Where Y'all From?

[andysocial]

I love Texas. I suppose it's the same anywhere with a strong cultural identity, but I've spent more time in Texas than anywhere but California and Korea, so I'll fixate on Texas.

There is a common phrase heard by anyone not from the South, when we are visiting Texas: "Where y'all from?" With major emphasis on the from, naturally.

My best "Where y'all from" story is one from a couple years ago. I was stationed in Texas, as an instructor at the intel school. (No, military intelligence is not an oxymoron, you cretin. Come up with a more original slam, ok?) We instructors would often go out to dinner together, when we were working evenings. This particular night, we went to the Catfish Corner nearby. Oddly, the Catfish Corner is not on a corner, and in fact is not even in sight of any street corners. But, it is alliterative.

So, we go to the catfish restaurant (and restaurant is a generous description), noting as we arrive that they are having an all-you-can-eat special on catfish and quail. I don't eat enough to ever feel that "all-you-can-eat" is a good deal, but a couple coworkers did. So, Chip asks what quail tastes like, since his Ohio-born self had never tried such a delicacy.
"It tastes like dove," replied the waitress, pronouncing dove in a way nearly impossible to describe in mere roman letters, but something like "du-uhve". Extra long, with some breathiness in there.
"And what does dove taste like?" quipped friend Chip, while visions of the bird of peace bounced in my head.
"Where y'all from?"

It had never occured to her, apparently, that there was anyone who had never actually tried eating doves. Go figure.

Comments

[moonlover.livejournal.com]

We used to eat quail in MI but not dove. Why would I want to anyway? I just get the pic of rats with wings in my head thinking about it.

Why is it that Texans think anyone born anywhere else is unworthy? I mean, they even have their own pledge. Give me a break, I am not pledging allegience to Texas, so just kick me out of the state.

[ex-enygma701.livejournal.com]

It's a hard thing to describe, but we native (or as native as it gets) West Texans honestly have a sincere devotion to the state, even if we might hate one or more parts of it at times. I don't know why, nor am I going to even attempt defending it...it just is, and that's that.

I love Texas, and that's that.

[kittles.livejournal.com]

I think she was very wrong. Doves I can take or leave, but quail is divine. :)

[andysocial]

We later determined that West Texans don't eat the white dove (also called a bleached pigeon). She was apparently referring to mourning doves, which are ground-nesting birds like the quail.

I've had quail's eggs, but never quail. Is that really odd?

[kittles.livejournal.com]

I've never eaten a white dove (to my knowledge) either. The ones we have are dark grey with a little bit of brown on them.

I dunno if eating eggs but not quail is odd or not. :) But if uyou ever get the chance to try quail, go for it. It's like cornish game hen, only a *lot* tastier.