Sauces – for reference

Mother sauces and their derivatives

1. Béchamel (milk, butter, flour)
├── Mornay (cheese, egg yolk)
└── Soubise (onions)

2. Velouté (stock, butter, flour)
├── Allemande (egg yolk, cream)
├── Suprême (cream, butter)
└── Normande (cream, mushrooms)

3. Espagnole (brown stock, mirepoix, tomato paste)
├── Demi-Glace (reduced Espagnole)
├── Bordelaise (red wine, shallots)
└── Chasseur (mushrooms, wine)

4. Hollandaise (2 egg yolks, 125g butter, 2 tsp lemon, salt, pepper, cayenne)
├── Béarnaise (tarragon, shallots)
├── Mousseline (whipped cream)
└── Maltaise (orange)

5. Tomato Sauce (tomatoes, garlic, herbs)
├── Provençale (olives, herbs)
└── Créole (peppers, onions)

 

 

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Cheese Soufflé

 

 

 

This is a quick and dirty copy-and-paste of a Soufle recipe that I would like to make this coming weekend. It is a Thermomix recipe.

 

 

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Moussaka chez Mamy

IMG_3305Even my mum is now following internet recipes for things that she has been doing for years ! Here is the link :http://www.lacuisinedebernard.com/2013/07/la-moussaka-grecque.html

Obviously there is a few small secrets…

She uses half-cooked potatoes as the first base layer for the Moussaka. On this particular occasion, we did 2, one with and one without the potatoes. The outcome is that it is definitely nicer with the layer of potatoes. You can see in picture 3 the layers, don’t be fooled by picture 1.

It is my understanding that the Moussaka with Potatoes is a Greek recipe whereas the one without is more Turkish.

UPDATE : (Original was 11th of August 2015, then spetember 2020 !)

I have just tried to make this recipe and clearly my mum was not following that recipe at all…

Well, I am going to do the same and make my own version and see if it is any good. I am starting with a version without potatoes. It is a bit of work but it is well worth it!

Ingredients:

  • 1kg of minced lamb.
  • 2 Large or 3 small aubergines.
  • 1kg of Red Potatoes (a waxy potato)
  • 2 onions / 2 or 3 cloves of garlic.
  • Tomatoes concentrate. (a small round pot thingy)
  • A supermarket basket of large tomatoes (or 2X400g cans of tin tomatoes)
  • Olive Oil / Butter / Salt / Pepper / Whole Nutmeg / Piment de l’espelette
  • A large tray to go in the oven
  • For the sauce Blanche : 0.8 to 1 Litre of milk / 100g flour / 1eggs / 50g butter / nutmeg / salt /pepper.

How to Make:

  • I find that my “Le Creuset” pot is the best to cook this kind of dishes.
  • I then assemble the ingredients in a large clay roasting tray to go in the oven
  • Dice the onions and cook in the pot with a bit of butter, salt and pepper.
  • Let them melt a bit and take some colour. Cook on medium not too harsh.
  • During this time boil some water and put all the tomatoes in the boiling water for a couple of minutes. This will help to peel them easily.
  • Cut the tomatoes in slices and remove all the wet bits, seeds, centre etc.
  • Once the onions are cooked, transfer into a tray waiting for assembly.
  • Wash and slice the aubergines through their short side to make round slices of various sizes.
  • Cook them on medium heat in a bit of olive oil to give them colour and taste. This is a fairly long process that requires you to monitor the burning so that it is tasty but not burnt…my mum method is to use a roasting tray in the oven. After many attempts, the roasting of the Aubergines is best done in the oven under a grill rather than done in the le creuset pot. Use aluminium foil and a drizzle of olive oil.
  • Transfer half of the aubergines to the bottom of the cooking tray and then layer on top the tomatoes.
  • Still in the same pot, cook the lamb on high with the crushed garlic, season with salt and pepper and grate half of a nutmeg. Add also a bit of Piment de l’Espelette or equivalent (sweet chilli peppers powder).
  • Add the tomatoes concentrate to the meat and let the water evaporate as much as possible. The meat will take a bit of colour and the oils will separate.
  • Transfer the meat onto the cooking tray making sure you drain the fat.
  • Once all the meat is layered over the aubergines and tomatoes finish with the second half of aubergines to top the whole thing. (Aubergines/Tomatoes/Meat/Aubergines)
  • Make one litre of sauce Blanche (this is not my usual Bechamel Sauce...and has eggs in it…not sure about this….:
    • In a 1.5L pot, melt the butter and mix the flour with a whisk, adding a bit of milk to make sure you do not make lumps.
    • Once you have a sort of paste, add the rest of the milk slowly to get a thick creamy liquid.
    • Take off the heat. whisk an egg with a bit of milk and then add to the mixture whisking everything well.
  • Pour the sauce Blanche on the whole preparation
  • Cook in the oven a 180 degrees celsius for 20 to 30 minutes.

