "a raisin pecan cookie with sweet pink…
Pilgrim
"Pilgrim" was a term used from at least the 1860s to refer to a new person to the West -- a "greenhorn" or "tenderfoot." It's said that the "pilgrim"…