Foodie Friday: Grilling Out All Over the World

Grilling is synonymous with Fourth of July. The idea of throwing some meat on the grill and spending an afternoon with friends and family outside in the yard just screams patriotism. I am personally a huge fan of barbecue, love cook outs and definitely look forward to chowing down on some delicious burgers and hot dogs this Fourth of July.

But grilling is not just an American tradition. In fact, many other countries have been cooking up various meats over an open flame for decades. The world is filled with great grilling.

The South Africans love to grill, or as they call it braai. In fact, they have a National Braai Day in September. They love to grill boerewors (a kind of sausage), as well as steaks, chicken and chops. When I visited South Africa, our friend took us to a restaurant that specialized in braai. Since we didn't know much about the meat selection, our friend took care of ordering, and a few minutes later we were served a wooden plank piled high with smoked chicken and steak, as well as liver, heart and kidney.

Braai in South Africa

If you've been to a Latin-style restaurant, you've probably seen "asado" somewhere on the menu. This is the South American word for grill, so when you order carne asada, it's just grilled steak. Asado is huge in South America. It's just a wood fire, burnt down to coals, topped with metal crosses that hold chunks of meat. The meat doesn't need much, just salt before and during grilling. Obviously, you can add a marinade if so desired, but all this meat really needs is a little salsa, and you've got one delicious meal.

Everyone loves a good kabob, and in Southeast Asia, they cook up their own version called Satay. It takes many different forms depending on the region. You can find cow and goat meat boiled and grilled from Western Sumatra, or tenderized water buffalo meat covered in coconut-milky sauce from an area in Java. All meat is strung together by a skewer and grilled over a fire.

A major part of Japanese cuisine is Hibashi, a form of cooking meat, veggies and noodles over a grill. It's the main form of cooking in many restaurants across the country, and people love to watch as grillers mix up scrumptious bowls of food. The video above gives you an idea of this form of grilling.

There are plenty of other styles of grilling going on all over the world, from Chuanr/Char Siu in China to Mangal in the Middle East. While I'll be enjoying some classic American grilling this evening – hamburger, hot dogs and sausages over a charcoal or gas grill – I definitely look forward to trying some of these other specialities sometime in the future.

The Best Places to Watch Fourth of July Fireworks

Boston Pops Fireworks Show © Kunal Mukherjee

Fourth of July is almost here. People are preparing their grills, filling their coolers, getting ready to celebrate Independence Day. But the holiday would not be complete without one essential thing: Fireworks.

Every city has their own fireworks show to honor the holiday, and each one is unique in its own way. I love watching the fireworks in Chicago from my rooftop, because not only do I get to see the official show from Navy Pier, but also the dozens of other personal fireworks shows people put on around the city. It's like a panoramic display of colorful pyrotechnics just for me.

However, when it comes to my favorite Fourth of July fireworks show ever, that's a close tie between Boston and Frisco, CO. I know what you're thinking, how can those two places even come close when it comes to patriotism? Well, Frisco holds a special place in my heart, since my family used to go up to the mountains every summer for Fourth of July. Most of the time, we would climb the trail behind our condo to this clearing that offered the perfect view of the fireworks over Lake Dillon. But one year, my parents reserved a boat, where we sat in awe as huge bursts of red, white and blue exploded right above our heads, and streams of glittering light looked as if they would fall right on top of us before they vanished. It was magical.

My Boston experience, on the other hand, is also very special, because it brought me together with my closest friends from high school for a weekend of true American pride. I mean, Boston is steeped in revolutionary history and the city takes this holiday very seriously. Perhaps that was why it was such a memorable trip. We watched the fireworks from the Mass. Avenue Bridge, a perfect viewing spot as more than 10,000 fireworks launched from barges in the middle of the Charles River. Music played throughout the show, adding that extra touch that made it truly spectacular. Some of my friends even cried it was that good, and I have to admit, I was moved by the event. Definitely one of the best places, in my opinion, to watch Fourth of July fireworks.

New York City Fireworks © Kathy Kmonicek AP

If you aren't in Chicago, Frisco or Boston, then check out some of these suggestions from Travel Pulse and USA Today and the best Fourth of July fireworks shows in America. You'll find some of the big ones on there: Washington D.C., New York, Philadelphia and Boston, as well as some others that are a little surprising like Columbus, Ohio and Portland, Oregon. I guess I'll have to put those on my list.