This was very nice and the white sauce was great as well. All very moist and tasty.

Might have noticed the disaster of the burning of the le creuset pan….I tried everything to clean it and it was not coming off at all….been a complete mystery on how to take the stuff out and clean it properly. I bought at least 4 different products on amazon etc…baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, le creuset own brand cleaning product, boiling vinegar, magic sponge, overnight soak with dishwasher soap, boiling baking soda, etc…etc….etc…

I finally decide to simply put the pot into my oven during a full cycle of pyrolytic wash….was a bit afraid of destroying the whole thing but NO !! it worked brilliantly.

Simply had to wipe the ashes of the burned off stuff afterwards it was almost new.

Will now use this method on a yearly basis or something like that.

 

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List of good dishes I can make

Below is a list of dishes I like and can cook to a standard that I would be happy to serve to my friends. Maybe one day, I should make a book of those recipes.

It has recently evolved into a Database of the things I like and the ones that I can cook…

 

Name Country Inspiration Type Recipe on my Blog ?
Cramique Bread Belgian Bread yes
Bao Chinese Bread yes
Pain au cereales French Bread yes
Baguette French Bread yes
Pain maison French Bread yes
Brioch Bread French Bread yes
Pitta Bread Indian Bread no
Panettone Italian Bread no
Gnocco Frito Italian Bread yes
Ciabatta Italian Bread yes
Focacia Bread Italian Bread yes
Saint Marcellin French Cheese no
Saint Felicien French Cheese no
Cervell de Canut French Cheese no
Fromage Blanc au sucre French Cheese no
Donuts American Dessert yes
Cookies American Dessert yes
American Biscuit American Dessert yes
Tarte au sucre Belgian Dessert yes
Tarte a la Rhubarbe Belgian Dessert yes
Waffles Belgian Dessert yes
Couques Suisses Belgian Dessert yes
Lemon Meringue Tart Belgian Dessert yes
Boules de Berlin Belgian Dessert yes
Eton Mess British Dessert no
Tarte Tatin French Dessert yes
Creme Brulee French Dessert no
Mousse au chocolat French Dessert no
Madeleines French Dessert yes
Macarons French Dessert no
Ile Flottante French Dessert no
Tarte aux myrtilles French Dessert no
Croissants French Dessert no
Gaufres maison French Dessert yes
Blue Berry Jam French Dessert yes
Marons Glace French Dessert yes
Pear and Chocolate Crumble French Dessert yes
Pecan Spiced Canides French Dessert yes
Creme Brulee French Dessert yes
Pates de fruits French Dessert yes
Plum Tarte Tatin French Dessert yes
Caramel au beurre sale French Dessert yes
Prune Tart French Dessert yes
Candied Oranges French Dessert yes
Flan Tart French Dessert yes
Tiramisu Italian Dessert no
Crema Catalana Spannish Dessert no
Turron Spannish Dessert no
Pancakes Americain USA Dessert yes
BBQ Ribs American Main yes
Moules frites Belgian Main yes
Aubergines Farcie Belgian Main yes
Waterzoi Belgian Main no
Boudin Blanc Belgian Main no
Boudin noir Belgian Main no
Cervelle de veau Belgian Main no
Meat balls Belgian Main no
Vol au Vent Belgian Main yes
Fish and chips British Main no
Full English Breakfast British Main no
Bangers and Mash British Main no
Chicken Tika Massala British Main no
Sheppers Pie British Main no
Scotch Egg British Main no
Toad in the hole British Main no
Jambon cuit au four British Main yes
Canard asiatique Chinese Main no
Sausage Roll English Main yes
Tartiflettes French Main no
Cassoulet French Main yes
Poulet grille French Main no
Hachis Parmentier French Main no
Confit of duck legs French Main yes
Lamb shanks French Main yes
