Long Live Geeks

Freezer Friendly Chocolate Pudding

noreply@blogger.com (Anastasia) — Sun, 08 Sep 2013 17:38:00 +0000

I cook as many things as I can that are freezable, then freeze individual portions and grab one when I want one. I have frozen many servings of chocolate pudding, but it never quite worked right. Corn starch, the usual pudding thickener, doesn't hold up well to freezing. I could eat the corn starch pudding slightly frozen and it was okay. After that, it got liquidy. My second attempt, arrow root starch, produced slimy pudding. *shudders* Oh, and also doesn't freeze well. Rather than try every possible starch out there, I did some webby research and found what I thought would be an ideal solution: tapioca. And it is! The pudding made with tapioca starch tastes great. I can't tell I used tapioca instead of corn starch. And, it can be frozen and thawed and stays the consistency of pudding! So here's my recipe for freezer friendly chocolate pudding.

A word on chocolate. This pudding tastes like whatever chocolate and cocoa you use to make it. Use chocolate that you love to eat. For me, that's a good Dutch processed cocoa and semisweet chocolate. If you don't order a 10kg bag of Callebaut's semisweet callets as soon as the weather turns cold each year, you might try looking at Whole Foods. It was there that I got addicted to Callebaut chocolate!

Ingredients:
6 egg yolks
2 cups of cream
5 cups of milk
2 cups of sugar
pinch of salt
1/4 cup tapioca starch (sometimes called tapioca flour), this makes a fairly soft pudding. Add 1-2 extra tablespoons of tapioca starch if you want a firmer pudding.
6 tablespoons cocoa (Increase to 1/2 cup for a more intense chocolate flavor.)
12 ounces chocolate (If you are using callets, use about 2 cups.)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In a pan that is at least 4 quarts in size, measure out the sugar, tapioca starch, cocoa, and salt. Mix until everything is combined.
Add the egg yolks and cream. Mix until the egg yolks are well incorporated and all of the dry ingredients are wet. (This is important. If you have little bits of egg yolk hanging around they are likely to scramble when you start heating the pudding.)
Add the milk. Mix a little at this point, but you don't have to worry about getting it perfect.
Over medium heat, cook while stirring continuously until the pudding thickens. You'll notice some light colored foam on top at first. When this blends in, the pudding is close to being cooked. When it becomes the consistency of melted chocolate and you get a bubble or two rising up from the bottom of the pan, you are good to go.
Remove from heat. Stir in the chocolate and keep stirring until it melts. Stir in the vanilla.

Strain the pudding. Yes, strain. I know it's a pain, but, you'll get rid of any lumps that way. And resist the urge to smush the lumps through the strainer. That just makes smaller lumps, it doesn't get rid of them. You are however welcome to scrape the bottom of the strainer to get all of the pudding.

At this point, you can take a big bowl of pudding and put it in the fridge, or, you can divide it into small containers to refrigerate or freeze. If you don't want a pudding skin, put plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding, or, fill up your containers all the way so that the lid touches the top surface.

Lastly, and most importantly, enjoy the super tasty result!! :)

Kindle Protection

noreply@blogger.com (Anastasia) — Wed, 28 Aug 2013 18:57:00 +0000

My new favorite geek discovery: my Kindle Paperwhite fits perfectly in a Zip-Loc 1 quart freezer bag. Why would I want to put my Kindle in a zip-loc? The better for reading in the hot-tub! :)

Here there be Dragon*Con!

noreply@blogger.com (Anastasia) — Mon, 26 Aug 2013 21:25:00 +0000

In a few days one of my favorite events of the year is happening, Dragon*Con!!! And for the first time, I will be there for all of the first day of the con :) For the past 6 years I have snuck out of school early on Friday before Labor day, flown down to Atlanta, and arrived at the con just in time to get my badge before pickup closes Friday night. This year I'm arriving Thursday! I get to enjoy all the Friday goodness! This year I'm most looking forward to seeing George Takei. He was at the very first DC I even attended, but in a reallyreally small room. It was filled to overflowing, and a bunch of us stood outside the door. I remember that he was funny, but also that it wasn't my favorite DC experience. This year they've got him in a big ballroom. I'll have to arrive early, but I should still get a shot at a seat this time :) I have been saving my pennies for the dealer room. That's where I refresh my geek wardrobe (aka, t-shirts) each year. And I've got a handful of other panels scoped out that I will take a shot at. Mostly though, I am looking forward to being amongst fellow geeks. If you've never been the minority (in which case you're either not a geek, or are an extremely lucky geek), go do something where you are, and see how that feels. It's not exactly bad. But sometimes it is tiring. Sometimes I want to speak my own language and know everyone will understand. I want to laugh at all the smart jokes and give people the Spock eyebrow for the dumb ones. And just generally be one of the crowd. At Dragon*Con, I am. One of 50k+ like minded people. I hope to see you there!

