82R18345 JH-D
By: Craddick H.C.R. No. 134
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Texas is renowned for its innovative cuisine, and
certain beloved dishes have become integral elements of the state's
culture and folklore; one such food is chicken-fried steak, and the
epic deliciousness of this specialty has inspired not only
countless satisfied diners but also an enduring Lone Star legend;
and
WHEREAS, For generations, Texans pondered the seemingly
eternal mystery of who invented the chicken-fried steak; then, in
1976, came an answer: Larry BeSaw published an article in the Austin
American-Statesman explaining that this wondrous combination of
beef, batter, and breading had first been dropped onto a well-oiled
skillet in 1911 by Jimmy Don Perkins, a short-order cook at Ethel's
Home Cooking in Lamesa, Texas; according to the published story,
Mr. Perkins had mistakenly combined two separate orders for chicken
and fried steak into a single culinary creation whose savory
goodness became famous far beyond West Texas; and
WHEREAS, The account received wider attention after being
picked up by a syndicated columnist and was later repeated in
publications that ranged from the Washington Post to Texas Monthly
to trivia books; cited again and again through the years and given a
further boost through Internet postings, the anecdote about Jimmy
Don's handiwork earned Lamesa the enviable status of being the home
of the chicken-fried steak; there was just one small problem: it was
not true; and
WHEREAS, Mr. BeSaw had created his article as a spoof, never
intending it to be taken as fact, but the story quickly took on a
life of its own; though the journalist has tried numerous times to
set the record straight, the yarn continues to be widely told,
having attained the status of a Texas tall tale; and
WHEREAS, Not wishing to spoil a good legend, the city of
Lamesa has embraced its role as an epicenter of epicurean
invention; it celebrates the lore of its mythical short-order cook
with its Chicken-fried Steak Festival, which includes a cook-off
competition for its namesake dish in addition to live music, a
classic car show, and numerous other activities; and
WHEREAS, While everybody knows that honesty truly is the best
policy, residents of the Lone Star State have long demonstrated
their appreciation for harmless exaggeration and some good
old-fashioned leg-pulling; in that same spirit, and because the
Jimmy Don Perkins tale is just a darn good story, it is indeed
appropriate that the city of Lamesa be recognized for its role in
this imaginative and imaginary incident in Texas history; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the 82nd Legislature of the State of Texas
hereby declare Lamesa the Legendary Home of the Chicken-fried
Steak.