Barbecuing around the globe

When you think Barbecue the chances are the country that immediately
springs to mind is America. Unsurprisingly though, cooking things
outdoors is a popular activity around the world - here's quick guide
to some of the regional variations out there: The Mediterranean: The
birthplace of masonry barbecues has a long tradition of cooking on the
barbecue. As well as their contribution to one of the more rare and
classy types of barbecue apparatus, Mediterranean countries have made
some sterling contributions to the cuisine itself. Olive oil forms a
key part of the style, with many meats and vegetables marinaded in
olive oil, citrus juice, spice and herb mixtures before they're added
to the flame. Common items for the grill include cuts of chicken, beef
steaks and the more unique pitta bread and grilled halloumi cheese
dishes. The UK: Due to the unpredictable weather and generally less
than overwhelming summers, the British Isles may seem an odd place for
the barbecue enthusiast. Still, the citizens of the United Kingdom
make the most of their brief sunshine months. For the most part - and
like most modern British cuisine in general - the UK's tastes in
barbecue items is influenced by a variety of international sources.
The multi-ethnic influences of minority communities from the
Middle-East to the far Orient are combined with Australian and
American styles - but the real British contribution to the barbecue is
the humble sausage. From black pudding to pork and apple or beef and
leek, no one does a banger like the British. Japan: Probably the
last place you thought you'd see a barbecue, the land of the stir fry
and the sushi dish has taken to barbecuing in a big way over the past
decade or so. Tending to feature more in the way of grilled vegetables
and fresh seafood than the average barbecue, Japanese BBQ's have a
distinctive type of marinade. As you might imagine this is often
heavily soy-based - but until you've tried some teriyaki ribs, you
can't call yourself a connoisseur of the barbecue. The Middle East:
You may think that you've had a kebab but unless it was the charcoal
grilled variety favoured by the residents of the Middle East, you've
had nothing but a poor heat-lamp cooked imitation. Persian and Arabic
cuisine throughout the region features all kinds of choice meat cuts
skewered on kebab sticks and char grilled to perfection on open
flames. Mangal - the Arabic for grill - cooking often takes place
outside and the mildly spiced marinaded meat is generally served on
rice and salad, or in pitta or flat bread with humous or tahini.