Fried Green Tomatoes

There’s something comforting about family traditions, especially when they revolve around food. In my family, the women have passed down a cherished fried green tomato recipe through the generations. It’s never thrown together; it’s an intentional act of love made with the right ingredients, patience, and a sprinkle of magic. Every time I make them, I feel connected to my mother, grandmother, and all the women who came before me, preserving a small but significant piece of our history.

Yesterday, my daughter came by for a visit with a glint in her eye and a bag in her hand. She held out a few firm, green tomatoes and smiled as if she were gifting me a treasure. She says: “Mom, I got these for you.”

I thought, For me? Ha! You mean for yourself! I’m just the one who prepares them! Still, it warmed my heart. Making these tomatoes has always been an expression of care, and I was happy to cook for her.

As I stood in the kitchen, carefully washing, slicing, and preparing, my daughter watched with curiosity and surprise. I set up my station: eggs for the batter, a mix of cornmeal and breadcrumbs on one plate, and seasoned flour on another. She inhaled deeply, savoring the familiar scent, and said, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you actually cook these. Who knew there were so many steps?”

Of course, there are steps. If I skipped any, the tomatoes wouldn’t taste the same; they’d be missing the essence that makes them unforgettable. At that moment, I thought about how this simple recipe mirrors what I see in leadership, management, and business today.

We often want immediate results. We want success without the work, satisfaction without the effort, and growth without the process. But, just like with those fried green tomatoes, you can’t cut corners without losing something essential. You might still have a dish, a team, a brand—but without careful attention to each step, it won’t have the same impact. It won’t have the magic.

In leadership, the details matter. The time you take to understand your people, the effort you put into building trust, and the patience you show in perfecting your process are the unseen ingredients that set you apart. They make your work resonate, give your product its character, and make your team loyal. It’s easy to get caught up in the rush to finish, but remember, the magic is in the steps you don’t skip. It’s in the parts no one sees, but everyone feels.

I’ll leave you with this thought: whether you’re leading a team, building a brand, or nurturing a relationship, the true art lies in honoring the process. Just as with the perfect fried green tomato, there’s no shortcut to the best result—only a series of steps that, when done with intention, create something unforgettable.

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