Soupe bouillabaise French Main yes
Ouef brouliier French Main no
Ouef Benedicte French Main no
Cheese Soufle French Main no
Quennelles French Main yes
Magrets de Canard French Main yes
Fondue Savoyarde French Main no
Pain de viande French Main yes
Andouillette French Main no
Saucisson de Lyon Brioche French Main no
Quiche Lorraine French Main yes
Choucroute Garnie French Main no
Tartine et Fromage French Main no
Artichaud French Main no
Pommes Dauphines French Main yes
Beef Casserole French Main yes
Moussaka Greek Main yes
Giro meat Greek Main no
Tandori Chicken Indian Main no
Osso Bucco Italian Main yes
Spagetti Carbonara Italian Main no
Lasagna Italian Main no
Pizza Italian Main yes
Carpacio Italian Main no
Sushi Japanese Main no
Panko Vegetables Japanese Main no
Tagine lamb Lebanese Main yes
Tagine de Poulet Lebanese Main yes
Monk fish with Chorizo Spannish Main yes
Fruit Liqueur Belgian Other yes
Liqueur de Cassis Belgian Other yes
Thai Sauce Spicy Chinese Other yes
Pickled Beetroot English Other yes
Pickled Shallots English Other yes
Butter French Other yes
Gerkin / Parsley / Egg Mayonnaise French Other no
Aioli French Other yes
Hollandaise Sauce French Other yes
Bechamel Sauce French Other yes
Almond Butter French Other yes
Mayonnaise French Other yes
Limoncello Italian Other yes
Yorkshire Pudding British Side no
Gratin dauphinoises French Side no
Ratatouille French Side no
Haricots Vert a l’ail French Side no
Salade Lyonnaise French Side no
Tarka Dal Indian Side no
Samosas Indian Starter no
Patatas Bravas Spannish Side no
Tomate Crevette Belgian Starter no
Crab meat spread Belgian Starter no
Hate Levee Belgian Starter yes
Ham Terrine Belgian Starter yes
Rillettes of porc French Starter no
Rillettes of Duck French Starter yes
Cougeres French Starter yes
Pate de foie de volaille French Starter yes
Soupe a l’oignon French Starter no
Soupe de Champignons French Starter no
Soupe Artichaud de Jerusalem French Starter no
Escargots de bourgogne French Starter no
Steak Tartare French Starter no
Foie Gras French Starter yes
Moutabal Lebanese Starter yes
Houmous Lebanese Starter yes
Padrons Peppers Spannish Starter no
Gazpacho Spannish Starter no
Chorizo Spannish Starter no
Gambas al Ajillo Spannish Starter no
Calamares a la Romana Spannish Starter no
Croquetas Spannish Starter yes

 

More to come in the future….

 

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Making some Bretzels today

We need to update the recipe to make it using Thermomix! This recipe was first published on the 5th of June 2022.

Ingredients:

  • 185g Flour
  • 4g Yeast
  • 1 teaspoon  Sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt for dough.
  • 10g Sea salt for decorating the Bretzel
  • 175g of warm milk
  • 35g butter
  • 40g Bicarbonate / Baking Soda (this is not baking powder)

Once done, 15g melted butter.

How to make :

  • Mix flour, sugar, salt and yeast in a bowl.
  • Measure the butter into a glass jar and melt into the microwave for 30 seconds (cover with cling film or it will splash)
  • add 175g of milk and warm up in the microwave for 30 seconds or until warm but not hot.
  • add the milk mixture to the flour and make a dough. Knead to incorporate the milk into the flour. You should have a smooth dough ball. (It starts wet and gets better as you knead).
  • Let the dough rest in a bowl for 90 minutes.
  • Once the dough has rested, cut it into 8 equal pieces.
  • Roll into 50cm long strings
  • Shape the Bretzel by making a U shape, then take one side over the other twice, then bring both sides to the bottom of the U, and push a little to make a good seal.

