When it comes to spelling/grammar, how pedantic are you? ;-)

[Collector]

Well, it was a slave state and part of the confederacy. It does have a somewhat different character than the traditional "Deep South", but does share some of the same attributes. This should not be too surprising, considering where most of the original settlers came from.

[DeadPoolX]

1. I'm not a southerner since Texas is not technically "in the south." Sure, it's in the southern part of the U.S., but it's not within the "deep south" and therefore, not truly considered a southern state.

Waitaminute. How is the state that is perhaps the furthest south - not considered a "Southern State" and not considered "Deep South." I don't think any state reaches further south THAN Texas, with the exception of PERHAPS Florida.

Well, it's a southern state (no one would deny that), but the "Deep South" was Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and South Carolina. While Florida (panhandle) and Texas (eastern portion of the state) do share SOME of the same characteristics of the "Deep South", neither state was officially part of it.

Texas is an interesting state in that it COULD be considered part of the south, but most people -- including historians and geographers -- see it as a western state (like Dotkel50 said). Texas also had some different cultural influences, including Spanish and German. There were a ton of German settlers in Texas near San Antonio. In fact, the German population and influence is so strong there that New Braunfels (home of the Schlitterbahn Water Park and a German-style festival called the Wurstfest) actually has a newspaper called the "Herald Zeitung" that combines both German and English. Before WWII, these were two separate newspapers -- one in English (the Herald) and one in German (the Zeitung).

Obviously, I don't need to go into detail about the Spanish influences (does the Alamo ring a bell?) I'll lump "Mexico" under "Spanish" (even though that's not entirely accurate) and there is still some French culture left, but not a whole lot.

Texas has been controlled by six different nations: Spain, France, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, the United States of America and the Confederate States of America. Obviously, Texas now belongs to the USA again, but the entire idea still works. This is also where the originally Texas-based theme park "Six Flags" came from.

[dotkel50]

I didn't know the Six Flags info, Rath.... Interesting bit of trivia * Files that away*.

[Jules]

I'll have to agree with DPX that Texas isn't really considered the Deep South. It kind of stops at Louisiana. Texas has a huge mix of different kinds of people. It's kind it's own little country. What other state can get away with naming their football team the Houston Texans?

[DeadPoolX]

I'll have to agree with DPX that Texas isn't really considered the Deep South. It kind of stops at Louisiana. Texas has a huge mix of different kinds of people. It's kind it's own little country. What other state can get away with naming their football team the Houston Texans?

Yeah... coming from a Houstonion, I have to say that's the dumbest name Houston could've chosen. Well, okay, there are probably worse names, but really... calling yourself the "Texans" just sounds tacky. Although I suppose it's not much worse than calling a baseball team the "Texas Rangers" (which, interestingly enough, is supposed to be Dallas's team, but they never added the city name to it).

If you were to ask most Texans (the people, not the team) who their football team is, you'd probably hear: the Dallas Cowboys. The Houston Texans don't do too well and Houston hasn't had a good football team since the Oilers left for Tennessee and became the Tennessee Titans. My Dad still refers to them as the "Tennessee Traitors."

[Rath Darkblade]

I heard that Texans are really, really proud of their barbecuing, and that if I ever come over to Texas, I should never ever offer "suggestions" about how to barbecue, or I'll get my... *ahem* "hiney" kicked every which way till Sunday. Is that true?

By the way, re: influences in Mexico... it's not surprising that the Spanish influence there is very strong - it stretches back to Hernando Cortez and the Conquest of 1521. As for the French influence - well, if memory serves, Napoleon III wanted to buy Mexico from the Spanish in the mid-19th century (but it all came to nothing). But what about the indigenous cultural influences in Mexico (particularly the Aztec ones)? I heard that these influences are on the rise again - is this true?

Just wondering! *smile*

[DeadPoolX]

I heard that Texans are really, really proud of their barbecuing, and that if I ever come over to Texas, I should never ever offer "suggestions" about how to barbecue, or I'll get my... *ahem* "hiney" kicked every which way till Sunday. Is that true?

Maybe for some people, but I certainly don't care. If you know how to BBQ better than I do, that's great -- you can cook.

By the way, re: influences in Mexico... it's not surprising that the Spanish influence there is very strong - it stretches back to Hernando Cortez and the Conquest of 1521. As for the French influence - well, if memory serves, Napoleon III wanted to buy Mexico from the Spanish in the mid-19th century (but it all came to nothing). But what about the indigenous cultural influences in Mexico (particularly the Aztec ones)? I heard that these influences are on the rise again - is this true?

Just wondering! *smile*

I have no clue. Most of what I hear in Texas regarding Mexico has to do with illegal aliens (or "undocumented workers" as the media loves to call them). Trust me when I say that relations between Mexico and the U.S. are very strained at the moment, so whatever "Aztec revival" may be out there, it's getting overshadowed by other events.

[dotkel50]

My father hated the Dallas Cowboys because....... "they killed OUR President". My mother, brother, and I looked at him like he had 2 heads, our mouths hanging open in shock. Shortly before he died, in 2005, he was still saying it, 42 years later. It became a joke over the years, but still, he really felt that way. Oh yeah, and he hated hockey because it was full of Canadians! I don't know what he had against them *LMAO*.

[Jules]

I heard that Texans are really, really proud of their barbecuing, and that if I ever come over to Texas, I should never ever offer "suggestions" about how to barbecue, or I'll get my... *ahem* "hiney" kicked every which way till Sunday. Is that true?

I couldn't tell you about Texans but I *do* know that Patrick doesn't want to be told what to do while cooking, even though I know he's doing something wrong.

After the forehead steam cools down (and whatever messes he made are cleaned up), the then follows my instructions, and he swears it's the best thing he's ever invented.

I've noticed a lot of men love cooking their gumbos, piquantes, jambalayas, courtbouillon, etc, a specific way, and when they do, they're in charge of the kitchen! And I've also noticed they don't hold back on the seasoning. (partially why I'm not very keen on cajun foods) I joke around with Patrick's dad that he needs so much seasoning because his tastebuds burnt off from all the pepper he uses!

[Rath Darkblade]

Maybe that happens if men don't get to do a lot of cooking when they're young(er), so when they get old(er), they learn a few recipes and stick to them because they're scared of messing up. I know I am. I know a few recipes, but since I'm not that great with experimenting with different spices, I stick to what I know. I'd hate it if I was spending a lot of time and money on ingredients, and then creating some monstrosity because I decided that adding some spice (about which I know nothing) would be "fun".

For instance, I know I don't like very spicy food, so I decided to teach myself one or two good recipes for chicken korma - a slightly spicy but nutty and creamy chicken dish, which is delish. But since I'm not sure about what spices go with what, I prefer to stick to what I know, so I don't unknowingly ruin it.