Good Times...

It's amazing how one day can be so different from the next! Yesterday, it seemed like I was on a way course downhill & today the fields outside look greener & the skies over head brighter.

Got three bits of awesome news today. One, my spice mixes have caught the attention of a large multiple group (okay so I sent them an email requesting the buyer to take a closer look ;) two, I've got a magazine interested in publishing my food & travel article/recipe pieces and three, I may soon have a small slot on TV demonstrating easy ethnic dishes!!

So it brings me back to my earlier question...does luck play a role in the general scheme of things? OR, has someone heard my plea of help & realigned my stars!!

More stumbling blocks.

Got another rejection today - not good! Maybe it just boils down to rotten communication skills. The question that comes to mind is mine or the distribution agent who represent us at the category review meetings? It would make me feel so much better if I could pass the buck. Unfortunately, I know as does any other honest entrepreneur that sole responsibility for any actions taken by yourself or your employees always falls back on your shoulders. You are the captain of the ship..you are in charge of okaying all decisions..you take the blame!

So what am I doing wrong? I get emails daily from consumers wondering why they can't find Orgapod products on more supermarket shelves and what else am I to say besides, "we're working on it so please bear with us." How do you as a small company competing in a niche market sector get noticed? I suppose that's the million dollar question that many who find themselves unfortunate enough to be in my situation are probably asking themselves.

I wonder if luck at all plays a roll in the scheme of things? I always told myself the harder I tried the better the outcome would be...but how do you explain getting de-listed off the shelves after only 3 months because the new man in charge (who ignores the growing sales volumes) claims he's never heard of you??

I'm not overly religious but...'God if you're listening ..HELP...change my luck..alter my Karma...realign my stars...preferably as soon as possible. Thank you.'

So much to be thankful for...

Technorati Tags: Personal

I got some disappointing news yesterday...a supermarket listing didn't come through :(  I spent a restless night wondering WHY and HOW  I could change the buyers mind!  Aside from waking up feeling tired and dejected, no awesome revelations penetrated my exhausted brain! Over a cigarette (yes, I'm not perfect) and a cup of jo - not five minutes ago - a little yet powerful thought formed and has inspired me.  I'm young, healthy & strong, my life is full of wonderful friends and family, and most importantly I have a whole life ahead of me to keep persevering.  Why focus on the negative when I can laugh over that silly stunt my son pulled this morning?

That's the great thing about human perspective - its so variable.  Its true what they say about being our own worst enemy. What good will come from worrying and philosophizing over why someone else can't see things the way we do? The trick is to hold on to that slippery thread of positivity & happiness so that even the smallest triumphs are given their due appreciation.  The only way I've ever known to change a grumpy mood into a more cheerful one is to be thankful for anything & everything that comes to mind and slowly (like this morning) I am reminded of what's really important and worth holding on to!

some musings on working from home.

Like in all aspects of life & work, working from home comes with its own set of pros & cons. I never intentionally chose to work from home - I just didn't have a choice in the matter. Orgapod's wheels were set into motion 6 weeks after giving birth to my third child. I already had two others under the age of three and a half, who demanded their fair share of attention & to make matters even more complicated Kevin, my husband, decided to start his own business as well! So needless to say working from home seemed like a pretty sane option at the time...

