Free-range eggs not going to be so 'free-range' soon.

Image courtesy 401(K) 2013

As a foodie I care about the source and quality of the produce I use. As a result, free-range eggs are a must for me. They are not only better for the animals, they have better yolk and white qualities and most importantly they taste better.

Well, it's about to become a whole lot harder to buy true free-range eggs. In Australia, free-range eggs are defined by the voluntary Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals: Domestic Poultry. Currently this limits bird densities to 1,500 per hectare (1500 per 10,000m²). This is about 1/7 bird per 1m² (or 1 bird per 7m²).

The Queensland Government has moved to change this figure to 10,000 birds per square meter. And it looks like the the ACCC might have something to say about these changes too if their concerns about Coles are anything to go on.

In 2010 the Australian Egg Corporation considered changing the definition for free-range eggs to allow farms to go from the current 1,500 birds per hectare to 20,000 birds per hectare (2 birds per 1m2). The ACCC were very much involved then too.

You can read more about these changes here, here and here.

There's a campaign supported by Choice that sends an email to areas of the QLD Gov't asking them to revoke the changes.

I'm sure personalised emails have stronger weight, but numbers also matter. So if you feel you don't have the time, using the template will also help.

How to install Couch Potota Server

If you like movies, use Usenet and have never heard of Couch Potato, the you need to get on this. Couch Potato gives you the ability to queue and download files for you automagically and integrates with SabNZBd quite nicely. The new version (CouchPotatoServer) is a bit of a pain to install though and requires various components.

I thought I'd make it easier for everyone else and share it here. I'm reiterating the instructions here so they are hopefully a bit more clear for others.

Overview
You need to install the following:

1. Python
2. Python Extensions for Windows
3. Git
4. CouchPotatoServer

1. Install Python
Before you can install PyWin32 (aka Python Extensions for Windows), you will need to install the
corresponding version (x86 or x64) of Python 2.7.3.

2. Install Python Extensions for Windows

The version of PyWin32 has to be v2.7, and depending on whether you're running X86 (32bit) or X64
(64bit) Windows then you need the one of the following files (respectively):
 - 32bit - pywin32-217.win32-py2.7.exe
 - 64bit - pywin32-217.win-amd64-py2.7.exe
The list of all PyWin32 files are here. But you only need the version ending in py2.7.

3. Install Git
Install Git from here. You can use the default options. Beware of any changes you make to the install options as some require other packages installed.
I'm running 64 bit windows, so my default install folder for 32 bit software (like Git) is:
 C:\Program Files (x86)\
Therefore Git installed to:
 C:\Program Files (x86)\Git

Tip: On your Git Bash windows, mouse click the Git icon in the top left of the title bar, then select
Properties. Tick the Quick Edit Mode box under the Options tab and then click OK. This will allow you to easily copy and past into Git.

4. Install CouchPotatoServer files
Launch Git Bash from the Start menu.
In Git Bash change the current directory to the path you wish to install CouchPotatoServer (in my case Program Files (x86). For me, this looks like:

cd "C:\Program Files (x86)"

Then type:

git clone https://github.com/RuudBurger/CouchPotatoServer.git

Note: Git is case sensitive as far as I can tell.
Tip: Just copy and past the commands above into Git if they suit. Once text is copied to your
clipboard, just right click in Git to paste it.

This will copy the CouchPotatoServer files from Github to the path your Git Bash is currently configured to.


5. Launch CouchPotatoServer
Open Windows Explorer and navigate to the path you just copied CouchPotatoServer files into.
Double click the CouchPotato.py file to launch the application.
If you like, create a shortcut to this file in your Start menu or Startup folder.

I'll also show you how to integrate with NZBUnity and SabNZBd next.

Takeaway lunch

with thanks to oldstretch for the image

I'm on a very strict diet, I won't go into the details here, but suffice to say, eating out is virtually impossible for me... unless it's a cheat day. Two requirements of my diet prevent me eating out: 
- no starchy or processed carbs
- no gluten.


Today I was in a pickle; on the road at various client's sites, didn't pack lunch, it's already 2pm and I'm late for my next client. No fast food will fit the bill, so what to do? On my way to my next client I dropped in to my nearest supermarket and picked up 250g of turkey breast from the deli, a 250g punnet of delicious Perino tomatoes, and 2* Lebanese cucumbers. Total $12.80. No utensils required.


Nutritionally, it can be broken down as approximately:
 Kilojoules: 1600
 Fat: 40g
 Protein: 40g
 Carbohydrates: <20g
 Fibre: 5g
... Plus the various nutrients in the tomatoes and cucumber.


It was quick, relatively cheap and relatively good. That's a trifecta that's often hard to come by. I was able to wrap a couple of tomatoes in the turkey and enjoy those together with a bite of the cucumber. Delicious. Not entirely a perfect meal, but I can make up for it's deficiencies later in the day.


Let me know what you think in the comments. What quick, healthy snacks can you pick up on the run?

Onions and the reduction method

Image courtesy of SteveR

Sometimes you get a good one... one that doesn't make you cry. But chopping onions can be one of the most debilitating jobs in the kitchen. A single eschalot (or Allium cepa var. aggregatum) can bring even the most experienced chef to a blubbering mess. And I use onions almost everyday in my cooking, so it's great to not be brought to my knees everytime I slice and dice.

There are three key tricks to keeping your eyes dry and clear whilst prepping your alliums:

1. Use a sharp knife.
2. Chill the onions before you cut them.
3. Do not stand directly over your chopping surface.

Chemistry / biology
If you look at an onion very closely (you may remember using a microscope in high school) you'll see that like other plants, an onion is made of cells. When you cut an onion these cells are damaged and through a series of chemical reactions, the creation and release of the offending gas, known as onion Lachrymatory Factor or LF occurs. When the LF reaches your face it irritates the eyes. This irritation causes your crying reaction which is designed to flush the eyes of the irritant. Read more here for a good explanation.

Tools of the trade

Using a properly sharp knife reduces crushing of the cells in the onion, reducing the chemical reactions that occur and releasing less LF. Less LF = less tears. This is a simple one. I’ll do another piece on sharp knives at a later date.

More chemistry
Depending on what you’ve done to your brain since, you may also remember from high school science that chemical reactions slow down in the absence of heat. This is because for a chemical reaction to occur, at least two molecules must collide with a minimum of energy. Heat increases the (kinetic) energy of the molecules, therefore increasing the likelihood of these collisions. The more collisions, the greater the chemical reaction and vice versa. Read more here as to why this is the case.

Absence of heat is the key to this, if you chill your onions it will slow the chemical reactions that occur. Less chemical reactions = less LF. Keep just enough onions (I think three of four) in the fridge for your next meal or two. When you use them, immediately replace them with onions from the cupboard and you’ll have chilled onions ready for your next meal.

Stand back
When you are chopping, it’s very easy to stand directly over your cutting surface. This increases the LF that gets to your eyes. Try moving your upper body away from the chopping surface to reduce the LF. The same equations apply as above.

Check out the Onions Australia website for more great information on this invaluable vegetable.