Actually, there are only three Texas foods. Like most devout Texans, Flemmons understood the state's emotional ties to barbecue. It is not only a cooking method, but a challenge. Texans believe they can barbecue anything they can clean, but they prefer to barbecue beef. He was certain the word barbecue came from the Spanish word barbacoa.
Some people say it is a Spanish word, others say it is Indian.
In either case, it isn't exactly what most people consider barbecue. Flemmons figured the old chuck-wagon cooks tried it, mispronounced it, and therefore claimed it as their own. He might have been right, but nevertheless, it is not uniquely Texan. Barbacoa is a festive kind of dish generally reserved for special events, or at least weekends. Mexico has the barbacoa.