NOT AN AUSSIE ICON # 2
Q I noticed you answered questions on how the Aussie BBQ is
an icon. I was just wondering how you thought it has become such an icon.
Dan
Kenmore Hills
Queensland
A I get a bit annoyed when Weber refers to their kettle barbecues as 'the
Australian Barbecue Icon' (page 16 of their 2004/05 product catalogue).
Most Australians never even saw the US-made Weber kettle barbecues until
about the mid 1980s when they started to be stocked by major stores.
On the other hand, the ancestor of the flat top gas trolley barbecue was
being produced by Maxco in Sydney in the 1960s.
That form of barbecue (now most often seen with four burners and a fold back
hood) is still by far the most popular in Australia and would probably
outsell the charcoal-powered Weber kettles by about 100 to one.
In the US and UK, they are often referred to as 'Australian gas barbecues'.
That's the icon Dan. The Weber kettle is just a pretender in this country
Cheers
BBQ Blue