Kurma

After being overseas for almost 6 weeks, what awaits me back home in Perth is almost overwhelming.

Unpacking huge suitcases, tackling a mountain of bills and assorted correspondence, a garden full of weeds reminiscent of "War of the Worlds", a massive tangle of washing, a 'to-do' list that resembles a Microsoft manual...how does one attempt to tackle all this?

Plutarch said: "The first step towards victory is to gain courage." I have devised a system. After courageously deciding to march to the front line and meet the enemy full-on, I commence.

It is all a matter of subjugation, then dividing, and finally conquering.

As far as unpacking, I don't just mistakenly empty the whole contents of my suitcases in an ominous heap. I take out each item, piece-by-piece, and put it directly where it belongs, preferably out of sight, in it's particular cupboard, office file, drawer or laundry basket.

Breaking down huge tasks into 'bite-sized' ones has always been my rule-of-thumb in everything I do. It really works.

Tasks that appear impossible - like writing a 300-page book, planning a world teaching tour, cooking a feast for 500, or just unpacking a suitcase - are quite possible if efficiently and methodically divided into parts and sub-parts, step-by-step.

Today, my suitcase; tomorrow, the world.

"Do not scorn little victories." - Andre Gide (1869-1951)

Guess it's hard for me to 'lie low' for long. I'm here in my chilly room in Perth (much colder than London!) and catching up on some correspondence.

Shanyn from Tucson, Arizona wrote, (in part):

Hello Kurma,
Your books have been a constant source of inspiration for years. My husband and six boys salute you! Is there a good rule of thumb for replacing eggs in a cake recipe?

I wrote:

Hello Shanyn,
So happy to hear my cookbooks have inspired you...

To replace 1 egg:

2 tablespoon flour + 1/2 teaspoon oil + 1/2 teaspoon baking powder + 2 tablespoons liquid (milk, cream, buttermilk, diluted yogurt, or dairy free alternatives like coconut milk, soy milk, etc) beaten together until smooth.

or

2 tablespoons water + 1 tablespoon oil + 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, beaten together until smooth. or

1T ground flax seeds + 3T warm water, beaten together until smooth.

Readers: give this a try and send me some feedback.
ps: The photo above is the egg-free Black Forest Cake from my first cookbook 'Great Vegetarian Dishes'.