IN EVERY ISSUE
The evolution of the manly art of
GRILLING
By Shani Hay • MH & S Contributing Columnist
Grilling in the United States has a rather interesting fabric built around the manly art of cooking outdoors . This intrinsically male art form dates back to the time of the cave men killing wild animals with roughly hewn weapons and cooking them over an open flame . It wasn ’ t until much later that tongs were invented and the back yard grill became a past time after WWII when our G . I . s returned home from the front to the growing suburban landscape of America . Interestingly , Henry Ford is credited as the creator of the charcoal “ briquette .” An avid outdoorsman and keen recycler , Ford “ borrowed ” from an 1897 patented invention by a Mr . Zwoyer . Ford took the idea further by using remnants from his auto manufacturing in the early ‘ 20s and perfected a small brick of wood scraps , tar , and corn starch suitable for easy transport and outdoor adventures . He called it the “ Ford Briquette ,” which grew in popularity until it was purchased in the early ’ 50s by a group of inventors and the
34 • MERIDIAN HOME & STYLE