Why I left Academia

noreply@blogger.com (Anastasia) — Fri, 23 Aug 2013 20:22:00 +0000

In May of 2005 I graduated with my PhD in Computer Science, and shortly thereafter, set sail for Middle of Nowhere PA (tm) to teach at a small liberal arts university. Teaching was something I loved and wanted to do. Yet, now, I'm writing Java programs at a company in Pittsburgh. And every time someone at my new job hears that I left a tenure track position to be a software engineer, they ask why. I've had a lot of practice at the answer. 1. I like to do new things. After 7.5 years, teaching wasn't new to me anymore. 2. I like intellectual challenges. There are not a lot of opportunities for that when teaching the same classes over and over. Most faculty satisfy this need via research. That's fantastic, when you can make time for it. But unless I wanted to work during the weekends, it wasn't happening in any great quantity. 3. For everything I did that I really liked, (aka, working with students) I had to do 10 things that I didn't like. The second question I get is: But what about all the time off? I suggest anyone who thinks faculty have it easy read this article, particularly the addendum. What is that bad for me? Not quite. It was more like someone who works 4 10-hour days a week then has a 3 day weekend. I worked 10 totally packed months, then got 2 months off. That works for some people. It didn't work so well for me. I may go back to teaching someday, but for now, I'm enjoying writing code. I get to solve puzzles, learn new things, and create something on a daily basis. It's a blast :)

I'm baaaack :)

noreply@blogger.com (Anastasia) — Wed, 21 Aug 2013 18:38:00 +0000

I am going to revive this blog :) That is all for today.

I still heart my Kindle

noreply@blogger.com (Anastasia) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 15:39:00 +0000

I know. It's been forever. I hope I haven't lost my touch :)

I love books. Particularly a good fantasy novel, but I'll read just about anything that tells a good story or teaches me something new and fascinating. When the Kindle first came out, it seemed like a natural fit. But I delayed. E-books don't have the wonderful feel and smell of paper! E-books won't fill up my bookshelves! Until finally, I had so many books that there was no more space. I could always go back and read my favorites on the old fashioned medium, but it was clear that I needed a more compact solution moving forward, so I bought a Kindle.

It was love at first sentence. The ability to download books in seconds, and take a whole library of reading material any where I go won me over in a heartbeat. I was a Kindle aficionado. When rumors flew that a color Kindle was going to be released, I immediately started a "new Kindle fund". With my Fire pre-ordered the first day, I not so patiently awaited its delivery. And finally the day arrived. My Kindle Fire was born. I named it Sam.

Having read a dozen books on Sam, and read a small army of disparaging Kindle Fire reviews, I want to put my $0.02 out there.

The hardware:
I really enjoy the LCD screen compared to e-ink. I don't have to fuss with a book light to read at night, and turning pages is noticeably faster. Carrying Sam around is no more difficult that any paperback. The 7" size works for me. I don't miss a camera or any other high-end tablet features. Yes the Fire is less powerful than my smartphone. It also cost less than half the price.

The software:
Amazon's locked down version of Android has left me between a rock and a hard place. Half my life is organized around Google: gmail, google docs, gtalk, the list goes on and on. To make Sam really useful as a tablet, I need access to those apps. I don't have it.

About 2 minutes after realizing this, I looked into rooting Sam. I was all set to go for it until I read one critical sentence: Rooting a Fire removes access to Amazon Prime functionality. Sigh. Here's my not so guilty, not so secret: I buy tons of stuff from Amazon. I got a Prime membership the first year they were available. The $80 more than pays for itself in "free" 2-day shipping. I see the library of downloads as an added bonus. One that doesn't justify the Prime membership, but also one I don't want to lose on Sam.

So, Sam remains unrooted. I use him to read books, very happily. He is not a fully functioning tablet though, and that may prompt me to look into Android tablets more in the future. Cause, you know, I always *need* more technology :)

Christmas Eve at Last

noreply@blogger.com (Anastasia) — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 18:34:00 +0000

As the people of Castleville gather around their new fondue pot, a special visitor, straight from Santa's Workshop teleports in to deliver presents.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Fondue Anyone?

noreply@blogger.com (Anastasia) — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 19:32:00 +0000

"I have been saving a special surprise," announces the Queen. "Gather round, and we shall have fondue! Look at that yummy cheese melting over the flame!"

