A Book of Majoon Recipes by Pesha Sloane

Stapled booklet

Enchanting and reminiscent, Pesha Sloane captures more than just an anthology of majoon recipes with this must have for cannabis chef’s and beat scholars. Majoon is defined an: an intoxicating sweet of Middle Eastern origin, made of cannabis leaves mixed with poppy seed, nux vomica, ghee, honey, etc. Tracing the history of this Moroccan confection, this chapbook teases the reader into the Interzone. Overlooking the Atlantic, in the distance, the Rif mountains, Tangier was an International Zone from 1912 to 1956 and became the destination for many European and American spies, writers, artists and musicians. This “Interzone Period” created haven for hedonism where any pleasure was readily available.

Consequently, author William S. Burroughs who lived for long spells in Tangier, wrote, “Tangier is one of the few places left in the world where, so long as you don’t proceed to robbery, violence, or some form of crude, antisocial behavior, you can do exactly what you want.” Burrough’s masterpiece Naked Lunch, was written in part under the influence of majoon during this time in Tangier. Sloane pays tribute to the history and lore of this time in a subtle way, all the while opening the subconscious with carefully curated recipes, art and a conventional time slip into the present time with the basics of modern cannabis cuisine by explaining decarboxylation of THC.

According to Ira Cohen: “Madjoon, majoun, ma’jun… how soft the word is, how full of magic and jinn, how dark to the imagination! Majoon is the Arabic word for jam, but here in Morocco and all through the Islamic world everyone knows that it is a special confection with Indian hemp, or kif as its main ingredient. In Morocco it is still as commonplace as fruitcake in England or angel-food cake in the United States. It is usually taken on festive occasions or in the wintertime when it keeps you warm through the long Moroccan nights; but any time you feel like traveling or crave some instant magic theater all you have to do is find your favorite majoon seller and Open sesame! All doors fall down and you are off on a voyage with no turning back.” [An excerpt from the essay MAJOON, GOBLET OF DREAMS by Ira Cohen (1935-2011), originally published September 1983 and January 2020 in High Times, and included in Pesha Sloane’s, A Book of Majoon Recipes.]