  • Preparing a pan with boiling water and the baking soda, keep a gentle boil.
  • Take each Bretzel shaped dough and dip it in the boiling water for 30 seconds on each side.
  • Put onto a cooking tray with a silicone sheet.
  • Cover all the Bretzels with approximately 10g of Sea Salt or Kosher Salt
  • Cook in the pre-heated oven at 180 degrees fan assisted for 10 to 15 minutes depending on the colour you like on the bretzels.
  • Let cool down on a rack and when ready to eat smush some melted butter on top…this step is compulsory (as not optional ; )

 

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We did it ! First flowers to reach a patient in the UK

 

Legal cannabis by post_ inside the farm behind a British first 2

Although I am very proud of what we have achieved as a team, I must admit that the last few months have been very testing.

Our team has made history by delivering a UK-grown flower to a patient through a legal, commercial route for the first time.

I am proud of my work and would do it again if needed.

 

Starting from scratch four years ago, there are certainly a few things I would do differently today based on what I have learned along the way.

Despite all the successes, I still find it challenging to enjoy the moment, as nothing is ever perfect in the present.

“As you ascend a mountain, you focus on your hands, gripping the rocks to ensure you don’t fall. The more challenging the climb, the tighter your grip becomes, but in doing so, you might overlook the beauty behind you. Take a moment to stop and look back at the path you’ve traveled. Appreciate the unique view you’ve created for yourself.”

I should listen to this inner voice more often…and will do TODAY.

 

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The perfect Entrecote ?!

 

Cooking a large entrecôte (rib-eye steak) to be nicely warm inside while achieving a good sear on the outside can be approached in a few ways. Here are some considerations and methods for each technique:

 

Pan-Seared and Oven-Finished

 

  1. Pan-Searing:
  • Preheat: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
  • Season: Season the entrecôte generously with salt and pepper.
  • Sear: Heat a heavy skillet (cast iron is ideal) over high heat until very hot. Add a small amount of high smoke-point oil (like canola or grapeseed oil).
  • Cook: Sear the entrecôte for 2-3 minutes on each side until a deep brown crust forms.
  1. Oven-Finishing:
  • Transfer: Once seared, transfer the skillet to the preheated oven.
  • Cook: Cook in the oven until the desired internal temperature is reached (use a meat thermometer):
  • Rare: 120-125°F (49-52°C)
  • Medium-rare: 130-135°F (54-57°C)
  • Medium: 140-145°F (60-63°C)
  • Medium-well: 150-155°F (65-68°C)
  • Rest: Remove from the oven and let rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.

 

Oven-Roasted

 

  1. Preheat: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
  2. Season: Season the entrecôte with salt, pepper, and any herbs or spices you prefer.
  3. Prepare: Place the steak on a rack in a roasting pan to allow air circulation.
  4. Cook: Roast in the oven until the desired internal temperature is reached.
  5. Rest: Let the steak rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing to allow the juices to redistribute.

 

Sous Vide (if you reconsider)

 

  1. Preheat: Preheat your sous vide water bath to the desired temperature:
  • Rare: 125°F (52°C)
  • Medium-rare: 130°F (54°C)
  • Medium: 140°F (60°C)
  • Medium-well: 150°F (65°C)
  1. Season and Seal: Season the entrecôte with salt, pepper, and any herbs or aromatics. Place in a vacuum-sealed bag.
  2. Cook: Submerge the sealed steak in the water bath for 1-2 hours.
  3. Sear: After sous vide cooking, heat a skillet until very hot and quickly sear the steak for 1-2 minutes on each side for a nice crust.

 

Recommendation

 

For the best balance of flavor, texture, and warmth throughout the steak, I recommend the Pan-Seared and Oven-Finished method. This approach provides a well-developed crust from the searing process and allows you to gently bring the steak up to the desired internal temperature in the oven, ensuring even cooking and warmth.

 

Ensure you use a meat thermometer to avoid overcooking, and remember to let the steak rest before slicing to retain its juices.

 

Resting the meat after cooking is a crucial step for several reasons:

 

  1. Juice Redistribution:

 

  • During cooking, the heat causes the meat’s fibers to contract, pushing the juices towards the center of the meat.
  • Resting allows the juices to redistribute evenly throughout the meat. If you cut into the meat immediately after cooking, the juices will flow out, leading to a drier steak.

