Poll: Why do some southerners try to pretend TX is the South? (Houston: restaurant, eat)

[TexasReb]

Originally Posted by Cathy4017

I'd have to agree with her that MS is definitely the deep south...and I can't imagine why anybody would want to live there.

I lived southeast of Jackson for 6 months on a temporary work assignment, and I kissed the ground when I got back to West Texas. That was one horrible place!! Heat, humidity, fireants (they hadn't yet made their way to WT at that time), bugs, constant rain, mud, jungle greenery, smothering trees that line the side of the roads in claustrophobic fashion...heavy southern accents, yucky food....I had NO positive experiences in the state, which had the worst educational system in the USA, with no compulsory attendance in effect at that time.

Heck, I was glad just to cross the Texas state line from Shreveport, LA.

But as you already know, I am not a fan of the South, LOL!!!

I'd have told her that she can take her "deep south" and keep it. Butterbeans, greasy fried starch for everything (meat and veggies alike), greens buried in fatback grease...yuuuuuuuck!!!

LOL She is one of my very bestest friends though, bless her heart! She is just extremely "purist and elitist" when it comes to her definition of that illusive place known as "The South" (of course, sometimes I know she intentionally does it just to get my goat! *sighs*).

Seriously though, part of the reason I mentioned it is just to show that there can be literally dozens of definitions on where and what is the South...and in some extreme cases, the person doing the defining can limit it to only a couple of states.

Anyway, Cathy...my dear Texas friend....even you like grits! *grins*

On the general topic, I DO think cruisine is an area where Texas is basically tied to the South (as generally understood), traditionally. Like Louisiana, and a few other places, Texas has developed/evolved its own works in that regard (Tex-Mex, German, etc), but old time country cooking that momma and grandmaw used to make -- and that many of us grew up on -- is Southern in origin. To say nothing of that BBQ and catfish joints are everywhere...and black-eyed peas are an established custom on New Years Day. And what Texan doesn't love fried okra!

I LOVE IT! Bacon grease and all! LOL

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by TexasReb

LOL She is one of my very bestest friends though, bless her heart! She is just extremely "purist and elitist" when it comes to her definition of that illusive place known as "The South" (of course, sometimes I know she intentionally does it just to get my goat! *sighs*).

Seriously though, part of the reason I mentioned it is just to show that there can be literally dozens of definitions on where and what is the South...and in some extreme cases, the person doing the defining can limit it to only a couple of states.

Anyway, Cathy...my dear Texas friend....even you like grits! *grins*

On the general topic, I DO think cruisine is an area where Texas is basically tied to the South (as generally understood), traditionally. Like Louisiana, and a few other places, Texas has developed/evolved its own works in that regard (Tex-Mex, German, etc), but old time country cooking that momma and grandmaw used to make -- and that many of us grew up on -- is Southern in origin. To say nothing of that BBQ and catfish joints are everywhere...and black-eyed peas are an established custom on New Years Day. And what Texan doesn't love fried okra!

I LOVE IT! Bacon grease and all! LOL

Well....this Texan hates fried okra....give me lightly boiled okra in all its bright green sliminess!!! The slime makes it fun to eat!!

LOL!! The best grits are made with cheese and green chile/jals...and baked in a casserole!! I actually first noticed grits served with breakfast items in MS, not Texas. But now, they even have grits as a menu item with breakfast at the local pancake house here in NM. I lived at that pancake house on my back and forth trips before my appliances were in--and on New Mexican huevos rancheros, not grits!

Yes, since both sets of whatever great-grandparents were from "The South" (VA, MS, GA...thank GOD they left, LOL!!!!), my grandparents did cook what is traditionally considered southern home cooking....grits, biscuits/gravy, fried chicken, cornbread (including cornbread crammed into a tall jelly glass (remember those??) and "sweet" milk poured over!

At my grandmother's house, greens were occasional....blackeyed peas were not eaten very often except on NYD...and not much in the way of fried veggies--okra, green tomatoes, squash, etc. But at my parents' place in the same WT town--and only about 100 miles from the Mexican border--we had a much more varied menu!!

I had to live in MS for awhile to appreciate my great good fortune to have been born where I was, in West Texas!! LOL!!! I thank God every day that my forebears left what is known as the "deep south." I like being a 5th generation native Texan, even though I live in NM now! I'll always be a Texan, no matter where I live!

But...life is good here in these Sacramento Mountains!!

Your friend, bless her heart (LOL) is an elitist snob about the south, and her range is much too narrow!!

[TexasReb]

Originally Posted by Cathy4017

Well....this Texan hates fried okra....give me lightly boiled okra in all its bright green sliminess!!! The slime makes it fun to eat!!

Well, at least you like okra...in SOME form or fashion. Must be your Deep South roots, reckon? *ducks your slaps*

LOL!! The best grits are made with cheese and green chile/jals...and baked in a casserole!! I actually first noticed grits served with breakfast items in MS, not Texas. But now, they even have grits as a menu item with breakfast at the local pancake house here in NM. I lived at that pancake house on my back and forth trips before my appliances were in--and on New Mexican huevos rancheros, not grits!

Really, I was never all THAT big a fan of grits, believe it or not. I just don't want no yankees gettin' too upity 'bout 'em, dammit!

Yes, since both sets of whatever great-grandparents were from "The South" (VA, MS, GA...thank GOD they left, LOL!!!!), my grandparents did cook what is traditionally considered southern home cooking....grits, biscuits/gravy, fried chicken, cornbread (including cornbread crammed into a tall jelly glass (remember those??) and "sweet" milk poured over!

You are describing Texas home cookin', doncha know? LOL Mmmmmmm....and in addition to the black-eyed peas...I suddenly got a hankerin' for some buttermilk and cornbread!

