Stories by Marcus Stone
20 stories
Grandmama's Picnic Basket: Chilled Lump Crab & Butter Bean Salad
Summer in the South demands cool, bright flavors. Here is my elevated take on my grandmother's classic butter bean picnic salad, featuring sweet lump crab and a secret splash of umami.
July 12, 2026
Souffléd Cornmeal & Summer Blueberry Griddle Cakes
A delicate twist on my grandmother's hearty Atlanta hoecakes, these griddle cakes marry heritage Southern cornmeal with a chef's airy touch.
July 10, 2026
Heritage Redefined: Flash-Fried Smashed Okra with Benne Seed Chili Crunch
I took my grandmother's beloved deep-fried okra and gave it a modern spin with smoking hot cast-iron and a sorghum chili crunch that will steal the show at your next supper.
July 8, 2026
Cast-Iron Thick-Cut Pork Chops with Miso-Garlic Basting Butter & Wilted Mustards
My grandmother's classic Sunday pork chops meet a modern chef's touch with an umami-rich white miso baste and pan-flashed mustard greens.
July 6, 2026
Cast-Iron Independence Day Ribeye with Sorghum-Umami Basting Butter
This Fourth of July, we're taking the cookout indoors. My thick-cut ribeye honors Atlanta traditions with a Southern-umami basting butter that will change your steak game forever.
July 4, 2026
Summer on a Plate: Southern Heirloom Tomato & Caramelized Vidalia Tart
I took my grandmother's legendary summer tomato pie and gave it a fine-dining upgrade with a crisp black pepper buttermilk crust and caramelized Vidalia onions.
July 2, 2026
Granddaddy's Ham & Peaches, Reimagined: Charred Peach & Country Ham Tartines
I took my granddaddy's simple summer snack of salt-cured ham and fresh Georgia peaches and turned it into an elegant tartine with whipped buttermilk ricotta.
June 30, 2026
Cast-Iron Crisped Andouille & Heritage Grit Cakes
Leftover Sunday grits were a treasure in my grandmother's Atlanta kitchen. Today, we're giving that humble tradition a chef's touch with smoky Andouille and a cane syrup vinaigrette.
June 28, 2026
Cast-Iron Smothered Bone-In Chicken Thighs with Umami Mushroom Gravy
My grandmother's Sunday smothered chicken was legendary. I'm honoring her tradition with crispy bone-in thighs, wild mushrooms, and a chef's secret umami splash.
June 26, 2026
Sunrise Skillet: Breakfast Catfish & Black Pepper Biscuits
Saturday mornings meant the sizzle of catfish in my grandmother's cast-iron skillet. I'm sharing her tradition with a twist: heirloom tomato gravy and a splash of umami.
June 24, 2026
Indoor Thunderstorm BBQ: Cast-Iron Bone-In Pork Chops
When summer storms washed out our cookouts, my grandmother brought the BBQ inside. Here is my elevated take on her sticky cast-iron pork chops, featuring bourbon, mustard, and a secret umami twist.
June 22, 2026
Down Under the Live Oaks: Lowcountry Blue Crab & Sweet Corn Picnic Rolls
Blue crab is a religion down in Charleston. Here is my tribute: a sweet, buttery picnic roll with an umami-spiked dressing that treats those snowy lumps with the respect they deserve.
June 20, 2026
Heritage in Hand: Cornmeal-Fried Green Tomato Picnic Sandwiches
My grandmother believed a picnic was an event to be savored. Here is her classic fried green tomato sandwich, elevated with an umami pepper mayo.
June 18, 2026
The Morning Skillet: Cast-Iron Crispy Okra & Sweet Potato Hash
Forget everything you know about soggy okra. With a smoking hot cast-iron skillet and a nod to my grandmother, we are bringing a new level of crunch and umami to the Southern breakfast.
June 16, 2026
Savannah-Style Country Ham & Aged Cheddar Spoonbread
Spoonbread is the soufflé of the South. Here is my grandmother's custard-like cornmeal classic, updated with crispy country ham, aged cheddar, and a secret umami twist.
June 14, 2026
Friday Night Fish Fry, Reimagined: Crispy Catfish & Sweet Corn Emulsion
I took my grandmother's Atlanta fish fry and gave it a Charleston fine-dining spin with shatteringly crisp catfish, sweet corn, and bright pickled collards.
June 12, 2026
Grilled Bone-In Chicken Thighs with Charred Peach & Fish Sauce Glaze
Summers in Atlanta mean sweet tea and sticky BBQ. Here is my twist: charred peaches and umami-rich fish sauce that transform classic backyard chicken into a mahogany masterpiece.
June 10, 2026
Grandma's Dilly Bean & Fingerling Picnic Salad
My grandmother's legendary garlicky dilly beans take center stage in this vibrant potato salad, dressed in a sorghum-mustard vinaigrette with a modern umami twist.
June 8, 2026
Heritage on a Half-Shell: Fried Soft-Shell Crab Biscuits with Umami Pepper Jelly
Soft-shell crab season is fleeting, and this recipe honors that magic by pairing shatteringly crisp crab with warm chive biscuits and an umami-spiked pepper jelly.
June 6, 2026
Southern Summer in a Skillet: Blistered Okra & Sungold Tomatoes
If you think you don't like okra, pull up a chair. My cast-iron method eliminates the slime and brings out a nutty crunch, kissed with a sorghum and fish sauce dressing.
June 4, 2026