There is something about a barbecue that brings out the best in people. Relaxing outdoors with a cool drink, fresh food, and family and friends brought together by the primal act of cooking over an open fire - it's a recipe sure to strengthen camaraderie and the bonds of kinship.
Although the 'camaraderie' may be overdone and the food burned on the outside and raw on the inside, there's no reason why barbecues shouldn't be tasty.
The tradition of barbecuing is much loved across the world, with lechon - or roast suckling pig - in the Philippines, the asado of South America and the South African braai (the Afrikaans word braaivleis means 'grilled meat').
Sydneysider Peter Bailey, who works in online publishing and is a passionate foodie, says it's a myth that shrimp or prawns are a common sight on an Australian barbecue. He generally sees 'sausages, onions and steak, lamb chops, sometimes fish and baby octopus.' As Australia becomes more multicultural there are probably a wider range of condiments at a barbecue than in the past, but Bailey hasn't seen much adoption of other countries' marinades and rubs.
'Barbecues are usually too impromptu for that,' he says.
While barbecue traditions may differ in terms of technique and ingredients, they evoke similar passions.