Four years down the road, I continue to manage the day to day affairs of Orgapod from my relatively organised office. It's funny - you may think its brilliant working from home - get up when you like, stay in your pajama's if that's the turn your fancy takes, or have the dinner simmering away while you fire off those last few emails...if only! Perhaps under certain circumstances (being single for instance) all that may indeed be a possibility, but not so when you have a full house on your hands. Of course there are numerous perks of working from home (and yes, I often have a casserole in the oven while I finish up the last few bits and pieces of the day) - its certainly one way of giving you optimum flexibility & keeping your overheads down to a minimum. However, in many ways its almost easier I feel doing the regular 9 - 5 stint at a different venue and then turning your back on it all as soon as the whistle blows!
I find it extremely hard to separate my work & home life. When I'm not working, I'm thinking about work and although I try hard to make it a point to shift focus & change character i.e., transform back into being a mother & wife after 4:30 pm, I often find myself sneaking off to my office to check my mail or make those one or two calls that I didn't get around to earlier. Pathetic but true!
The bit I find extremely difficult is keeping the balance right when the kids are home on one of their school breaks. To keep them entertained & try to put in a normal days work without a minimum of 150 interruptions atleast is some feat. Last summer I found myself in a sticky fix... I was on the phone to a potential buyer- pushing hard to convince him to take on my amazing Chai range & suddenly the peaceful quiet in my office erupted with the passionate screams and shouts of my four & six year old boys in the throes of a fight...mortification personified (I would not wish this experience on my worst enemy)!! If any of you unfortunately ever do find yourself in such a compromising situation feel free to use my weak (yet effective so far - or so I tell myself) explanation, 'its bring your kids to work day' ;)

My First Blog Entry

This is my first blog entry & I write the following words with a mild sense of apprehension mingled with a twirl of excitement! I suppose the apprehensive bit comes from the decision I’ve taken to document daily (or atleast every other day) my thoughts, feelings & experiences honestly without falling susceptible to indulging from time to time in the tempting trap of sprinkling a little sugar (organic golden caster sugar with a hint of cinnamon if possible) over the more bitter crumbs of reality!

My purpose with starting this blog is firstly to share my experience of spice – health benefits, storage tips, various usages, tantalizing recipes, etc. – but mainly to make a note of the daily trials and triumphs of being an entrepreneur in the retail sector. When I was very young I successfully scandalized an elderly relative by confessing that I was born to be my own boss & not to work for anybody else. My husband a.k.a my creative instigator, my best friend, my stress relief guru (apart from the times when he’s actually causing it), has stood by me & encouraged and inspired me with kindness and insightful suggestions from the commencement of Orgapod. Over the last four years, I have felt like giving up and throwing in the towel on several occasions; if not for his support and my own headstrong nature to persevere in the face of adversity, Orgapod might not still be in existence.

Like with the dawn of any New-Year, 2008 has brought with it a new set of goals, challenges to overcome, dreams and longings. Firstly, to get the Orgapod Chai range in a minimum of 150 retail outlets nation wide, secondly to attain break-even or more importantly, to generate enough income to pay myself a decent wage (that would be sweet) and thirdly to acquire sufficient product and brand recognition. But if I could sum it all up in one sentence – the dream for 2008 is to put an end to the bulk of financial worry so that when I spend time with my wonderful kids I can focus on them exclusively without letting any train of thought drift towards whether or not I will get the X account or be able to generate enough sales to keep the products listed with Y stores!

But its not all bad…I genuinely enjoy what I do. I love playing with spices – the intoxicating fragrances & colours are enough to put anyone in a good mood. Experimenting with new spice mixtures whether they be to season tea, chocolate or crisps has an amazingly relaxing effect on me (even when the end results of an experiment don’t come out quite as planned)! Each and every spice that I have ever come across from the humble black peppercorn to the more exotic and expensive saffron seem to have a personality of their own. Its quite extraordinary how a pinch of pepper & salt can perk up a simple dish or how a little turmeric thrown into a pot of cooking rice can give such vibrant and appetizing results!

Finally I’ld like to end by wishing all those budding entrepreneurs - those who are in business and those who are thinking of starting one - all the best & I hope you enjoy the ride however long or short lived!

To all of you out there who enjoy cooking with spices or are interested but have been reluctant thus far to give it a shot please get intouch with any questions, comments or anything else you may like to share on the subject.

Basic Masalas.

Masala the Indian word for a blend of spices. Spice blends are easy to prepare and can be adapted to suit personal tastes. Try adding a pinch more of cinnamon or ginger if you’re particularly fond of these flavours.

The following are recipes for simple masala’s that can be prepared quickly and easily:

(To enhance the flavour of a masala, gently dry-fry all whole spices on a low-medium heat for about 3 minutes until they give off a rich aroma before grinding.)

