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Hopefully patents on gene’s will not long be completely invalidated 😀
http://arstechnica.com/science/news/2010/03/decision-over-breast-cancer-tests-hammers-gene-patents.ars .

Common sense from a US court, I’m sure that’s one of the signs of the apocalypse.

This is how I like to cook my lamb roast.

Night before – cover roast in garlic and leave resting in the fridge – this will give ample time for more than just the immediate outside to get some flavour into it.

Day of cooking – add mint, rosemary or what ever other herbs you are liking to season it with.

Just before popping into the oven – salt the outside of the roast, try and stick to the fatty areas and avoid the meaty bits – as salt will dry out the meat you don’t want to put it on the non fatty bits or leave it too long.

Method (per kg)
Preheat oven to 220-250C
Place roast in said oven for 20-30 minutes (depending on size and shape) this is to seal the outside of the roast and keep the juices inside it.
After this time reduce the temperature to 160-180C (I like 170) and cook for 30 minutes per kg.

I like to leave my roasts in the fat for the flavour during cooking, I’m still perfecting adding the vegetable timings, but have had some success w/ 2kg roasts and lots of vegies @ the 1hour before mark. (Adding at temp reduction point).

Once cooked – remove vegies from pan and put back into the oven, cover roast with aluminium foil and leave to rest (10-15 minutes per KG) while you make the gravy etc.

One of my mates sent me a link to this site that has a step by step build plan for creating a cellar in a cupboard. Instructable for mini wine cellar. This solution intruiges me and is worthy of some consideration. If I could improve my passive cellarability I’d be a very very happy camper indeed. At the moment the high end it possibly a little high (24C in summer) and if i could trim 4C off that figure life would be happier for my wine.

Even after 6 hours decanting time this wine is still very tight and closed up. The nose is fragrant savoury smells along with liquorice, some dark berry – I’ve smelt this before but am unsure what is it. A dash of clove along with some Chocolatey characteristics.

On the palate – there is fruit starts right up on the front, giving way to smooth grippy tannins at the back end. Some spiciness + pepper also. Excellent long mouthfeel. I can’t help but feel this was some vinfanticide opening it up now, but it at least lets me know this one has some time to go yet. The fruit and wood characteristics are becoming nicely integrated compared to 15 months ago when I last cracked a bottle of this. A little dry dustyness too. Fantastic mouthfeel. Loving every taste of this, a pity the bottle was shared w/ 4 people.

There is nothing wrong with my storage conditions.

I’m not too happy with Penfolds today – had a 2002 St Henri Shiraz (one of a 6 pack – this pack had 4 in it, and one of these remaining 4 had a leaky cork). After removing two for gifts I had placed other bottles into the box – 1x 2004 Wirra Wirra RSW and 1x 2001 Chapel Hill The Vicar). I had this sitting in under the stairs in a well insulated, protected environment (not perfect cellaring conditions, but pretty good). One bottle had the following happen:

so I called them to suggest this was a problem with the cork/bottle. They came back with it’s the storage that has caused this damage – this I question: I have drunk many bottles some which have been stored in this very location, and have had a few bottles that have not been great – TCA in 2x cases (cork taint) which is a defect at production time, and 1x heat damage – which I think was transport related, and many many good bottles that have remained good.

So this afternoon I have decanted one of the remaining 8 bottles of St Henri (none of which show any leakage) and what do you know – it’s in perfect condition. It’s not oxidised, it’s not suffering from heat damage, it smells mighty fine – full tasting notes to follow when we start drinking this proper in a few hours.

To Penfolds I say – there is nothing wrong with my storage conditions. There is however something very wrong with the corks you have used in this St Henri vintage. With your recent price hikes for the brand name, I can’t say I’ll be recommending your wines to any one in the near future. Fosters – go back to brewing beer and sell Penfolds to someone who understands wine, for at present, thou art scum.

To anyone who buys wine – check for leakage out of the box – don’t leave the boxes sealed for any period of time.

EDIT: (5h later) I received a phone call from a Penfolds CSU and they’re sending a package to collect the cork and will determine what recourse to take from that point (replacement if 100% sure, substitution if there is some doubt) it’s nice to be taken seriously.

Microwaving beats boiling for cooking most veggies

Dear people of the anti-microwave cult – the mob who say no I don’t want microwaved food it ruins – please allow me to direct you to some research that have quantified how much microwaving reduces the anti-oxidants within foods. Seems like many foods don’t mind this and microwaving most foods is better than boiling.

It seems that there has been a great deal of scaremongering going on regarding vaccinations and autism. While there may be some people/babies who have reactions to vaccinations there has been no link found between vaccinations and autism, and any reaction when taken as a whole are rare compared to the risks of not vaccinating children. While I certainly hope these words don’t come back to haunt me, I feel that as a community we are only protected from outbreaks/risks if large proportions of people are vaccinated – it may not prevent an infection, but like the flu vaccine for adults if they get the bug they’re likely to be better protected against it and not have a severe reaction to it. Yes there are risks, but they’re much smaller than ignoring the potential of the bugs that are being prevented by vaccinating, parents I implore you to feel the fear and do it.

Well I just got a spam from gadgetgear.com.au they are spammers do not buy from them I never have. If I work out how they got my email address I’ll post who/what and how they got it and see what can be done.

I’d like to point out to the EA numpties that the amount of CO2 released by a candle is more CO2 than an electric light lumen for lumen (9.8x or so). To those who say “it’s symbolic and showing your support for the Earth” I’d like to respond with – yes and so is eating a cow to show support for people who would like the lamb industry stopped.

How about working on pollution, over fertilisation, over use of pesticides and stuff that actually matter. End of the day the this little blue ball is going to get cooked quite badly when our sun enters its red giant phase.

2005 Hugh Hamilton Cabernet Sauvignon The Villain Glenelg – Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale (2/11/2009)
A slightly green nose and palate. A good schwag of dark fruit. Oak still very prominent in this wine, held together really well for 48 hours under vacu-vin, there was a large amount of heat on this puppy, I’m not sure how long the fruit will last. It’s still an interesting drop, and was smoother at the 48 hour mark, but had lost a fair whack of the fruit. (87 pts.)