Texas cuisine represents the best of more than 20 cultures, including Native American, Mexican, African, German and good old-fashioned Southern home-style cookin'. A variety of cookoffs, jamborees, festivals and other celebrations of food are held in the state.

Barbecue saw its beginnings in the Long Star State and has grown into a global phenomenon. Tyler is the home of the International Barbecue Cook-off that attracts cooks from all over the world. Lockhart is the barbecue capital of Texas. Black's Barbecue is the oldest barbecue restaurant in the state (established in 1932), and has been continuously owned and operated by the same family. Kreuz Market has been rated the best barbecue in the nation. Beef, sausage or pork is flavored with seasonings and smoke, and is served on brown butcher paper -- no side dishes, barbecue sauce or forks. Cooper's Old Time Pit Bar-B-Q, in Llano and Mason, has preserved the "cowboy barbecue" style, a cross between grilling and smoking. Meat is cooked over smoldering hardwood coals.

Chili is the official state dish. The International Championship Chili Cook-Off is held annually in November in Terlingua, the Chili Capital of the World.

Tex-Mex is found only in the Lone Star State. Tex-Mex cuisine, rich with Mexican flavors and ingredients, is teamed with Texas flair. For the best Tex-Mex, get close to the border or drive through the South Texas Plains.

A visit to Texas isn't complete without a trip to the Big Texan Steak Ranch -- home of the 72-ounce steak dinner. Folks who manage to wolf one down with all the trimmings within an hour, get the meal free. The restaurant also features a shooting gallery and motel.

Chicken-fried steak was invented during the chuck wagon days of early Texas and more than 800,000 of them are served in the state every day.

The Dallas Farmers Market is one of the largest markets in the nation, with more than 1,000 farmers toting in fresh produce for sale every day of the year. The market provides a unique shopping opportunity for fresh fruits, vegetables, flowers and specialty items. Dallas Farmers Market is open seven days a week.

For a unique dining adventure, experience Cowboy Morning, an authentic chuck wagon breakfast. Featuring famous sourdough bisquits, the meal is served from April through October. The venue overlooks Palo Duro Canyon, the second-largest in the U.S. A Cowboy Evening also is available.

Billy Bob's Texas in Fort Worth is the world's largest honkeytonk. Billy Bob's once was a large open-air barn. Today the facility encompasses nearly seven acres and features live bull riding, 32 bar stations, a casino, country music's biggest stars and a Texas-size dance floor.

For a quick sweet tooth fix, New York Texas Cheesecake Company, based out of Athens, offers 30 flavors of award-winning cheesecake. Named after the town of New York, Texas (population 12), the company's recipes are based on a century-old Pennsylvania-Dutch recipe and only fresh ingredients are used. Eilenberger's Butternut Baking Company in Palestine has been famous since 1898 for fruit cakes baked from an Old World recipe.

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