And that's what I like about the South...to paraphrase Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys!

At my grandmother's house, greens were occasional....blackeyed peas were not eaten very often except on NYD...and not much in the way of fried veggies--okra, green tomatoes, squash, etc. But at my parents' place in the same WT town--and only about 100 miles from the Mexican border--we had a much more varied menu!!

Cathy, PLEEEEZE tell me you eat black-eyed peas on New Years Day...???

Your friend, bless her heart (LOL) is an elitist snob about the south, and her range is much too narrow!!

Yeah, she is...but I gotta luv her. She is never arrogantly condecending about it. And she comes by her opinions honestly, even if I disagree with them. She is a friend tried and true. BUT...yeah, she is serious about her tunnel vision of how she defines the South....but she does it a lot too just to annoy and tease and irritate me!

And hey, when she gets TOO uppity about it? I just remind her that it was at the Battle of the Wilderness when some other Confederate units broke in the face of a concentrated yankee assault...that it was the Texans who came up to save the day. General Lee himself got excited and shouted "My Texans! Texans ALWAYS move them!!"

When some Alabamans came up to re-enforce the Texan counter-attack (which stopped the federal advance in its track and forced them to withdraw), he gave them the orders to "Just keep up with the Texans!"

By gawd!

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by solytaire

No offense, and this is irrelevant to whether Texas is Southern or whatnot.. but between this post and txguy's post I am starting to see why outsiders dislike so many Texans...

Initially I didnt understand what people meant when they said that Texans have an outlandish arrogance about them...but Im starting to see that there actually are a lot of Texans who cant express their love for their own state without berating other states...unfortunate really.

LOL!! Boy, just because I don't like MS, I'm arrogant?! Geeeez!

Tsk, tsk, tsk....

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by TexasReb

Well, at least you like okra...in SOME form or fashion. Must be your Deep South roots, reckon? *ducks your slaps*



Really, I was never all THAT big a fan of grits, believe it or not. I just don't want no yankees gettin' too upity 'bout 'em, dammit!



You are describing Texas home cookin', doncha know? LOL Mmmmmmm....and in addition to the black-eyed peas...I suddenly got a hankerin' for some buttermilk and cornbread!

And that's what I like about the South...to paraphrase Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys!



Cathy, PLEEEEZE tell me you eat black-eyed peas on New Years Day...???



Yeah, she is...but I gotta luv her. She is never arrogantly condecending about it. And she comes by her opinions honestly, even if I disagree with them. She is a friend tried and true. BUT...yeah, she is serious about her tunnel vision of how she defines the South....but she does it a lot too just to annoy and tease and irritate me!

And hey, when she gets TOO uppity about it? I just remind her that it was at the Battle of the Wilderness when some other Confederate units broke in the face of a concentrated yankee assault...that it was the Texans who came up to save the day. General Lee himself got excited and shouted "My Texans! Texans ALWAYS move them!!"

When some Alabamans came up to re-enforce the Texan counter-attack (which stopped the federal advance in its track and forced them to withdraw), he gave them the orders to "Just keep up with the Texans!"

By gawd!

That is just too, too funny, TR....LOL!! I'm sure she knows just which buttons to push!

I can't remember the last time I had blackeyed peas at all, let alone for NYD...!

[TexasReb]

Originally Posted by Cathy4017

That is just too, too funny, TR....LOL!! I'm sure she knows just which buttons to push!

I can't remember the last time I had blackeyed peas at all, let alone for NYD...!

Well, you are going to have them this year if I have to ship them to you!

[texasdreamin]

Originally Posted by txguy2009

Why is this?

Sheesh...here we go AGAIN!

Answer: BECAUSE IT IS...GET OVER IT...PLEASE!

[sweetclimber]

Originally Posted by bronx_kidd

Jealousy of Texas' greater prestige makes Southerners vindictive and want to drag down TX with them



^^^^


lol, prestige? America thinks of you guys as cowboy boot wearin southerners that say "yall" no matter how bad u wanna be Cali

Yeah, sure Bronx that's what it is

manwhile you are still stuck in that crackpipe and needle strewn slum also known as the Bronx

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by TexasReb

Well, you are going to have them this year if I have to ship them to you!

Well....just for you, I'll have a few this NYD.....I can get by with a tablespoon or so of canned blackeyed peas, right..?

[TexasReb]

Originally Posted by Cathy4017

Well....just for you, I'll have a few this NYD.....I can get by with a tablespoon or so of canned blackeyed peas, right..?

LOL Wellll, it would be better than not having them at all. BUT...just barely!

If you make some cornbread to go with 'em (no sugar, and in a seasoned iron skillet) then they might pass muster!

Reminds me...when it gets closer to New Years Day, I am going to do a poll concerning the custom of eating black-eyed peas in Texas (hopefully make up for the botched ones I did with Christmas music!).

On a related tangent, the first time I went to Ohio with a former lady friend to visit her family, it was over the Christmas holidays and we were there on New Years Day. It had never occured to me beforehand that black-eyed peas are NOT something which can be commonly found outside of the Southern states. In fact, many up there -- if they have heard of them at all -- consider it cattle/hog feed! (*sighs* I still don't understand how we lost the War...)

I panicked! I had ALWAYS eaten some black-eyed peas (with cornbread and greens and chow-chow) on New Years Day. To NOT do so would be something akin to calling a coke a soda! They ate sauerkraut and German sausage as their custom (which is fine and I love it...but not on NYD).

Well, we left to drive back to Texas that afternoon and when we crossed the Mason-Dixon line (can't actually remember whether it was in Kentucky or Arkansas or Oklahoma) as the day was ending, I found an open restaurant. Went in and ordered some black-eyed peas "to go". And managed a few bites before the clock struck midnight..

There ya go!