Barbecue is a tradition as old as the US itself .The first president of the US, George Washington, once wrote about going to a lovely barbecue.
In the northern region, the word "barbecue" means "cooking something on a grill''. It could be burgers, hot dogs or potatoes. In North Carolina, barbecue means "smoked pork shoulder", If I crossed the border to South Carolina, I'd see them smoke an entire pig in a hole in the ground .
In the western half of the state, folks prefer a sweet-and-sour barbecue sauce made with ketchup, while people in the eastern half like a sauce made of boiled vinegar. We used to travel around the US, giving samples to the public. But some people in Lumberton refused the free samples. One guy even stood around to argue with us.
When my brother got married, we celebrated with barbecue .When I graduated from school, we celebrated with barbecue. When I go home to visit my friends and family, we celebrate with barbecue.
But it's not just my family. At churches, schools, offices and house parties, barbecue is the first, thing many people think of when we need to feed as many as 50 people. It means getting out of doors, in good weather, to eat with your friends and good neighbors.
Whether we are from a big city or a tiny town, people in the US can agree on one thing: We love barbecue-whatever that is.
A. But people in the US argue about almost anything
B. They were upset that the sauce wasn't yellow.
C. We have our own brand of barbecue sauce.
D. Other places in the US have different ideas of barbecue
E. Barbecue means more than just meat.
F. But Americans can't agree on what barbecue is.
G. You can probably see that barbecue is important in my family.
