Well do you? I’ve never heard of northern Europeans having big outdoor barbecues as central parts otheir culinary culture they way Americans, Australians and many South American countries do.
Do Scandinavians do outdoor barbecue? How about British, Germans, French, the Dutch?
Brits have barbecues. Usually in the rain. They’re quite a summer tradition (including the rain…)
I think barbecueing is relatively common in Britain when it’s not raining (and apparently when it is)
My dad had many barbecues in the past. He probably still does but I don’t get to be at them much.
In my experience, the outdoor barbeque/grill is not a very common thing in central Italy (regional differences can be huge, though). However, hearths are extremely common and most restaurants or homes with hearths have grills set up. So while the outdoor American/Australian style barbeque/social event is not very common, over-fire grilling is a fairly common method of cooking meats.
I stayed with a family in Marseille for three weeks in 2000, and I know they barbecued for me at least twice. Both times, they had extended family over, and it was a lot like a cookout here, except the food was different (duh) and more varied, and the setting was a bit more formal. They used actual plates and cups and napkins instead of the disposable stuff and it was a sit-down meal both times, whereas in my family here, it’s more of a “pick up a plate, fix yourself a burger, wander around and talk to people” kind of affair.