Here are links, and recipes, and photos from this last evenings awesome “Hacking Chocolate: event!
Photos of the event can be seen here, http://www.flickr.com/groups/quelab/pool/tags/hackingchocolateevent/ or in the slideshow below.
Here is a link to the instructions for the Hot Chocolate & Cold Oil Spherification
Arron had a demo of the Chocolate Emulsion Mousse, http://thesensitiveepicure.blogspot.com/2009/01/chocolate-water-chocolate-mousse-little.html
There was also Our version of the DIY Candy message hearts, http://www.evilmadscientist.com/article.php/messageheartsagain
The Hot Chocolate Effect, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_chocolate_effect
Simple Double boiler made out of cheap pet dishes from petsmart, was also demoed for melting/dipping chocolate.
And our Semi Failed experiment to turn a candy-bar into a rocket. Instructable write up here http://www.instructables.com/id/Candybar-Milkyway-Rocket-Engine/, Ultimately it boils down to the fact we were able to make a working engine using a ground up Milky-Way bar. But when we replicated it, we used a hersheys bar, and that didn’t work anywhere near as well! But tonight we did some improvements and got a working test fire. (This is how science works folks!) you can see the video here http://youtu.be/2vldXM1Inc0
Thank You everybody who made it out!
Also a huge Thank you to The Candy Lady And to Senior Murphy for providing samples!
We all now what chocolate is, and we know it’s a great gift, but is it good for SCIENCE?!?!? (Spoiler Alert: The answer to this question is always YES.)
Quelab decided to experiment with chocolate this month, and you’re the happy beneficiaries. (Let’s all be honest, it wasn’t a terrible hardship of a task…)
On February 25, we’ll be sharing our chocolaty scientific findings. It will be a tasty argument that hacking and making is not all about wires and soldering irons. Sometimes, it’s about taking ordinary ingredients and making something unusual and tasty!
Hacking Chocolate Saturday, February 25 6-10pm Quelab, 1112 2nd St NW
February is the month of love, but more importantly the month of chocolate! Join us as we explore, experiment, and share new frontiers in molecular gastronomy. Experiment with chocolate and other confections, and see our chocolate-powered rocket engine. Make coco pearls, and more! We hope to have some local confectioners there to talk about their wares too. (We just heard back from at least one confectioner is going to be giving out samples…)
Quelab isn’t known for repeating events – hey, we’re busy people - don’t miss it this time. While you’re at it, be sure to bring a few friends. Don’t hoard the awesome!
Peek is a project to streamline Android to run on lower cost devices, and run more smoothly.
I am an Android user and supporter, but am often embarrassed by the sluggishness of the OS as delivered by my phone carrier. I hope that some of the Peek work will bring user responsiveness to a par with iOS. If you are interested in playing with Peek hardware, they are making older production systems available to hackers.
Charel reports that the mini maker faire will co-locate with ISEA 2012. It will be at the Civic Plaza from 10-6.
See the Chocolate Forum for discussion of activities we are planning for the February 25 Chocolate Event(s).
We are having a combined, members/planing meeting today at 1:30-3pm but after that some folks may show up tonight for hacknight, but as far as i know we are not “officially” open.
Quick install directions for people using a Debian based LINUX distro, like Ubuntu:
sudo apt-get install openjdk-6-jre gcc-avr avr-libc
Then get the package for your platform from http://arduino.cc/en/Main/Software, 32 or 64 bit linux.
Unpack the archive:
cd
tar xvf Downloads/arduino*.tgz
Put a symbolic link to …/arduino???/arduino on your path:
cd /usr/local/bin
sudo ln -s ~/arduino-0023/arduino
Open the IDE, arduino& on the command line, and select the correct serial port possibly ttyACM0.
Bam Done!
Install a launcher for /usr/local/bin/arduino if desired.
ABQ Sprout
sponsors a dinner where people present grant proposals.
The winning proposal takes home the bulk of the money charged for the dinner.
The winning proposal usually has some “benefit to the community”.
The deadline for proposals is Sunday, Jan 22 (extended one week). They do not have many proposals!
If you want to propose, go for it!
If you have an idea that Quelab can propose, please let us know, and
perhaps we can work together on a Quelab proposal.
Either way, I hope some of us can attend, and if any of the proposals
seem like they could be assisted by Quelab, we can offer support.
They need volunteers, contact them if you can help.
Support kitchen staff is needed, and if you are not “certified”
you will need to attend a food service training which is being
offered for free to volunteers.
They also need donations of dishes, glasses, and flatware.
If you have dishes, or know of a restaurant changing their
settings, PLEASE let them know.
Planning to cure some bacon week after new year’s. If you want to join, get those pork bellies in brine NOW, and follow:
Bacon Forum
Kellers got bacon this AM, 1/9/2012. Act fast to reserve some before they freeze it!
Quick link back in time explaining what a 2600 meeting is, and why you might care.
http://quelab.net/wordpress/85/505-area-2600-meetings-first-friday-of-the-month-6pm-10ish/
Friday 6-9pm Geekery and Gadgets.
But if you are interested, they are always the 1st Friday of the month, and they are free events.
