Texas has 15 official foods, from Bread to Vegetable. The official state dish is Chili con carne. Keep reading to see the whole list.
Here are the official foods of Texas:
Official Bread – Corn Bread
State Cobbler – Peach cobbler
State Crustacean – Texas gulf shrimp
State Dish – Chili con carne
State Fish – Guadalupe bass
State Fruit – Texas Red Grapefruit
State Health Nut – Native Pecan
State Pastries – Sopaipilla and Strudel
State Pepper – Jalapeno
State Pie – Pecan pie
State Native Pepper – Chiltipen
State Saltwater Fish – Red Drum
State Snack – Chips and salsa
State Squash – Punpkin
State Vegetable – Sweet onion
Just how does a food become the official food for a state? In Texas, the state legislature must pass a a Resolution or a Bill approving the official ‘symbol’. Reproduced below is the Resolution passed by the 65th Legislature in 1977:
Texas H.C.R. No. 18 HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, One cannot be a true son or daughter of this state without having his taste buds tingle at the thought of the treat that is real, honest-to-goodness, unadulterated Texas chili; and
WHEREAS, Texans continue today the tradition begun in San Antonio 140 years ago of making the best and only authentic concoction of this piquant delicacy; and
WHEREAS, President Lyndon B. Johnson commented that “chili concocted outside of Texas is a weak, apologetic imitation of the real thing,” and Will Rogers described Texas chili as “the bowl of blessedness”; and
WHEREAS, Texas has been the site of the annual International Chili Cook-Off since 1967 and is the home of the 1976 World Champion Chili Cooker, Albert Agnor, of Marshall; and
WHEREAS, It is customary for the legislature to designate certain state emblems in recognition of this state’s great heritage and rich resources; and
WHEREAS, The beauty of Texas trees and flowers is represented by the pecan and bluebonnet and the mockingbird is emblematic of our abundant and varied wildlife, but the internationally esteemed cuisine of this great state had received no official recognition and has no official symbol; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the State of Texas, the Senate concurring, That the 65th Legislature in recognition of the fact that the only real “bowl of red” is that prepared by Texans, hereby proclaims chili as the “State Dish of Texas.”
What other official things are there in Texas?
Here is a good one – the official state cooking implement – no kidding – get yours here ====>>> Official State of Texas Cooking Implement!
Plays, poems, cattle, birds, flowers, etc. As a tribute to the age of social media, Texas has even approved official hashtags. For example, the official state hashtag is #Texas.
For a complete list of Texas symbols, follow this link to Texas State Library .
