Chile Colorado (Chili Colorado)
Chile colorado (or "chili colorado") means simply the Mexican red chile pepper. The earliest citations in English appear to come from Texas or New Mexico. Cooks.comCHILI COLORADO 1…
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“Who will join old Ben Milam in storming the Alamo?”
"Who will join old Ben Milam in storming the Alamo?" (usually quoted as "Who will go with old Ben Milam into San Antonio?") was the appeal of Texas soldier Benjamin Rush Milam…
Condensed Milk (Borden’s Eagle Brand)
Condensed milk was patented in 1856 by Gail Borden, Jr. Borden took out the water and added sugar to condense the milk. Borden's Eagle Brand condensed milk quickly became popular for seamen…
Fixin’ to
"Fixin' to" ("fixing to") is a standard feature of Southern American English and dates from at least 1843. “‘Fixin’ to’ is the official verb of Texas” and…
Fixens; Fixins; Fixings
Fixens (or "fixins" or "fixings") are trimmings, the sides of any dish, or food itself. "Chicken fixings" are prepared chicken. The terms became popular about 1837.…
“Alamo has no back door” (Maury Maverick, Jr.)
John F. Kennedy was speaking at the Alamo in 1960. There were crowds at the plaza in front of the Alamo, so he asked if the Alamo had a back door. "There is no back door to the Alamo,"…
“Here I sit, cheeks a-flexin’, giving birth to another Texan” (bathroom graffiti)
"Here I sit, cheeks a-flexin', giving birth to another Texan" is bathroom graffiti seen in New Mexico and Oklahoma. They really must be entertainment-deprived in those states. The…
“Don’t pee on my leg and tell me it’s raining”
"Don't pee on my leg and tell me it's raining" was the title of a 1996 book by television's "Judge Judy" (Judith Sheindlin). A older version is, "Don't…
“More horses’ asses than horses”
It's been said that at the racetrack there are "more horses' asses than horses." The phrase applies to many other situations as well and is of unknown origin. Some websites have…
Father’s Day in Harlem (racist joke)
What's the definition of "confusion"? Father's Day in Harlem! This racist joke dates from the 1980s and is of unknown origin. Google BooksThe Mirth of Nationsby Christie…
Cowboy Cool
"Cowboy cool" can mean beer that's been left in the back of a pickup in West Texas. That's not cold, but for a cowboy in West Texas, it's the best that can be done.…
FiDi (Financial District)
"FiDi" is a name that was used in 2006 for the financial district. The term FiDi is borrowed from San Francisco's Financial District. Google BooksFrommer's San Francisco 2005by…
Blue Steel
"Blue steel" can means many things. Steel goes through a "bluing" prcoess to protect against rust. Revolvers often have blue steel barrels. Two movies were titled "Blue…
“Big as hell and half of Texas”
"Big as all hell and half of Texas" is mighty big, indeed. The phrase "...and half of Texas" was used in a circus advertisement in 1900. "Hell and half of Georgia" was…
“Merry Tex-mas, Y’all!”
Christmas (or "X-mas") in Texas is sometimes called "Texmas" or "Tex-mas," as in "Merry Tex-mas, Y'all!" Just don't wish for a white Texmas. Google…
Cowboy Bloody Mary (cocktail)
A Cowboy Bloody Mary is a Bloody Mary with horseradish and okra. It's a "signature spirit" of the Perini Ranch in Buffalo Gap, Texas. Perini Ranch Steakhouse (Buffalo Gap, TX)Perini…
“A line in the sand” (Col. Travis in 1836; Pres. Bush in 1990)
There have been many historical "lines in the sand." The Spanish explorer Pizarro is said to have a "line in the sand" to his troops in Peru. Lieutenant Colonel William Travis…
Alamo Bowl
The annual Alamo Bowl is a football bowl played between representatives of the Big 12 and Big Ten conferences. The first Alamo Bowl was played in 1993, and it takes place in the Alamodome in San…
Tortilla
The tortilla (frm the Spanish word "torta") is used a a wrap for many Tex-Mex foods, such as burritos. The corn tortilla is the traditional one, but there are now flour and wheat…
Tortilla Curtain & Cactus Curtain
After World War II, Winston Churchill declared that an "iron curtain" had descended upon Eastern Europe. Later, there would be a Berlin Wall. The purpose of the iron curtain and the…