Why does Houston think its not a southern city? (Dallas: how much, floor)

[TexasReb]

My replies in red!

Originally Posted by texas7

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nairobi
Hlaauma (North House), Taos Pueblo (Explore # 468) | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
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1) The people CAN'T speak with southern accents
2) Southern food CANNOT be popular
3) The state CANNOT have ever been part of the Confederacy, and
3b) Confederate memorials and symbols can't be found around the state
4) "Y'all" CAN'T be the standard term for "you all/you guys"
5) There can't be a large number of Baptists

If you can honestly tell me that Texas meets all of the above requirements, then I will concede that it isn't a southern state.

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Lets see -- Texas has accents from all over the world

So does probably every where else. However, according to numerous linguistic studies, including the most extensive and detailed ever done, the dialect/idiom spoken by the vast majority of Texans is just another sub-variety of what is broadly known as "Southern American English." Clearly different from that spoken in the Northeast, Midwest, or Mountain West.

Southern Food - popular but few spots that have true Southern Food as in any other state - the most popular food here is probably Mexican.

In a sense you have a point. BUT...it is TEX-MEX...which is very different from authentic Mexican food. Although many of us Texans just call it "Mexican", it is more out of convenience and brevity than anything else. It really doesn't have all that much in common with the stuff served in the true SW states...much less Mexico. Tex-Mex is really Texas cooking (which in turn is essentially Southern in origin and style) using many traditionally Mexican ingredients.

To continue, most traditional home cooking -- including that found in most privately owned cafes/restaurants -- are clearly Southern. Hell, how many Texans, did not eat black-eyed peas on New Years Day? LOL But anyway, tea brewed in the "Southern sweet" recipe is pretty much the way most native Texans do it at home! And show me an eating joint in Texas that does not serve classically Southern fare (i.e. fried chicken, catfish, fried okra, chicken fried steak, bisquits and gravy, etc, etc?) as part of the staples? Then I will show a yankee imitation that needs to be closed down by the County Sheriff

I see confederate flags on people and things in every state in rare instances.

Without getting into this one too deeply (as I obviously am passionate about it), Texas is one of only 11 states that officially fly it as part of their historical flags display on state property, as it was a full and original member of the Confederacy.

There are Baptists everywhere too

This is kinda related to the Confederate Flag thing. It is not so much they can be found everywhere, but to what extent and in what capacity in terms of church membership percentages per capita? The Southern Baptist Church is far and away the largest protestant denomination in Texas and always has been.

Y'all - it is what it is ..... and would rather hear that than "you guys"

LOL I agree. Here is a map where the use is most prevelant!

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8d/Yall_US_Map.svg/800px- (broken link)

I think Texans know they are in a Southern state - but there are huge regional differences in Texas vs. lets say Mississippi and Alabama.

Very true. But the point to be made is that the differences are largely those -- personified -- that exist between members of the same close family lines. Perhaps between half-siblings and/or first cousins.
That is to say, the difference is noteable when stacked up with one another. It is the difference in the western South vs. eastern South. HOWEVER, they become obvious close kinfolk with one another when compared with those family trees outside the species!

[Spade]

You know the difference between Texas and the South. We call this:


Chicken fried steak. They call it country friend steak. My God that looks good. Except those green beans. They look terrible.

[Spade]

Hey TexasReb,

For one thing, Illinois was never considered a Southern state at any time in its history. For another, the real Bible Belt doesn't really swing all that far into the Midwest. About the only Midwest state that could be called part of the Bible belt based on the percentage per capita of protestant evangelical type church membership (particularly Southern Baptist), is Missouri. And that is largely because its early history has strong Southern elements.

Largely true. But to many people in Northern Illinois, once you get to Effingham coming from Chicago, you enter into the bible belt. A big cross right there off the highway signals your entrance into that area lol.

[UTHORNS96]

The general consensus here seems to be that Texas can't be southern because it has unique and international. That's silly. Seeing as the "deep south " states all have their own unique traits. People's idea that Texas isn't southern has more to do with stereotypes of what they think the south is.

[David Dollar]

Originally Posted by Spade

You know the difference between Texas and the South. We call this:


Chicken fried steak. They call it country friend steak. My God that looks good. Except those green beans. They look terrible.

We call it chicken fried steak in Mississippi. It is hard to get a good one in NC or Florida. I heard the weirdos in Georgia put brown gravy on it.......

[Spade]

Originally Posted by David Dollar

We call it chicken fried steak in Mississippi. It is hard to get a good one in NC or Florida. I heard the weirdos in Georgia put brown gravy on it.......

That is blasphemy.

[UTHORNS96]

Originally Posted by David Dollar

We call it chicken fried steak in Mississippi. It is hard to get a good one in NC or Florida. I heard the weirdos in Georgia put brown gravy on it.......

That's funny, because my friend from the Coldwater-Senatobia area always tries to crack on me for saying chicken instead of country.

[annie_himself]

Originally Posted by Spade

You know the difference between Texas and the South. We call this:


Chicken fried steak. They call it country friend steak. My God that looks good. Except those green beans. They look terrible.

You're seriously gonna post that here? In my face like that?! Wish I could un-rep you.

Wait, I have pastalaya on the stove...

[SouthernBoy205]

Originally Posted by Spade

You know the difference between Texas and the South. We call this:


Chicken fried steak. They call it country friend steak. My God that looks good. Except those green beans. They look terrible.

Chicken fried steak is very common in Alabama. (the name that is)

[TexasReb]

LOL

On the chicken fried vs. country fried steak thing, here are a couple of interesting links on the topic!

http://americanfood.about.com/od/res...ried-Steak.htm

Chicken Fried Steak vs. Country Fried Steak

Personally, something I often make at home is a combination of both. It starts with cube steak, seasoned, then floured. Buttermilk dipped, and floured again...then pan-fried with oil seasoned with a very generous dollop of bacon grease. I often add sliced onions to the grease mix (they not only taste good, but smell great! ). Anyway, pan fried til well done with a good coating of crispy crust. THEN, gravy made from the grease leavings and "crispies" that have fallen off during the frying process.

Spade? I admit this gravy comes out brown with crunchies, rather than the peppered white cream like goes on honest-to-gawd Texas chicken fried steak. So that is why I stop short of calling this homemade stuff of mine true chicken fried! LOL