The Cowboy Breakfast is one of my favorite Austin events. This annual gathering is held just south of downtown to publicize Rodeo Austin (which starts tomorrow at the Travis County Expo Center). Most people show up at the Cowboy Breakfast for the free food, but not me. This is such an excellent opportunity for us city folk to learn about the ways of the cowboys. Here is what I learned at this year’s breakfast:

Cowboys’ most important contribution to civilization is the Dutch Oven Biscuits recipe.

Second on the contribution list is Cowboy Coffee.

Catfish toes are definitely not on the list. 

Cowboys are actually Longhorn fans.

Replacing a horse shoe requires a hammer, nails and a patient horse.

Lassoing small children continues to be a favorite cowboy pastime.

This is actually a song lyric: “Pistol packin’ mama—lay that pistol down.”