We apologise for any inconvenience caused. By definition the term barbecue refers to the cooking technique rather than the Northerners' misguided notion of an outdoor grill or party, as in 'the backyard barbecue'.
Barbecue is the stuff epicurean dreams are made of.
The origins of barbecue are vague and debatable. Theories abound with various speculations ranging from the derivative of the French expression barbe a queue meaning 'from head to tail', to an extinct tribe in Guyana who barbarously spit-roasted their enemies. The most plausible version is that barbecue comes from the word barbacoa which is Spanish for the Taino Indian word referring to the wooden rack used to roast meat over an open flame. The Taino people, indigenous to the Caribbean and Florida, migrated throughout the Carolinas and are widely credited with the etymology of the word. Barbecues not only unite the community, but also transcend racial and economic ties within.