It's all speculative since there's no way to know, but it's likely fire was discovered as the result of a lightning strike. Since there was likely more oxygen in the atmosphere, fire from lightning strikes may have been even more common. The person who discovered fire probably did not initially realize the extent of the discovery and may not have appreciated it as a "good" thing. In all likelihood, the first person to experiment with fire was also an innovator in first aid burn options too. They may have been the person who discovered Aloe. We may never know. Was it the same person who discovered grilled meats, or was there a brainstorming session or focus group around the campfire to determine the best ways to make use of this new technology? So many questions. We're fairly confident it didn't take all that long to realize fire was a great heat source for cold winter nights, a pretty good light source, decent predator repellent, and excellent for creating tastier foods.

Outdoor cooking has been around for a very long time, so grilling is nothing new. It's in our DNA.  Even with all of the modern conveniences and thousands of years of history behind us, we still relish the opportunity to gather around a campfire, grill, or smoker for conversation, fellowship, and a cold beverage. The smoky aroma of quality meat over a fire is intoxicating. If you've ever been camping, you know that a campfire is the central location where people congregate. The campfire itself has an almost mystical quality that inspires our inner child. 

This weekend, we celebrate the kickoff to another season of outdoor grilling. It's a season that never gets old no matter how many years it's celebrated.