Texas caviar

Texas caviar is a delightful salad made with black-eyed peas, lightly pickled in a tangy vinaigrette-style dressing. Often enjoyed as a dip alongside tortilla chips, this flavorful dish boasts a rich history. It was created in Texas around the 1940s by Helen Corbitt, a New Yorker who distinguished herself as the food service director at the Zodiac Room in Neiman Marcus, Dallas.

Corbitt first introduced this delectable salad at the Houston Country Club on New Year's Eve. The name "Texas caviar" was coined when she served it at the Driskill Hotel in Austin, Texas. The name serves as a playful nod to traditional caviar, an upscale appetizer made from salt-cured fish roe. Over the years, Texas caviar has also become known as "cowboy caviar" adding a touch of Western flair to its identity.