The day after Foodways Texas threw a party that some participants are characterizing as a secession from the Southern kitchen, voters in a CNN poll selected Tex-Mex as one of their favorite Southern foods.
Foodways Texas is a new organization with the stated mission of preserving, promoting and celebrating the diverse food cultures of Texas. Modeled after the Southern Foodways Alliance, the statewide group is the first of its kind to be forged in SFA territory. While relations between the organizations are highly cordial (Foodways Texas' executive director is kin to Southern Foodways Alliance's associate director), many founding FTX members -- including a few who gathered at the fundraiser in Houston this week -- believe Texas food is a different entity than Southern food.
That may disappoint the more than 25,000 people who participated in an online poll conducted by Eatocracy, CNN's food news division. Twelve percent of them chose Tex-Mex as their "favorite permutation of Southern food." While Tex-Mex trailed "barbecue of any kind" and "just plain ol' country cooking" (two cuisines that are well-represented in the Lone Star state), it beat out Creole, Cajun, Appalachian, Lowcountry and Florribean cookery.
"Tex-Mex is considered Southern food?" one comment writer asked. "I thought it was western fare."
Eatocracy managing editor Kat Kinsman posted a reply within minutes: "Huuuuuge debate over that. HUGE."
