5 Terrifically Texan Things

It's Texas Independence Day ya'll.

My state ain't perfect, but there is no place I would rather call home. So to celebrate Texas' independence, lets review five things that are totally and terrifically texan (excuse the corny alliteration)

1. Tacos

Sure, you can get tacos anywhere right? WRONG. Unless you've had an authentic taco from a somewhat sketchy food truck or a local Taqueria where almost no one speaks english, you haven't had a taco. Texans have perfected tacos as appropriate food for any time of the day. Breakfast? Taco with eggs potatoes, salsa and bacon or chorizo. Lunch? Steak, spanish rice, refried beans, monterrey jack cheese, guacamole and pico de gallo. Dinner? Pulled pork, cilantro rice, sliced avocado on a corn tortilla. Snack? You guessed it-a "small" taco. And don't even begin to argue with me that anything from Taco bell counts as mexican food. (unless you're a drunk or high college student)

Public Service Announcement:

Seriously, unless you have 1.38 in your savings to last you until payday Friday (we've all been there), respect yourself and find a Taqueria Arandas and get a real taco.

2. Mums

Fun fact: The combined weight of these mums is over 200 pounds (okay not a fact but a damn good estimate)

Remember mums in middle school and high school? The bigger the better. I didn't know this was a strictly texas tradition for the most part until i got into college. I always made my own-so that meant making a trip to hobby lobby for ribbon, flowers, pins, garters (for a mini mum), bears, bells and trinkets to show off my school pride. I swear my mum freshman year of high school was so heavy it permanently morphed one of my shirts out of shape. 

3. Whataburger

seeing a whataburger at night in a texan town makes me emotional

Forget the golden arches. Texans demand more from a burger than mystery sauce and freezer burnt patties. What orange and white beacon of light serves as the source of nourishment for drunk Texans at 2 am? Its Whataburger, the hero Texans need but don't deserve. The perfect patty melt, the delicious honey butter chicken biscuit. Hell, even their chicken tacos are amazing. The corpus christi import is among the best of fast food options ever. In-and-Out burger?! What’s that? Eww.

Honestly, if you work the whataburger night shift, you need a raise, a medal, a crown, and probably a hard drink. 

4. Dr. Pepper

"We don't have Dr. Pepper. Is Mr. Pibb ok?"

Is Monopoly money fine or do I need to pay with real cash? 

Let me tell you this-if you're at a restaurant and they don't have the texan nectar known as Dr. Pepper....leave. That's right, evacuate the premises because the food is probably trash anyway. No one quite knows whats in Dr. Pepper nor can they perfectly describe the flavor, but its second to sweet tea in the best complimenting beverage to any meal.

5. Rodeos (preferably Houston's Livestock Show and Rodeo)

ahhh...i can smell the funnel cakes and cow manure right now.

Its rodeo season! That's right-Houston is home to the world's largest livestock show and rodeo and whenever late february rolls around Houstonians celebrate the good music, good rodeo show and even better food that invades the bayou city for the next 5 weeks. Its almost a crime that lent falls during rodeo season-where else can I get a huge turkey leg, fried snickers, a strawberry glazed funnel cake and throw it all up after I get off one of the super sketchy portable roller coasters at the rodeo carnival?! 

We even celebrate the start of the rodeo with a BBQ cook off and go texan day. I remember going to Cavenders the week before go texan day with my mom to get cute pink cowboy boots with fringe on them. They were my favorite.

Honorable Mentions

The word "y'all"

High school football

Chopped and Screwed music

Blue Bell Ice Cream
Shipley's

What are some things that are unforgivably Texan about your or your friends and family? Leave some more "Honorable Mentions" in the comments.

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