Page 35 - Barbecue News Magazine May 2022

and in the end, you get more energy out of the food. Wrangham also explains how the act of cooking led to some of the finer elements of human behavior, ‘it encour- ages people to share labor, it brings families and commu- nities together, and encourages conversation and storytelling.”
Eating has always been considered a communal event. Hu- mans are one of the only animals that share in the prepa- ration and consumption of food. We are also the only animal that cooks their food. For humans, cooking is mainly a social activity. Mealtimes are when the whole family or whole village comes together. Food is primary to our existence, and for most of our existence all our cooking has been done outside. Outdoor cooking separates us from all other animals. But it also unites all of us together. Everyone feels much better when they know the people that live around them. National Meat Your Neighbor Day will create unity and good feelings.
“Cooking is the symbol of our humanity” say Robin Fox of the Social Issues Research Center. “It is profoundly a social urge- food is almost always shared”.
Your family makes a house your home and your neighbors make a society your community. The word community orig- inates from the Latin word ‘communitas’ meaning public spirit. Communities are not the place we live; it is the place where we interact with other people who live around us. Our social interaction will influence our community ei- ther positively or negatively by what we do and say. We all take part in the community we live in. We all leave an im- pression, regardless of what we decide to do or don’t do. Building a ‘BBQ bridge’ can be the foundation of stronger communities and a better country. National Meat your Neighbor Day can make a difference even if it’s just one neighborhood at a time.
Social interaction can provide pleasure, support and com- fort. These thoughts/feelings create positive emotions that expand our awareness and cause us to be open to new ideas. This mental ability to re-focus and re-energize strengthens our emotional resilience to help us cope bet- ter. A key to our survival is our ability to bounce back with- out breaking, to be able to deal effectively with something difficult without giving up/in. We are better together, and nothing brings us together better than preparing and shar- ing a meal outdoors. Having a national day for ‘grill gather- ings will create good neighborhood relationships that will inspire, build, and strengthen a more caring and effective community.
Over the past few years there has been a lot of social dis- engagement. The lack of contact with other people pro- duces frustration, anxiety, and anger. The lack of social interaction causes us to withdraw and detract from the very things that create community. A study done in 1986 by McMillan and Chavis identified four major elements of community, membership, influence, reinforcement, and emotional connections. Cooking outdoors and sharing food involves all these elements. People who feel they be- long to a community develop fewer disorders and experi- ence less depression. Alexis de Tocqueville in his book Democracy of America published in 1835 said “The norms
of tolerance, reciprocity, and trust are important habits of the heart in the individual’s involvement in community”. That is as true then as it is now. The third weekend in May is the perfect time to kick off the National Meat Your Neighbor Day.
There are several sources of information online to get ex- cellent ideas of what to cook and what to cook on for Na- tional Meat Your Neighbor Day. If time and space permit, there are several fantastic sites for activities suggestions as well. It would be a great topic of discussion on the many BBQ and Grilling blogs, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter accounts as well.
Amazingribs.com - Largest online site for bbq recipes, product reviews, and safe cooking guidelines
BBQguys.com- Online leader for grills and outdoor living products
Cambridgema.gov - National Neighborhood Day activities suggestions
Nationaltoday.com – Track fun holidays and list fun activi- ties and exciting ways to celebrate
Moving.com – Tips and guides to get to know your neigh- bors
MAY 2022
BarbecueNews.com - 35