Mr. Crowley’s Rice
Aleister Crowley, prescription known to many as “The Great Beast” and thought perhaps “The Wickedest Man in the World” was an English Occultist, ampoule mystic, ceremonial Magician… and amateur foodie?
See below for Riz Aleister Crowley, a delectable rice dish. Redolent with aromatic herbs and spices, almonds and green pistachios (rendering it a “Poem of Spring”, Crowley raves), it is meant to be eaten with a lovely curry. This carnal knowledge comes to us courtesy of Professor Jack, who recently conducted some sleuthing in the Crowley Archives at Bird Library, Syracuse University, and generously shared the fruits of his efforts. Should you wish to attempt this recipe in your own kitchen, be forewarned – volumes and weights are virtually non-existent here; Prof. Jack notes that Crowley appears to have been “… less fond of precise measurements than he was of Sex Magicks and defiling nice carpets.”
October 1st, 2010 at 3:27 am
Bwaaahaaaa! EAT WHAT THOU WILT. I love it.
On a related note, here’s a photo of a charming wee supermarket Bun and I drove past somewhere between Auckland and Wellington:
October 1st, 2010 at 3:35 am
Clearly, the OTO fruit market is where one should purchase Jordon almonds in bulk, for superior mystical results!
October 1st, 2010 at 3:57 am
This is perfect: I am picturing the comical Mr. Crowley pitching kitchen products using the pose in the photo above…the book could easily be 1,001 Ways to Use Aged Rice.
I would not let him anywhere near my carpets.
October 1st, 2010 at 4:02 am
OTB – I know! I wanted to edit the picture and stick a spatula in one hand, a whisk in the other, and a floppy chef’s hat on his head.
Sadly, my talents in that area only extend so far, and would not do my “Crowley! Master Chef!” vision justice.
October 1st, 2010 at 4:35 am
I may well make this tonight. It sounds fantastic.
October 1st, 2010 at 5:12 am
Hah, glad you’re all enjoying the recipe! I’ll definitely let the world know if the matching curry recipe ever surfaces…
October 1st, 2010 at 9:09 am
Well, you can’t be the Great Beast if you don’t engage all the sensations. Gustatory pleasures are a must!
October 1st, 2010 at 9:16 am
Thank you. Brightened my day with this bit.
October 1st, 2010 at 9:19 am
We need that curry recipe, Jack. If it’s ever found, I propose a Coilhouse dinner next time all three of us are in the same place.
October 2nd, 2010 at 6:58 am
You may watch the C.O.T.O. don’t bring a court case against the the poor food market.
October 2nd, 2010 at 10:08 am
OTO Foodmarket? That’s nothing! In my neck of the woods we have an ‘S+M church’! Sorry I haven’t got a photo…
October 3rd, 2010 at 1:46 pm
Two posts of mine from Lashtal:
From The Yogic Quest by Richard Boyle, published in the Sunday Times:
There is, however, one further reference to things Ceylonese in Crowley’s autobiography. While in New York Crowley was recommended by a friend ‘a Singalese joint on 8th Avenue where they made real curry’. Crowley was a Westerner who had a passion for curry. For instance, of the variety he sampled in Singapore he writes: ‘They sting like serpents, stimulate like strychnine; they are subtle and sensual like Chinese courtesans, sublime and sacred, like Cambodian carvings’. Crowley began to frequent this restaurant where he met yet another of his many mistresses – a girl he called The Dog because she appears in one of his poems as the “Dog headed Hermes or Anubis”.
Some clues, here, perhaps?
I have tasted some Ceylonian curries (but cooked by Tamils rather than Sinhalese), and they were indeed very hot.
CHRIS
I’ve learned very recently that Sinhalese curries differ from Tamil curries only in the addition of coconut oil and milk. Tamil curry-powder is very easy to come by in the Asian supermarkets, so to make an approximation to Crowley’s “Glacier Curry”, I’d say do the initial frying in coconut oil, use Tamil Sri Lankan curry-powder, add coconut milk (available in tins) plus additional chillies to taste (the curry-powder will already be pretty hot ). Serve with rice prepared as above!
October 3rd, 2010 at 7:49 pm
What a coincidence! I grew up in Crowley, LA, a town that holds an annual rice-themed festival in October.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:CrowleyRiceCitySign1935Pop.jpg
October 4th, 2010 at 4:05 am
I work in a rare bookshop in London where, until recently we had a first edition of Konx Om Pax; in the back, Crowley had jotted down his plans to open a magickal restaurant in Paris complete with waiters uniforms, how the place would be laid out and a selection of signature dishes. It seems he was constantly looking for new ways to expand…Hell’s Kitchen with the Great Beast anyone?
October 4th, 2010 at 3:04 pm
I’ve just bought the “Jordan” (ie sugared) almonds.
October 12th, 2010 at 2:15 pm
Happy birthday, ya filthy old bastard…
November 30th, 2010 at 8:02 am
April, you’re shitting me that you grew up in Crowley, LA. I grew up in Baton Rouge and used to pass thru Crowley on my way to visit Scarlet Woman Lodge in Austin. I’d always stop, gamble a bit, buy some rice, and inform the locals that their town was founded by Aleister Crowley, the notorious Satanist and renowned chef.
93’s
December 20th, 2010 at 10:31 am
[…] recipe was posted on Coilhouse, where guest blogger S. Elizabeth dug up found and shared it, I’ve included Crowley’s original instructions below the […]