Quantum Spicing

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OK, I was going to write about the frankly bonkers revelation in New Scientist this week that at the quantum level it is possible to cool things down by doing absolutely nothing, simply by detecting the absence rather than the presence of a photon. Mind suitably boggled once again. For the curious, the abstract for the paper can be found here. And no, it will not make much sense to the non quantum physicists out there, including me. Interesting, nevertheless.

Instead, I report on possibly the most middle-class purchase I've made this year: the above-pictured jar of the spicy Tunisian condiment, Harissa. I've been a fan of the stuff since I first encountered it in France in 1983, in the form of the ubiquitous Le Phare du Cap Bon, which I recall being in just about every small shop and hypermarché at the time. I discovered the above in the ludicrous FT Weekend supplement HTSI [it used to go by its full title 'How to Spend It', but I think a touch of self-aware cringe might have motivated the acronym-isation], about the delicious foodstuff. The middle-class bit? I had to order it online from Selfridges of all places.

Anyhow, there in the text was the tale of Sami Lamiri, the founder of his eponymous company, whose goal is to introduce the real-Tunisian-deal harissa - his grandma's recipe, no less - to the wider world. Apparently it has found a cult following back in Tunis, which has to be a good sign in itself, but I'm holding back from opening the jar tonight as I've already got something to eat in the kitchen: ready-meal leftovers, I'm afraid, so no great shakes. I think I'm going to make a meat and dried-fruit cous-cous especially to try this one out; probably tomorrow: a trip to the really good halal butcher in Bangor for some decent meat is in order methinks. Keep you posted...

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