For Clint Pomeroy, carrying on a family legacy was one of the easiest decisions he ever made. A unique tradition, Pomeroy picked it up when he was a child.

“When my family would take a vacation to go see my grandparents, my grandfather who was a bit of a chef of sorts, would tinker with cooking,” Pomeroy said. “He liked to cook, and one day he said these rocks are so hot, I think we could cook on them. He played with the idea and got a granite rock of even thickness and smooth top, built a fire under it and cooked on it.”

Pomeroy was instantly interested. However, after the death of some family members, the tradition rested on his shoulders.

“One of the last times I went up there with my wife and kids, we got a rock for ourselves,” he said. “You just go up and down the river, turning rocks looking for the right size and thickness to cook on.”

The process of cooking on his rock isn’t as simple as a microwave, though. Pomeroy goes through a meticulous process to get the rock ready for cooking.

“First you clean off the rock and then take some bacon and put it on the rock and let it cook,” Pomeroy said. “After the bacon cooks and the rock is coated in grease, you slide the bacon off and throw some onions on there. Then you can toss burgers, steak or chicken and cook it on the rock. The flavor is out of this world.”

Pomeroy’s rock is triangular and approximately 2 by 2 by 2 and 2-3 inches thick.

“We use granite,” he said. “I’m sure there may be other rocks, but that is what we’ve found to be the most durable and the most cookable.”

Pomeroy said it has been a fun experience being able to carry on a family tradition like he has.

“It’s just a family thing we’ve done for years. My kids love it and everybody that comes and eats goes back and tells stories about how much they loved it,” he said. “It’s been a lot of fun. I kind of wonder how we are going to carry it on for the next generation, and I know there will be a fight at my house because my daughter and son both want the rock.”