For those of us who grew up before legalization, fond memories of baking pot brownies — infusing the butter, trying (and sometimes failing) to dose them out, hoping they’d still taste sweet, and experimenting with the results — will always hold a special place in our hearts. But what with the tide of marijuana law reform around the country, we no longer need to rely on DIY home-kitchen edibles as an alternative to smoking. (Though if baking pot brownies is still your favorite past time, then by all means, keep up that good work.)
Not Your Drug Dealer’s Brownies: Check Out These Brands Changing the Cannabis Edibles Game
Legalization has inspired a ton of creativity around the cannabis plant. Professional chefs, empowered with the ability to experiment with a dizzying array of cannabis oils, flowers, powders, terpene extracts, and more, have expanded the definition of “edible” beyond the beloved, albeit old school pot brownie. Cannabis edibles don’t have to be sweet: From salad dressing to chicken wings, these 420-friendly chefs are changing the game when it comes to the cannabis-infused food group.
La Hoja fuses marijuana with Mediterranean food
Luke Reyes, head chef of La Hoja (that means “the leaf” in Spanish), has perfected countless savory recipes from various cuisines, proving that cannabis infusion is in fact an art unto itself. Take, for instance, a mezze dish like hummus, baba ganoush, tabouli, or Mediterranean flatbread, or an entrée like a tagine of sausage, peas, couscous, cauliflower, and apricots.
The art of cannabis infusion is not only in blending the flavors of the food and teh cannabis itself — replete with its own set of terpenes, or aromatic compounds (think pinene, which is also found in pine cones) — but in dosing the dishes correctly so that the consumer doesn’t get too high. A single serving may contain no more than five to ten milligrams of THC — a microdose for a heavy consumer, and a manageable entry level for a novice.
Crafting cannabis delicacies with The Herbal Chef
Chris Sayegh, owner and head chef of The Herbal Chef, is also making waves in pot-infused cuisine. Crafting delicacies like fig and burrata dip, roasted cauliflower with corn flit leek, and braised short rib, just to name a few, Sayegh uses his background in science to nourish is culinary creativity and elevate public perception of cannabis edibles.
Infusing cuisine with CBD and terpenes instead of THC
For consumers who don’t want to get high at all, but still want to reap the benefits of cannabis, there are also a number of chefs infusing their food with CBD or terpenes. The latter are class of compounds found in cannabis and other plants, including all fruit, that provide flavor and aroma, as well as therapeutic effects in their own right (such as anti-inflammation or anticarcinogen).
Discover the versatility of terpenes at Prank Bar in LA
At Prank Bar in downtown Los Angeles, for instance, consumers can sip on terp-infused cocktails flavored with lemon, apricot, raspberry, myrcene (a terpene found in mangoes, bay leaves, and basil) and limonene (a citrusy terpene), or feast upon gourmet offerings like myrcene-infused filet mignon or limonene-infused hamachi crudo.
Dave Whitton, owner of Prank Bar, says limonene is the most versatile terpene, given its bitter orange flavor that works well in cocktails and summer dishes. Myrcene, he says, offers a warmer, fall flavor that goes well with spiced cocktails and umami dishes (like the filet mignon).
Just as pairing wine with cheese and other foods is an artisanal skill, so too is pairing the right kind of cannabis — given its flavor (terpene) and effect (cannabinoid) profile — with the right foods. But when it’s done right, the experience of getting high is as satisfying as the high itself. And for good measure, you can always have a pot brownie for dessert, too.
Treat Your Tastebuds to an Infused Treat the Next Time You’re in Vegas
Whether you’re looking to recreate or medicate, cannabis edibles are quickly becoming one of the most effective and dynamic forms of consuming marijuana. Learn about the different ways you can upgrade your cannabis ritual with Cannabition cannabis museum.