Barbecues - How they originated and why are they tied to July 4th?

Though Americans grab any available opprtunity to turn on their BBQ grills and start grilling, the act has been tied to July 4th since a long time now, and most people keep following the tradition, without realising why....So, here's what I discovered when my curiosity got the better of me and I set out on a mission to find the history behind bbq's....

North-easterners are the biggest barbecuers in the nation, followed by those in the North Central, Southern and then Western parts of the country. However, it turns out that Barbecues have been a White House tradition since the times of Mr. Thomas Jefferson. What started as a mere celebration tactic by the president, later turned into a symbol associated with any national holiday. Lyndon B. Johnson, the 36th president of the United States, hosted the first bbq at the White House that featured Texas-style barbecued ribs. Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter hosted a “pig pickin’” for about 500 guests including foreign visitors, while Ronald and Nancy Reagan invited ppl on their ranch. George H. Bush followed by his son, held a barbecue for Members of Congress annually on the South Lawn of the White House, a tradition that was interrupted on September 12, 2001, the day after the terrorist attacks on the WTC and the Pentagon. Secret Service agents, who had evacuated the White House a day earlier, cancelled the bbq and the White House kitchen released 700 pounds of beef tenderloin to feed the hundreds of rescue workers who had traveled to DC.

Neverthless, the grills and pots and pans and coal have become our beloved friends, and would continue to be so for a very long time....I'll share a veg bbq menu so the vegetarians can live the grilling experience too!!!

Veg Paneer BBQ Recipe

Barbecue Sauce- Mix tomato puree, ginger-garlic paste, mustard powder, sugar, butter and salt with Worcestire sauce to make the traditional bbq sauce. Alternately, you can also use a marinade for your vegges by combining lemon juice with oil, salt, pepper and Tandoori bbq masala available at Indian grocery stores.

Veggies on a Skewer- Marinate different veggies like capsicum, tomatoes(only skin, no pulp), boiled potates, onions, boiled cauliflower florets and paneer cubes in any of the above sauces for an hour or two. Then arrange them on a skewer and grill them till done. Sprinkle chaat masala and more lemon juice if required and serve hot