Bean Burger (Beanburger)
The San Antonio tradition of the "beanburger" (or "bean burger") supposedly began at Sill's Snack Shack ("Triple S") in 1953. The building (at the corner of…
Bear Sign (doughnuts)
"Bear sign" is a cowboy term for doughnuts. In the Pacific Northwest, "bear sign" means berry jam. "Bear sign" is first recorded from the 1830s to mean "bear…
Beaumonter (inhabitant of Beaumont)
"Beaumonter” is the name of an inhabitant of Beaumont, Texas. The name “Beaumonter” has been cited in print since at least 1895. Wikipedia: Beaumont, TexasBeaumont ( /ˈboʊmɒnt/) is a…
Bed and Breakfast Capital of Texas (Jefferson nickname)
The city of Jefferson in Marion County was designated by the Texas Legislature in 1997 as the "Bed and Breakfast Capital of (East) Texas." The small town of under 3,000 people has about…
Bee Caver (inhabitant of Bee Cave)
"Bee Caver” is the name of an inhabitant of Bee Cave, Texas. The name “Bee Caver” has been cited in print since at least 2009. "Bee Cavian" was used by one Internet poster in…
Beef-Head (a Texan)
A resident of Texas was called a "Beef-Head" by at least 1864. The name is related to Texas's famous cattle industry and was similar to "cowboy." "Beef-Heads"…
Beer Bread
Beer bread is a German tradition, usually made with rye bread. Texas has large German influences, so it's no surprise that beer bread has become a large part of Texas cuisine. Until the 1970s,…
Beer Can Chicken
Can Texas take credit for the invention of "Beer Can Chicken"? And, if Texas could take credit, why would it? Who could possibly think of cooking a chicken with a can of beer up its butt?…
Beltbuster (1/2 pound hamburger)
Texas Dairy Queens have offered a "beltbuster" sandwich since 1971. It appears that Chicago-area restaurants offered a "belt buster" sandwich from 1969. Bob's BBQ &…
Berkeley-on-the-Brazos (UT-Austin nickname)
The University of Texas at Austin is more liberal than the rest of the state of Texas, and some have compared UT-Austin to the liberal institution of the University of California at Berkeley.…
Besos (Mexican pastry “kisses”)
"Besos" ("kisses") are Mexican sweet bread ("pan dulce") especially popular on holidays such as Valentine's Day. A "beso" consists of two round domes…
Best Little Town in Two States (Anthony, TX & Anthony, NM)
The towns of Anthony, Texas and Anthony, New Mexico go be the slogan "The Best Little Town in Two States." The town (or towns) about 16 miles north of El Paso reportedly had the slogan on…
Bien Me Sabe or Bienmesabe (“Tastes good to me” spongecake with coconut cream)
"Bien me Sabe" or "bienmesabe" (Spanish for "tastes good to me") is a term given to several foods across several cultures. Most frequently, "Bien me Sabe" is…
Big Apple (Fort Worth, TX barbecue restaurant, 1941-1968)
"The Big Apple" was the name of a barbecue restaurant in Fort Worth, Texas. It is uncertain when the restaurant started (and if it had that name at the beginning). "Big Apple…
Big Auger
A "big auger" is an old west term for a "big shot." The term appears in western stories, such as those by Andy Adams (around 1900). A senator or governor or mayor or ranch owner…
Big Country
In January 1966, the Abilene (TX) Reporter-News held a contest to name its special area of Texas. The winning name (selected by several people) was "Big Country." The Big Country had been…
Big D (Dallas, Texas nickname)
"Big D," a nickname of Dallas, Texas, has been cited in print since at least the January 15, 1933, when it was printed in the Dallas (TX) Morning News. Texas broadcaster Lee Myres…
Big Empty (Texas plains)
"The Big Empty" is the moniker that Jim W. Corder (1929-1998) called the Texas plains. In his book, Lost in West Texas (1988), Corder wrote: "The territory I love out there is not…
Big Enchilada; Full Enchilada; Whole Enchilada
John Ehrlichman popularized "the big enchilada" when Watergate tapes were released from 1973. Ehrlichman's conversation with President Richard Nixon had meant that U.S. Attorney…
Big Hair House
Texas has been known since at least the 1970s and 1980s as a place of "big hair." The Texas version of a "McMansion" is the "big hair house." Wikipedia:…