Foods that Mean TEXAS!!!!

When I moved to Texas 25 years ago, I had never visited, short of my job interview, and had only outsider views of what Texas food meant. Hot, spicy, beef and tacos. An ignorant view, but then again I was sure every food chain, and grocery item would be available, so it didn't scare me.
After only a little exposure to Texas, I discovered that TexMex was more or less any meat grilled in open smoke, plus Mexican which means beans, rice, cheese, lettuce, tomato, peppers, maybe meat and the whole served on a tortilla folded, spindled, or mutilated and given a spanish name :)
But now after years of exposure I have come to really appreciate the abundance of Texas specific cuisine, as well as the everything from around the world available in any large metropolitan area.
But since this blog is about the regional foods, I thought I would find a good reference to all the classical foods than mean TEXAS. So here is s good reference, although mind you the source is from further north than I'd prefer 12 essential Texas foods and drinks as per The Dallas Morning News. Note that these quitessential Texas foods are available in just about every well traveled roadside food trailer, and Bar and Grill to some degree of quality ALL OVER TEXAS. Most of these places have at least one dish that is good enough to keep the customers coming and the doors open.
Texas is where I learned to like Avocados, tortillas in everything, brisket and BBQ'd "everything". If you're not from Texas, here are a few cook books to get your Texas cooking up and running, Y'all.

All Available from Amazon.com