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 .

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