Broad Buds recently held our Mangia Ganja event, and it was another successful night of food, friends and fire! Guests lit up the night, taking advantage of all Broad Buds provides, including a special treat to kick off the meal! More on that in a bit. The Mangia Ganja event was inspired by our trip to Northern Italy last year, and we utilized some of the wonderful ingredients that Italy has to offer. Beyond the ingredients, I was influenced by the colors and atmosphere of Italy, incorporating extra greenery, terra cotta pots and pops of ocean blue. I’m a minimalist and created simple touches of Italian style to the already unique atmosphere of this private, intimate setting.
The night begins with the happy and high hour, which gives guests a chance to ‘moke and mingle. The charcuterie embodied Italian style with a simple and classic spread: prosciutto di parma and parmesan with drizzles of aged balsamic from Modena. Of course, it wouldn’t be much of a high hour without some cannabis infused treats. Along with the prosciutto and parmesan, an infused olive oil tasting was offered. One cannabis oil was infused with fresh parsley, basil, garlic and parmesan and the second was infused with capers, garlic, oregano and pepper flakes. I love serving flavored olive oils because they are simple yet flavorful, using olive oil as the base and adding in whatever ingredients and herbs you have on hand. The oils are beautiful and fresh and were a hit with the guests.
Broad Buds events are all-inclusive and the happy and high hour also gives guests a chance to indulge in all the cannabis provided. Having traveled the world experiencing cannabis culture, we offer quite the array of goodies. Plenty of flower to roll, tinctures to add to drinks and concentrates at the dab bar. Whichever your preferred smoke, Broad Buds has you covered! So much so that we do not serve alcohol at the events. Cannabis and alcohol are not complimentary of each other and we feel it is important that you experience the cannabis purely. This way guests can fully gauge their high and have an unusual experience. Drinking is too normal; you can do that any night of the week! Here, we make mocktails that will certainly quench your thirst and you won’t miss the alcohol at all! In fact, we have those tinctures to give the drinks a new kind of boost!
One of our favorite styles of enjoying cannabis is hash. Unfortunately, it seems modern American cannabis culture went straight from the flower to concentrates, missing hash completely. Hash really allows you to get the flavor of the cannabis with a smooth and powerful hit. You can add hash to joints and blunts, which will make it slower burning, but the best way to smoke hash is straight up. That is exactly what we did at Mangia Ganja!
Once guests were seated at the table, we added a very special 40-year port wine to their glasses. Each wine glass had a piece of hash attached to a paper cap placed on top of the glass. Hash burns like incense so that the smoke will billow from the hash and fill the glass, which you can then “drink”. After the smoke is cleared, the port wine is enjoyed. Port has a very sweet flavor, but after the hash smoke swirled around the wine glass there is a smokiness to the flavor that compliments the sweetness. This was a very special treat all of our guests loved experiencing. For most, it was their first encounter with hash, but won’t be their last.
To start the munching, an amuse bouche was served with the hash port. This bite was lightly infused to get the pallet ready for the meal to come. A toasted polenta chip was topped with a cannabis infused sundried tomato tapenade and fresh basil.
The primi course of our Mangia Ganja dinner was truly special. Handmade pasta topped with shaved white truffle and Asiago cheese. Nothing beats Italian pasta, and, although I made this pasta at home, it was reminiscent of the fresh pasta from Italy. Handmade pasta is simple once you get the hang of it and really make all the different. The truffles were from Northern Italy and have a very unique flavor that was a first for many guests. I love the way the truffle compliments the cannabis oil in earthiness and the Asiago added a little bite that was just right. After everyone was done with their plate, it was time for a smoke break and guests were free to indulge again and refill their mocktails.
Then it was back to the meal! The entree exemplified the Italian attitude of cooking with care. Beef braised low and slow for 10 hours results in seriously tender and flavorful meat. The sauce was simmered even further, which provided a rich base for the dish. The entree was heavily infused, each guest getting the full experience.
A meal just isn’t complete if the ending doesn’t involve a little something sweet. After the post-dinner smoke session, dessert can finally be served! The lemon olive oil cake is Italian through and through and is one of my favorite recipes, with and without cannabis oil. Of, course, more often than not, cannabis is heavily involved, but the flavor holds up and is still delicious. For the Mangia Ganja dinner I made a blackberry sauce and fresh whipped cream to pair with the olive oil cake. Along with dessert we also serve coffee, which we take just as seriously as the cannabis. Freshly ground Italian coffee tightly pressed makes for an impressive espresso or some warm, frothed milk added for a cappuccino.
Mangia Ganja was a magical night of Italian and cannabis culture colliding, producing a memorable evening of delicious food and high vibes. Authenticity and simplicity are fundamentals of Italian lifestyle, and parallels the cannabis culture. Appreciating authentic and natural elements in a pure, simple way is what we strive for at Broad Buds. We love to spread that message and the best way to do that is through our events!
Check back for my recipe of my favorite olive oil cake and information on our next upcoming event! If you are looking for more information, please reach out to me!