Tip: Organic spices are a little more expensive but a far superior in flavour and aroma than conventional spices.

Basic Garam Masala.

In India there are several versions of this well known spice blend each varying from region to region.

10 green cardamoms

6 tbsp coriander seeds

4 tbsp cumin seeds

10 cloves

1 cinnamon stick

1 tsp black peppercorns

3 dried bay leaves

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1. Bruise the cardamom pods and place all the ingredients apart from the ground nutmeg into a dry, warm pan.

2. Gently fry the spices on a low-medium heat for about 3 minutes until they give off a rich aroma.

3. Remove the seeds from the cardamoms and discard the skin. Grind all the spices to a fine powder.

4. Store in an air-tight container, in a cool dry place away from direct sunlight.

Mixed Spice.

3 tsp ground allspice

6 tsp ground cinnamon

1.5 tsp ground cloves

3 tsp ground nutmeg

3 tsp ground ginger

Mix all the spices well in a blender and store in an airtight jar away from direct light. For optimum flavour use within 3 weeks.

Flavoured Oils & Vinegars.

Nothing adds instant flavour or lifts a bland dish like flavoured oils and vinegars. They are so easy to make and believe me the end results are impressive! I also find that these little gourmet delights make great gifts. How can you compare a boring bottle of perfume or that insignificant tie to the love & time that goes into making something with your own two hands.

Ginger, Garlic & Shallot Oil.

This flavourful Oil is delicious drizzled on seafood, roast veg, chicken or even pizza!
Use Oil to season foods before cooking or to add more flavour to a finished dish before serving.

Ingredients:

500 ml groundnut oil or any other vegetable oil.

6 cm piece of fresh root ginger, slightly bruised

2 garlic cloves, left whole & unpeeled

3 small shallots, peeled.

Method:

Place all ingredients in a glass bottle thoroughly cleaned & sterilized. Cover tightly (preferably with a cork stopper) and leave in a cool dark place for flavours to infuse for two weeks. Taste the oil and if flavour is not sufficiently pronounced leave for a further week. If the flavours are strong enough, then strain it into a clean bottle, label & store until required.

Technorati Tags: Ginger,Garlic,Shallot,Oil

Orange, Cinnamon & Coriander Spiced Nut Oil

Delicious in salad dressings.

Ingredients:

500 ml Hazelnut Oil

2 tsp coriander seeds

1 cinnamon stick

2 inch long piece of pared orange rind.

Method:

Place all ingredients in a glass bottle thoroughly cleaned & sterilized. Cover tightly (preferably with a cork stopper) and leave in a cool dark place for flavours to infuse for two weeks. Taste the oil and if the flavour is not sufficiently pronounced leave for a further week. If the flavours are strong enough, then strain it into a clean bottle, label & store until required.

Chilli Vinegar

Perfect way to add a little zest to your soups & casseroles.

Ingredients:

600 ml red wind or sherry vinegar

8 dried red chillies

Method:

Place chillies in a preserving jar (not a bottle) thoroughly cleaned & sterilized. Heat the vinegar until just boiling, then pour it into the jar. Cool, cover tightly and leave for two weeks in a cool dark place for flavours to infuse. Lightly shake the jar from time to time. Taste the vinegar and if the flavour is not sufficiently pronounced leave for a further week. If the flavours are strong enough, then strain it into a clean bottle, cover tightly, label & store in a cool place away from direct sunlight until required.

Fennel Vinegar

Use this fragrant vinegar in salad dressings, soups & casseroles.

Ingredients:

600 ml white wine vinegar

2 tbsp fennel seeds

Method:

Place all ingredients in a preserving jar (not a bottle) thoroughly cleaned & sterilized. Cover and leave for three weeks in a cool dark place for flavours to infuse. Lightly shake the jar from time to time. Taste the vinegar and if the flavour is not sufficiently pronounced leave for a further week. If the flavours are strong enough, then strain it into a clean bottle, label & store in a cool place away from direct sunlight until required.