Q: Why doesn’t Texas fall into the Gulf of Mexico? A: Because Oklahoma sucks!
Inter-state humor involving "sucks" and "blows" is not unique to Texas and Oklahoma and New Mexico. A popular joke is: "Q" Why doesn't Texas fall into the Gulf of…
Queen City of the Rio Grande (Del Rio nickname)
"Queen City of the Rio Grande" was the nickname of Brownsville in the 1890s and 1900s. Del Rio has called itself the "Queen City of the Rio Grande" since the 1920s and this…
Queen of the Missions (Mission San José y San Miguel de Aguayo)
San Antonio's Missions National Historical Park includes five historic Spanish missions. The Alamo (1718) was the first mission to be built. Mission San José y San Miguel de Aguayo (1720) --…
Quesadilla
Quesadillas are an important part of Tex-Mex cuisine. A quesadilla is a turnover with filling, such as beans, cheese, rice, and beef or chicken. The Gebhardt Chili Powder Company of San Antonio has…
Quesadilla on Steroids (mulita)
LA Weekly (CA) food critic Janathan Gold described (in a 1999 column) a mulita at La Taquiza as being "a sort of quesadilla on steroids." A mulita consists of two corn tortillas…
Quesapita or Quesa-Pita (quesadilla + pita)
A "quesapita" (or "quesa-pita") is a quesadilla served using pita bread instead of a tortilla. The restaurant chains The Pita Pit and Mr. Pita both offer quesapitas.…
Queso Fries
"Queso Fries" are a specialty of the Texicalli Grille in Austin, Texas. Several other restaurants throughout the country offer "queso fries," and it's not known if the…
Quinceañera (Quince Años)
Many Spanish-speaking people mark a girl's fifteenth birthday with a celebration. The name "Quince Años" (fifteen years) was applied to this celebration in the 1950s and 1960s; by…
Raider Rash
"Raider Rash" is a nickname for an allegedly large number of sexually transmitted diseases at Texas Tech University in Lubbock (called the "Red Raiders"). Articles about STDs…
Ranahan (or Ranny)
"Ranahan" (or "ranny") is another name for a cowboy or top ranch hand. The origin of the name is uncertain. Google BooksCowboy Lingoby Ramon F. AdamsNew York: Houghton…
Ranch Burger (Ranchburger; Ranchero Burger)
A "ranch burger" (ranch hamburger) is very different from a "ranchburger" house. The name "ranch burger" has been used by various hamburger-selling establishments…
Ranch Dressing (Ranch Salad Dressing; Ranch Dip)
"Ranch dressing" is a 1967-trademarked product of the Hidden Valley Ranch in California. (The trademark has since been sold.) In the 1980s, ranch dressing began to be used on everything,…
Ranchburger (ranch house)
A "ranchburger" might be a hamburger served with ranch dressing. In the housing industry, a "ranchburger" is a ranch-style home that seems "cookie-cutter," like…
Ranchion (ranch + mansion)
A "ranchion" (ranch + mansion) is a ranch-style mansion. The ranch-style houses that were built post-World War II from the 1940s to the 1970s were usually one story buildings and…
Ranger Cookies
The origin of the name "ranger cookies" (and the recipe as well) is unknown. Some claim that they were originally called "Texas Ranger cookies," while others claim they were…
Rat Cheer (“right here”)
"Rat cheer" is (supposedly) how people in the South say "right here." The joke pronunciation dates from at least the early 1960s. Urban Dictionarycheer Southern U.S. slang for…
Rats With Antlers (deer nickname)
Texas has a large deer population. Many Texans view deer as a nuisance, calling them "rats with antlers." John McPhee of The New Yorker wrote an essay for the November 25, 1984 issue,…
Rattlesnake Code (Rattlesnake’s Code)
The "cowboy code" was an unwritten code of conduct for the cowboy, a way to treat everyone fairly and honestly. For gunslingers, there was also a "rattlesnake's code." The…
Real Estatesman (Austin American-Statesman nickname)
The Austin American-Statesman is the daily newspaper for the capital city of Austin. The Democratic Statesman dates back to 1871, and today's newspaper is called "The Statesman" for…
Real Texas Baseball (Texas Rangers slogan)
"Real Texas Baseball" is a slogan of the Texas Rangers that was introduced in February and March 2014. Most people liked the slogan, but others questioned it. "So 'Real Texas…