. . .and then did the cannabutter tests, took lots of notes and have the per-person serving of cannabutter figured out. But after all that, you’re left with one hurtle: How to serve cannabis-infused foods if you don’t cook?
Or maybe you don’t feel comfortable yet playing host and inviting friends over for a cannabis infused dinner.
That’s okay. My goal with this resource is not to train you and turn you into a culinary genius chef.
I would rather enable you to feel comfortable planning on having friends over for a fun time where they can also eat great food. Oh yes, and food that happens to be infused with cannabis.
Like everyone else, you exist somewhere on the foodie spectrum from “take-out master” to “master chef.” No matter where you are on that spectrum, you have options on how to serve cannabis-infused foods.
Even if you know your way around a kitchen, follow along for great ideas and thoughts about how to make cannabis-infused foods.
Don’t try for impressive, serve cannabis-infused foods that everyone will enjoy.
Especially if your friends all have different ideas about food.
Perhaps you know some who will happily set a bucket of extra crispy chicken in their lap and reach into it with both hands (they are probably a lot of fun).
While others can tell wines apart blindfolded – like an Italian Barolo from a French Bordeaux. It doesn’t matter.
Always serve great “comfort food” anyone would enjoy. Because as your guests are seated at the table, the afternoon will be much less about “Cabernet this,” or “dollar-off chicken wings that.”
It will be more about a special group of friends who have gathered around good food, and are looking forward to experiencing a really great buzz – maybe even the first buzz in years – or the first ever.
I will discuss this in more detail in upcoming articles, but when you are planning your first few infused meals, keep it simple and serve only three courses: an appetizer, an entrée, and a dessert.
Both the appetizer and the dessert items should be served equally portioned in individual dishes, bowls, or glassware – with the same amount of cannabutter added.
The entrée might have several items on the plate, including a protein (meat, poultry or fish), a vegetable, and a starch (like potatoes or rice).
None of the serve cannabis-infused foods should ever be served family style, like in a large community bowl where people serve themselves. There would be no way to control the amount of cannabutter everyone is getting.
Only one of those items on the entrée plate needs to be an infused food and you should select an item that will completely absorb the cannabutter – like mashed potatoes – rather than be glazed by it.
If you put cannabutter on carrots, for example, the butter will pool on the plate as a juice and your guests will have use a bit of bread to soak it up to enjoy the benefit.
That’s all fine, but how do you make cannabis-infused foods when you don’t cook?
Excellent question. If the idea of making infused foods is nudging you into the kitchen then, your first and best option is to get help. Cooking is something best learned from a mentor.
It’s a social experience and people who cook well, not only love to share what they’ve made, they also love to share how they did it.
Ask a close friend over who is a good cook, (and if it’s necessary, has a medical marijuana card) to help you make and infuse a meal. Someone who can lay out a spread that you both would be very pleased to set out on the table.
My goal with this resource is not to train you and turn you into a culinary genius chef. I would rather enable you to feel comfortable planning on having friends over for a fun time where they can also eat great food.
Another very workable option is to order the most amazing pizza available, or Thai or steaks or whatever sounds good.
Also, order salad and bread sticks, garlic bread or rolls. Set out everyone’s individual portion of cannabutter – melted and in very small bowls labeled with their names.
Let your guests know they should use their bread to dip in the cannabutter, but to take it slow. They should finish their cannabutter by the time the meal is over, so the effect of dosing slowly is the same.
Please know that if you live in a state where recreational cannabis is not yet legal, hiring people to cater your meal with cannabutter (unless they are setup to do so), is a big no-no.
They can certainly deliver the food to your home, but that’s it.
Then you can set out melted cannabutter as was just described, or your kitchen-capable friend can carefully add the cannabutter to the meal for you.
If neither of those two options really work for you, perhaps you can explore the idea of bringing someone like JeffThe420Chef in who can legally and expertly prepare a cannabis infused meal and serve your guests.
Simply know that it will not be inexpensive, and as I write this article, he offers private meal preparations for medical marijuana patients in 31 states as well as recreational dinner parties, event catering and special menu items for private events… such as wedding cakes in recreational states.
But if you are in the position to spend a little and plan well enough in advance, you can watch him work his magic and benefit from his tremendous knowledge and experience.
JeffThe420Chef also teaches classes on how to make his cannabutter.
For those who love the kitchen and the kitchen loves them back
Are you the kind of person who’s guests arrive for dinner and catch the amazing aroma of the food about to be set on the table? Then I assume you will be cooking the infused meal yourself.
As suggested above, for the first few meals, keep it simple. Make foods you’ve made many times and know well.
Foods that you will tend not to sample and taste as much while making it.
If there is cannabis in the food, and you’re nervous about how the recipe is developing – and frequently sampling it – well, you get the picture.
Always serve great “comfort food” anyone would enjoy. Because as your guests are seated at the table, the afternoon will be much less about “Cabernet this,” or “dollar-off chicken wings that,” and will be more about a special group of friends who have gathered around good food, and are looking forward to experiencing a really great buzz – maybe even the first buzz in years – or the first ever.
If you really prefer, you can certainly venture into recipes that would please the most discerning palettes. But really, your infused meal does not have to be a culinary masterpiece the first few times you offer it to a table full of friends.
Edibles are the ultimate comfort food
You can serve dishes that everyone will enjoy. Even something as simple as a meatloaf – but a great meatloaf. Or set out three to four nicely baked chickens.
Friends who are are at your table for an edibles meal are there mostly for the edibles experience. Which means great food that offers up a great buzz.
Try skinless chicken breast with gourmet mac & cheese (as the edible) and asparagus. Or bring out a dish from an old family recipe. As everyone sits at the table, what will be uppermost on their minds is not the food so much as the cannabis that’s in it.
Their level of anticipation will be a buzz all its own.
Whether you’re a beginner or a kitchen-savant, serving a gourmet meal for friends and family is well within reach. Experiment with ideas and recipes.
Recruit a friend, order takeout or go all out and hire a pro chef. Whatever you decide, serve cannabis-infused foods will create a buzz among your friends that lasts long after the evening high has worn off.