 

  1. Enhanced Flavor and Texture:

 

  • When juices redistribute, they not only keep the meat moist but also enhance the overall flavor.
  • The meat fibers relax during resting, making the texture more tender and enjoyable to eat.

 

  1. Temperature Equalization:

 

  • Resting helps to even out the temperature within the meat. The outer parts of the meat cool slightly while the center’s heat continues to spread, resulting in a more uniformly warm piece of meat.
  • This helps avoid a hot exterior with a cold or undercooked center, providing a better eating experience.

 

  1. Improved Presentation:

 

  • Resting reduces the likelihood of juices running all over the plate when the meat is cut, leading to a neater presentation.
  • It allows the meat to set, making it easier to carve into even slices.

 

How Long to Rest Meat

 

  • Steaks and Chops: Rest for 5-10 minutes.
  • Roasts: Rest for 15-20 minutes or more, depending on the size of the roast.

 

Practical Tip

 

Cover the meat loosely with aluminium foil to keep it warm while resting. This prevents it from cooling too quickly without trapping steam and making the crust soggy.

 

By incorporating a resting period, you ensure that your entrecôte (or any meat) is juicier, more flavorful, and better presented, ultimately enhancing the dining experience.

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Polishing Table

TYPES OF POLISHING COMPOUNDS (SUBCATEGORIES)

Below are the Sub-categories of commonly used polishing compounds:

BROWN TRIPOLI

This polishing compound is used on soft metals like brass, copper, and aluminum. The brown tripoli can easily eliminate lines or scratches (not too rough) from the surfaces. It can also be applied on wood surfaces and give them a lustrous finish.

WHITE POLISHING COMPOUND

This polishing compound is mainly used for hard metals like stainless steel and metals like nickel-plated and gives them a brighter shine. It is also an ideal choice for cutting and the intermediate polishing process.

BLACK POLISHING COMPOUND

The black polishing compound is the harshest polishing compound, usually contains emery as an abrasive, and is a great starting point after 180 grit sandpaper. It is ideal for removing deep scratches from platinum and stainless steel. Also used to smooth rough surfaces. It can be used on lap wheels, muslin, sisal, and treated buffs.

BLUE POLISHING COMPOUND

This polishing compound works well on non-ferrous metals or almost any type of metal to give it a smooth final polish. For better results, use it with a buffing wheel.

GREEN POLISHING COMPOUND

This intermediate polishing compound is also known for its high-quality, mirror-like finish. As a result, it is mostly used for stainless steel. It is also known as stainless steel compound. This compound also works for brass and all non-precious metals. You can use it with a muslin buff for scratch removal from 240 grit sandpaper or a loose fold flannel buff for a high lustre finish.

PINK POLISHING COMPOUND

The pink polishing or dual-purpose compound is used in the initial stage of soft metal and the final stage of hard metal polishing to get extra finishing. It’s one of the most adaptable compounds, as it works on wood, plastic, and painted surfaces.

RED POLISHING COMPOUND

Red polishing compound is also known as Jeweler’s rouge or red rouge. It gives a high lustre finish to precious metals like gold and silver, which is why it is popular in the jewelry trade. Use it with a 6-inch loose fold buff at about 3000 RPM for best results.

YELLOW POLISHING COMPOUND

This Yellow Rouge is a dry, low-residue polishing compound that gives gold, platinum, stainless steel, and other hard metals a high-gloss finish. It is good to apply after 240 grit to 320 grit sandpaper. Use it with non-treated muslin or felt-stitched buffs running at about 3000 RPM. This compound can be used in brass, silver, and polymer pieces.

Apart from the polishing compounds described above, there are a variety of polishing compounds available depending on the material and application. I hope this will help you select the appropriate polishing compound for your masterpiece.

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She’s got a point…

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I am in the Newspapers…

Original Link here

 

The text for backup.

Guardian Article

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Valentine

Work is consuming me way too much, I have not enough Oli days…

Chat GPT needs to step in and replace me.

Happy Valentine!

 

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Rice measures

I am always looking for these measures when making rice in the Slow cooker !

