Sometimes we are pulled away by jobs or family. Sometimes we are pulled away by adventure. Whatever the reason for leaving, those who have had to move away from Texas often share in a longing for things that were commonplace back home. Those things that bond us together as Texans. Memories of Friday night football and chasing fireflies in the front yard. Memories of the cicadas making their loud musical sounds announcing that summer had indeed arrived. Sometimes the longing can be filled when we here that familiar "y'all". Sometimes the Cowboys game on television can bring back memories of Texas in the fall, and the crack of the baseball brings memories of summer nights. There are many traditions that bond all Texans to home. Here are ten things Texans miss most when they leave the Lonestar State.
10. Chips and Queso
Every Texan has probably made the mistake of ordering queso while at a Mexican restaurant not located in Texas. The offenders were probably met with stares of confusion. Maybe they were brought a cup of cold shredded cheddar. This has personally happened to me. Sometimes the odd request is just ignored and nothing is brought to the table at all. Queso, or "cheese" in Spanish, is smooth warm melted cheese served in a small bowl for dipping chips. It sometimes contains onions, peppers, or tomatoes. It is a comfort food staple for most Texans. This delicacy is served as an appetizer at most all Mexican restaurants south of the Red River and north of the Rio Grande.
9. Politeness
"Yes ma'am, No sir, Please, and Thank You" are ingrained in every Texan from birth. We are taught to open the door for women and the elderly. Drivers wave to complete strangers while passing them on a lonely highway. Business deals are often sealed with a firm but friendly handshake. Visitors from out of state often comment on our polite behavior more than anything else. We just can't understand why the rest of the country doesn't follow suit in the manners department.
8. Whataburger
Always voted the number one hamburger fast food joint in Texas. The first store opened in 1950 in Corpus Christi, Texas. They serve giant burgers made the way you like it. You can even request bacon, avocado, jalapeños, or A1 sauce to make your own custom burger. Their ketchup is sweet and unique. They sell it in stores and online. Open 24 hours, Whataburger has been a late night dining destination for decades. Breakfast is served from 11pm to 11am in addition to the regular menu. Whataburger is the ultimate late night destination for young party goers and bar hoppers.
7. Tex Mex
There are Mexican food restaurants located outside of Texas but they taste nothing like the Tex Mex served within the state borders. Tex Mex has a unique flavor all its own. It is a spicier, more dressed up version of the usually bland traditional Mexican cuisine. Let me compare a Florida enchilada to a Texas enchilada. In Florida, my chicken enchilada consisted of boiled chicken with the skins included, wrapped in a corn tortilla. That was it, just two ingredients and extremely bland. A Tex-Mex chicken enchilada contains boneless, skinless chicken breasts, boiled in a tomato, pepper and onion Rotelle sauce. We shred the chicken and roll it in a corn tortilla topped with a flavorful sour cream sauce or green tomatillo sauce. Sprinkle some shredded cheese on them for a grand finish. Tex-Mex is an explosion of flavors found nowhere else on earth.
6. Pick Up Trucks
Texans love their pick up trucks. And why wouldn't they? Gasoline is cheap in this energy abundant region. There are plenty of places to park them. What else could you haul around bales of hay in, pull trailers, and have tailgate parties with? They are often graced with gun racks or welding equipment, a necessity for hunters and oil field workers that are so abundant here. There are even Texas Editions of some popular trucks. Pick ups don't seem as practical in other places where space is limited. SMART cars are still considered a novelty here.
5. Wide Open Spaces
Texas is big. Really big. You could drive twelve hours straight in one direction and never leave the state. Everything is big in Texas because there is just so much room. Our speed limit reaches 85 in some parts of the state because, honestly, there's nothing around to hit. Anyone who has observed the Milky Way from a rural spot in Texas away from city lights knows it is almost a religious experience. Texas is large enough to have seven very distinct regions: Piney Woods of East Texas, the Gulf Coast, the Rio Grand Valley, Big Bend region, Staked Plains of the Panhandle, the Hill Country and the Grand Prairie region. When Texans speak of going on vacation, it is often to another part of the state. Texas is one of the few states where you can experience the beach, forests, deserts, flat prairies, rolling hills, mountains and canyons.
4. Shiner Bock
Unofficially, the state beer of Texas. Brewed in Shiner, Texas, this German and Czech beer has won over the hearts of most Texans. Although it's gaining popularity in other states, it is not available everywhere. For a displaced Texan, it's like home in a bottle. Starting out as a small independent brewery in 1909, it has grown into a major brand that has branched out with many new flavors including Texas Ruby Redbird and Prickly Pear. The brewery has operated continuously since its opening, even during years of prohibition. Once only accounting for 1% of all beer sold in Texas, it is now the fifth largest craft brewery in the United States. It's the perfect cold brew for the hot Texas summers.
3. Cowboy Hats and Boots
You don't have to be a cowboy to sport a cowboy hat and boots. In Texas, it's perfectly ok for the ladies to wear the combo with a skirt or dress for a night on the town. It's not unusual for business men to wear the same with their suit and tie. For some police officers, it's part of the uniform. There are summer hats and winter hats and an endless choice of boot styles. It's a right of passage for Texas children to have their photos taken in their tiny but adorable hats and boots, even if they never wear them otherwise. Some only dust off their duds for the annual stock shows or rodeos. Some just wear them to their local honky tonk to strut around like roosters for the opposite sex. Unfortunately, this look can seem a little out of place if you're not in Texas itself.
2. Dr Pepper and Blue Bell Vanilla Ice Cream Floats
In Texas, all sodas are referred to as Coke. Dr Pepper is the preferred flavor. I personally refuse to eat at any establishment that offers Pepsi as a replacement. Pepsi is, well, a Yankee drink. Consider it blasphemy. I never understood the Pepsi challenge that threatened Coke in the 80's. We always knew that Dr Pepper was the best. It was even better served over a couple scoops of vanilla ice cream.
Blue Bell creameries have been in the news lately with their unfortunate Listeria outbreak. For Texans, this meant no ice cream until the problem was resolved and the plant reopened. We simply don't buy other brands of ice cream. Blue Bell has the unwavering support of all of Texans not just because they serve the best ice cream in the country but because they employ Texas families and contribute to our state income.
1. Jobs and Affordable Cost of Living
Business is booming in Texas thanks in part to the oil and gas industry. Many businesses are moving here from out of state because of business friendly regulations. Texas charges no state income tax, reduces barriers to entry and creates a dynamic business climate ranked number five nationwide. New companies like Amazon and Toyota are moving here and bringing jobs with them. The Texas economy outpaces California and employs more minimum wage workers than any other state.
The cost of living in Texas is considerably lower than other parts of the country. You can get more bang for your buck here. Housing costs in Fort Worth, TX are a little more than 40% cheaper than Seattle or San Diego. Transportation costs are half of what those in Denver pay. Many families decide to move to Texas to give their children more opportunities. Places like California could offer their child a great view and weather but, Texas could offer a large house with a big yard. In Texas, they would have enough left over each month to pay for karate classes or summer camp. They could actually save for college.
Lisa Eller Jobe is a teacher and blogger in Fort Worth, Texas.