Peace at Last

noreply@blogger.com (Anastasia) — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 22:29:00 +0000

"Boys! Boys!" says the Queen, "I will have none of your fighting this time of year. I have brought the Owl of Peace. Greet him gently, and apologize to your friends."
"Your Majesty! We will stop at once!" says Sir Edgar, "But please know, we would not have hurt anyone. The missiles raining down from above, they were marshmallows! And the arrows, pretzel sticks!"
The Queen and her men at arms have a good laugh over the food fight.

A Little Retialiation

noreply@blogger.com (Anastasia) — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 21:17:00 +0000

Sir Edgar has friends with long range armaments, and he asks on of them, the crossbowman Steve, to send back a little return fire. Things are getting dangerous around here!

Look Out Belooooooow!

noreply@blogger.com (Anastasia) — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 22:26:00 +0000

Someone has decided to use Sir Edgar as target practice himself! Watch out!

Sir Edgar

noreply@blogger.com (Anastasia) — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 19:24:00 +0000

While the practice dummy is free, Sir Edgar decides to practice his spear work. You can learn a lot from a dummy! :)

Oink Oink 2!

noreply@blogger.com (Anastasia) — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 20:23:00 +0000

Even Petunia gets in on the snack time action, with her favorite food, apples!

Hot Cider!

noreply@blogger.com (Anastasia) — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 22:20:00 +0000

Nothing quite like a hot mug of cider after a long day of practice. Beth, the serving wench and admirer, serves it up to the men at arms.

Oooooh. Ahhhhh.

noreply@blogger.com (Anastasia) — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 01:39:00 +0000

Practice time brings out all the ladies :)

Only 9 days til Christmas!!!

Practice Time

noreply@blogger.com (Anastasia) — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 03:45:00 +0000

(This post is brought to you by my new camera. OMG it's so cool!)
Before the guards can take on the sword in the stone, they must get some practice in. Luckily a new practice dummy appears just in time! Swing that sword :)

Santa's Early Delivery

noreply@blogger.com (Anastasia) — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 02:51:00 +0000

Santa's come early this year, and he's left a very special delivery! A sword in a stone!

Contest Finale

noreply@blogger.com (Anastasia) — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 01:43:00 +0000

The last contestant to come forward is the great Stefan, the sword juggler. He throws his swords up with glee, without ever missing a mark.

The Queen at last must make a decision.
"Dear contestants! Thank you all for coming forward to share your skills with us during this season of magic. I fear that I could never choose just one winner among you. So therefore, I bestow the Queen's Prize on... everyone!"
And the Queen descends from her throne and gifts each contest with a beautiful jewel.

Oink Oink!

noreply@blogger.com (Anastasia) — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 02:57:00 +0000

Next archer Tom comes before the Queen with his trained pig, Petunia.

Tom has no fears that Petunia will appear on the Christmas dinner menu. Petunia can stand on two legs! Look at that!

Performers Continue

noreply@blogger.com (Anastasia) — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 04:53:00 +0000

The guardsman chooses to go next. What is his trick? Balancing on a wall while wearing handcuffs! What a talented guy!

The First Performer

noreply@blogger.com (Anastasia) — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 01:15:00 +0000

The first performer is ... a skeleton? He crawled out of the closet to do his skull and crossbones dance!

Announcing a Contest

noreply@blogger.com (Anastasia) — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 01:10:00 +0000

(This post is a day late - brought to you by final exam grading time!)
Queen Merry has her men at arms bring out a chest.
"Hear me merry-makers! Come one come all! Tell me a joke! Perform a song! Stand on your head! Or dance a jig. The best of all of the performers will receive a token of my favor from this chest."

Time with the People

noreply@blogger.com (Anastasia) — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 02:31:00 +0000

Queen Merry can think of no better way to enjoy the Christmas season than to spend it among everyone in Castleville. Like all queens though, her delicate feet cannot stand in her delicate shoes all day! Her throne is promptly fetched and the Queen sits daintily upon it.

Fanfare! Fanfare!

noreply@blogger.com (Anastasia) — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 01:20:00 +0000

Queen Merry steps out on to the turret and surveys her people. Graduate they notice her presence and grow quiet.
"Good evening all! I declare today the official start of the holiday merrymaking season!" Announces the queen. "Let us suspend work for the day, and gather about to dance and play!"
So the blacksmith put down his hammer, and the archers their bows. Everyone gathered together and did first official holiday dance of the season.

A New Suit of Armor

noreply@blogger.com (Anastasia) — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 04:21:00 +0000

More gear is appearing. I wonder if all of this could be prelude to a joust? The mystery of the holiday season is yet to unfold :)