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Croquetas de Jamon

I love these when we go to a tapas restaurant, so I had to have a go myself.

It is fairly easy to do. Essentially, it is a thick bechamel with Serano cut in small cubes rolled into breadcrumbs and deep fried.

 

 

 

 

Ingredients :

  • 70g Butter
  • 70g Flour
  • 180g Serano
  • Nutmeg / Pepper
  • 500 ml Milk
  • Bread crumbs
  • 2 to 3 eggs for the coating with the breadcrumbs

How to make :

  • Melt butter in a pan and mix flour. It will clump up in the pan, but it is ok. Cook for a couple of minutes
  • Add all the milk in one go and mix well to create a creamy sauce.
  • Add the Serano, nutmeg and pepper.
  • Let cook a bit more so that you get a thick bechamel, which starts to detach from the sides of the pan.
  • Put into a bowl or container to go into the fridge for a couple of hours or overnight.
  • Once the bechamel has “set”, cut into even pieces to make the croquetas.
  • Roll into flour/egg /panko breadcrumbs
  • Deep fry at 170 degrees Celsius.

 

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Another Bread

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

  • 250ml warm milk
  • 110ml water
  • 1tsp / 5g / Sugar
  • 1tsp / 5g / Salt
  • 2tsp / 10g / Yeast
  • 300-320g of Flour
  • 60g of melted butter (to be added as last ingredient)

How to make:

  • Mix Milk, water, sugar, salt, yeast
  • Add Flour and mix
  • Add butter and mix well
  • Leave to rise for 1 hour
  • Make 9 Bals and place into Pyrex cooking dish (3X3)
  • Make egg wash with 1 egg and a bit of melted butter
  • Cook in warm oven at 200 for 30 minutes approx
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Small Brioche Buns

I am trying a different recipe for these small brioche buns. This is work in progress.

See my other recipes as well.

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

  • 450g of Strong Flour (13g to 14g of Proteins per 100g of flour)
  • 10g kosher salt
  • 50g white sugar
  • 7g bread yeast (I use the DCL Saf Yeast)
  • 100ml of warm milk
  • 4 eggs (for the dough) + 1 egg for the wash
  • 190g of salted, cubed, softened butter

How to make:

  • Warm the milk and dissolve the yeast into it with a bit of sugar
  • Place flour, salt and sugar in a mixer with a dough hook
  • Add milk, yeast, and eggs and mix for 10 minutes.
  • After the 10 minutes have passed, cut the butter into cubes
  • Add butter to the dough over 8 minutes (a few cubes at a time).
  • Let bread rise for 90 minutes
  • Put into the fridge for 60 minutes
  • Bring out of the fridge and separate into six portions
  • Make small balls with each portion by rolling the dough on itself (similar to making other breadsticks)
  • Place onto a silicone sheet and cover with a towel for 30-40 minutes. They will rise again.
  • Use an egg wash to cover the buns.
  • Place into a pre-heated fan oven at 160 degrees. For approximately 15-20 minutes or until nicely golden.

Enjoy!

 

 

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3D Project for Mouse repairs


I am repairing a mouse wheel for a friend.

It was a bit tricky because of the tiny sizes involved. I designed it in Fuion360, then used my new 3D Printer using supports for the overhangs.

It was printed using Carbon Fiber infused PLA. I am unsure if it will last, but now that I have the design, I can re-print it quickly.

 

 

 

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New 3D Printer

I got myself an updated 3D Printer.

One of the first projects was to repair a Marketing stand for my business. The new printer is very nice with good first-layer adhesion and fast speed. It supports almost any type of filament and has a multi-colour automatic switching device.

I am delighted with it, and my love of 3D printing has a renewed lease of life.

Although the technology has not changed too much, the implementation of it is a lot better. For example, the initial purging of the nozzle, the online and App capabilities, the speed, the adhesion of the first layer, the software upgrades and the options available for printing.

I made some End Caps for the aluminium clip, which would open up without End Cap.  I used fursion360 as usual and started from a photo of the edge and then modelled the part iteratively until it would have a good fit. I then used the mirror feature of fusion360 to generate the other side end-cap. I printed the parts using a carbon fiber-infused PLA filament.

The printer is a BambuLab X1 Carbon with the AMS.

