Arch Linux + XBMC Installation guide

Edit: This guide is outdated, use this new one instead.

Ok, here is my first post on Linux!

A while back, I needed to reinstall the operating system on my HTPC. I had some difficulties with this, so I decided to create a step-by-step guide for if I ever need to do it again. It seemed a bit selfish to keep it to myself (or so I'm told), so I thought I'd share it here.

I will not go into what XBMC does or how to set it up here. That is very individual, and there is a wealth of information available on this in other places.

If you are a beginner with Linux, and don't want to know anything about the stuff that goes on "beneath the surface", Arch Linux is probably not for you. Instead, I'd recommend XBMCbuntu, which is a ready-made distribution for XBMC that you can download directly from the XBMC homepage. There is a graphical installer which is very easy to use.

If on the other hand, you are used to working with Linux, and/or you want to learn more about it, Arch Linux is a good way to go. There is no graphical installer, all settings, configurations, and installations have to be done by hand. On the up-side, you will get a system that is exactly the way you want it to be, and with no unnecessary SW installed.

My installation has no window manager, it is just XBMC on top of Arch Linux. If you want to be able to switch to a "normal" desktop environment for using a web-browser etc, then you can easily do that in addition to the things described in this guide, Google is your friend here.

Some of the things in this guide are optional, or HW-dependent. For both these cases I have clearly marked them as such, as well as describing what they are for.

Chocolate truffles with passion fruit

I love chocolate truffles, they are easy to make, rich, smooth, and full of chocolaty goodness.

I made these for my birthday as well. They seem to go down very well with adults, but not so much with the kids (my nephews didn't like them on their own, but thought they were good in combination with the orange ice cream).

The passion fruit flavour cuts through the richness of the chocolate in a great way, and as a result, this has become one of my favorite flavor combinations.

Credit where credits due, I got the idea for these from the exploding chocolate gateau by Heston Blumenthal, which is highly recommended if you're feeling adventurous. Also the basic "form" of this recipe is from Hestons chocolate truffles recipe, though I've modified it a bit.

Tip 1: This recipe makes quite a few truffles, but it is very scalable. If you want a different amount, just decrease/increase each of the ingredients, by the same percentage.

Ingredients:
3 dl whipping cream
200g dark chocolate (70%)
100g milk chocolate
9 Passion fruits
Cocoa powder

 

Ingredients

Orange ice cream

As I'm having a birthday party this weekend, I thought I would make some ice cream. This recipe is super easy, to the point that it might even be called a "cheat", but it is still my favorite recipe, in terms of flavor, for ice cream. I'm not sure if it is because I just like orange as a flavor, or if it is because I have yet to find a commercial orange ice cream that actually tastes of oranges.

Either way, this ice cream DOES taste of oranges, and it is simply delicious.

Tip 1: If you don't have an ice cream maker (and don't want to buy one), you can skip that step and just put the mixture in a container and place it in the freezer. Give it a stir 2-3 times/hour for a few hours. Because it will freeze slower, the ice-crystals will be bigger and the ice cream will not be quite as smooth, but it will be just as delicious.

Ingredients
2 eggs
2 dl icing sugar
1 ½ dl freshly squeezed orange juice
grated peel of 1 orange
3 dl whipping cream

Ingredients

First post

This is my first post and I'll just briefly explain what you can expect in the future. 
Two of my favorite things are Linux and baking, and that is what this blog will be about. A bit of an eclectic mix perhaps, but those are my interests, so I figure why not?
Whenever I bake something tasty, I'll upload the recipe here, and whenever I do or find something interesting with or about Linux, I'll post it here.

I hope you'll enjoy and find it useful.