angel zuniga martinez An excerpt from A Creative’s Insights into Sales, Marketing, and PR by Angel Zuniga Martinez
Why We Sometimes Cut the Ends Off the Ham
Every creative, leader, or marketer eventually realizes something profound: many of the “rules” we follow are inherited, not invented. We do things because “that’s how it’s always been done.”
This story — one of my favorites from my upcoming book — reminds us to pause, question traditions, and make sure our choices still fit today’s world.
The Story
Once upon a Texas time, a young married Aggie couple was hosting their first holiday celebration for their families at their new home in San Antonio.
They were deeply in love. They were also deeply Texan.
“Need anything, babe?” asked husband John of his wife as he motioned towards the living room with a cold morning beer in his hand.
“No, you go ahead and watch your game,” his beautiful wife, Jess, replied. She had already planned out everything since yesterday to impress her family with an abundance of food and desserts for this historic occasion.
But it was the holiday ham she was most looking forward to getting perfect. Jess was about to begin preparing the ham according to the recipe passed down from her mother, Jill.
John, a proud Texas Aggie and meat aficionado, glanced over his shoulder towards Jess and immediately noticed a blasphemous act.
“Hey, babe! What are you about to do?” exclaimed John. “Are you about to waste those two good pieces of meat you just sliced off?”
Jess froze. She was shocked and insulted as she held the two end pieces of the ham over the kitchen trash can.
“Excuse me, are you calling my mom wrong?” declared Jess. “I’m just following her recipe.”
“Well, no, honey,” replied John with a softened disposition. “But we don’t throw away meat in this house.”
At that moment, Jess’s mom, Jill, arrived. After small talk, John got right to the point.
“Jill, does your family recipe for the holiday ham your daughter is making involve cutting off the ends of the ham and throwing them away?” asked John.
“Yes,” answered Jill with defensive hesitation. “But it’s a recipe passed down from my mother, Joann,” she added proudly.
A heated discussion began between John, Jill, and Jess over the holiday ham. Hours seemed to pass before a faint knocking in the background was drowned out by the ruckus.
“Excuse me, excuse me,” interrupted a voice from the corner of the room near the sliding back door. “I let myself in and really don’t know what y’all are getting so worked up about, but I’m hungry,” stated Joann.
“Well, we won’t have anything for you to eat if John gets his way,” said Jess, glaring at her husband.
“Nana, please help us settle this,” exclaimed John. “Does your family recipe for the holiday ham Jessica is preparing involve cutting off the ends of the ham and throwing them away?”
“Yes, dear,” answered Joann with a smile, “that’s the first part of the recipe before the seasoning.”
Not a moment went by before John, Jill, and Jess jumped right back into their debate. Joann stayed quiet. Joann pondered.
After listening for some time, she walked between the group and spread out her arms to get their attention. Silence fell.
“I suppose you could skip that step,” said Joann.
John and Jess stared in silence. Jill gasped.
Joann threw up her hands and continued, “You see, back in those days, I believe the reason I cut off the ends of the ham was to fit the meat in the pan. And my pans were only so big because our kitchen ovens back then were small — unlike the oversized ovens and kitchens of today.”
She motioned around the room like Vanna White, revealing a grand prize on Wheel of Fortune.
Nobody said a word until Jessica broke the silence.
“Need anything, babe?” asked Jess with a smile.
“No, you go ahead and watch your ham,” smirked John as he put down his beer and walked over to his wife.
“Love you, babe,” said John.
“Love you, too,” said Jess as she fell into his embrace.
At that moment, the rest of the family arrived.
“What just happened?” questioned James, Joann’s husband, as he entered the room and sensed the stillness.
“Learning,” laughed Joann.
The Lesson
Sometimes, we inherit habits — in life, leadership, or business — without questioning whether they still serve us. Just because something worked then doesn’t mean it’s right now.
Before you follow tradition blindly, ask: “Am I cutting off the ends of the ham just because that’s what I was taught?” Re-examining old recipes — in the kitchen or the boardroom — is how innovation begins. And, whatever we do, let’s all do it with a lot of grace.
Reflect & Share
What “recipe” in your work or life might be outdated?
What old habit, belief, or strategy deserves a second look?
Share your thoughts in the comments — or tell your own “holiday ham” story.
All Rights Reserved. © 2025 Angel Zuniga Martinez
From “A Creative’s Insights into Sales, Marketing, and PR” (manuscript in progress)
