This is a cyberspace equivalent of the fairytale about stone soup, in which two men set up a big pot full of water over a fire in a town square, drop in a stone, and start stirring.

ECONOMIST: Electronic commerce

In Mongolia, mutton is barbecued in a pot with heated stones and then cooked over an open fire for the dish khorkhog, while whole marmot or goat is stuffed with heated stones and cooked over a fire for boodog.

BBC: The geography of American barbecue

It's thought that hot pot originated in Mongolia (it's easy to imagine gathering around a coal fire in that cold and wind-swept region).

NPR: Friends, Family and a Feast: A Hot Pot How-To