 

As I rekindled with my 3D printing, I made some inventory of my old filament and started making sure that the filament I already owned was of good quality. In particular, the filament must be “dry” (as it tends to absorb the ambient humidity).

I realised I already had 30 filaments of various colours and other types.

Examples :

  • Shinny PLA
  • Matt PLA
  • Glow in the Dark Green PLA
  • Glow in the Dark Blue PLA
  • Carbon fiber infused PLA
  • Wood infused PLA
  • Neon coloured PETG
  • NYLON filament
  • Transluscent PLA etc…
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Lamb Shanks

Original post was 8th November 2020

I have made this recipe a few times and need to make a blog post for easy future access.

No Photos yet of mine but trust me it is delicious.

 

 

 

Ingredients :

  • 4 Lamb Shanks
  • 250ml to 500ml of Chicken Stock
  • 2 or 3 onions to taste
  • A bag of carrots
  • 3 cloves of garlic crushed
  • Olive oil for cooking
  • Spices: Salt, Pepper, Ras el Anou, smoked paprika, nutmeg, maybe a bit of herb of Provence.
  • Optional: a glass of red wine to deglaze the casserole with the vegetables.

How to make :

  • It is prepared very similarly to an Osso Bucco
  • Heat a “Le Creuset” casserole with olive oil and spices.
  • The spices are the secret of the final taste. So this is the place to use your own twist.
  • Brown the Shanks for at least 10 minutes in the casserole.
  • As the lamb is browning, peel and cut the carrots in medium-sized slices.
  • Chop the onions and crush the garlic.
  • Set the Shanks in a separate bowl and cook the vegetables for a few minutes.
  • This will lift all the stuck on meat juices and coat the vegetables with fat from the casserole.
  • Once the vegetables have roasted a little, add the shanks back into the casserole with any juices that have come out.
  • Add chicken stock until it covers the vegetables and up to half of the shanks. Probably between 250ml and 500ml of chicken stock.
  • Put the casserole with a lid on in the oven at 180degres for 2 hours. (for fan assisted)

Serve with roasted potatoes and roasted sweet potatoes.

This is a great dish to uplift the spirit in Confinement or early winter…

 

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Getting old

Recently it was my birthday. Now 56, a «non-real number » birthday …had many messages from my friends. Current ones and very old ones. It made me very happy and made the day a lot more bearable.

 

 

 

I won’t talk about my ever-approaching terminal day as somebody famous once said :

Parler de la mort est un manque de savoir vivre.

It is a great play on words that I cannot translate properly to convey the double meaning of savoir vivre. The pure translation would be “knowing how to live”, but in French, it also has the meaning of knowledge of the world and the ways or usages of polite society.

Yes, one day, like everyone else, I will die, but all the other days, I will live !…

Thank you to all my friends.

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Magura Brake Bleed

Very recently, I tried to bleed the front brakes on my bike and made a complete mess out of it. Breaking the bleed valve on the handle.

Below is how to do it for the next time!

Prepare 2 syringes and the yellow bricks.

Remove the brake pads and replace them with yellow bricks to ensure that the brake cylinders are pushed in on both sides evenly.

Remove the brake calliper from the frame, as it will be easier to do the work.

Remove the bleed screw at the calliper and install the syringe with 30ml of blue oil. Try to push the air out of the syringe before connecting. Overall, we are trying to remove any bubbles in the overall system and also replace as much as possible of the oil in the system with new oil.

Adjust the handle so that the bleed port is horizontal. This might require other parts of the handlebar equipment to be moved as well.

Open the bleed port on the handle carefully, as it is made of plastic and will brake if too tight. (0.5Nm max).

Install the top string into the bleed port. No need for adapters. Just push in firmly. This syringe has no plunger.

Use the Caliper side syringe to push and pull the oil through the system to remove all the bubbles. Do it several times to ensure all the little bubbles are out. Tap the line with a tool to dislodge any bubbles that might be in the line.

Remove the calliper syringe. This is best done with the calliper at a similar height to the handle so that there is not too much flow of oil. Close the port.

Do the same with the handle syringe and close the port. Be careful with the bleed screw.

Clean everything with the brake cleaner and re-assemble.

 

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