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The First of the Infused

All the classic stories start with a cookie or a brownie, the typical sweet treats that kick start the infused edibles journey. My story also began with a cookie, but it hasn’t ended there. After I perfected my recipe for the (self-proclaimed) best weed cookie, I wanted to try something different and do my part to elevate the potential of edibles. The kitchen is like my laboratory where I can experiment and be creative. Whether brewing a batch of beer, prepping for an early morning tailgate or trying to recreate a delicious meal I’d eaten out, you can usually find me there. I started with cannabutter based sweets, but once I introduced cannabis infused oils, I was really able to expand the potential and get creative with recipes. The great experiment began!

Cannabis, Infused, Ravioli
Pumpkin ravioli with brown cannabutter sage sauce

Once the ideas were formed and dishes were developed, I wanted to be able to share them with people beyond just myself and my boyfriend, the default taste tester. And since I’m a natural entertainer, I took off my chef hat and took on the role of host. Cooking has been most rewarding for me when the food is shared with people and enjoyed over great conversation. I recently hosted my first cannabis party at home with some friends. Now, we are all seasoned stoners, so the dosage was high but appropriate for us. Its important to keep in mind your dosages, which there are many factors to account for. The only perfectly accurate way to know the strength of the oil you have is to send it to a lab, but there are resources available to help you estimate the potency of the oil you are making. But for now, let’s get back to the food!

Grilled flank steak with infused chimichurri sauce

With experience in the kitchen and recipes already at my disposal, a menu was born. First course was pumpkin ricotta ravioli with browned cannabutter sage sauce and toasted walnuts. Second course, the entree, was grilled hanger steak over arugula and fingerling potatoes with an infused chimichurri sauce. The meal finished with a toasted lemon pound cake topped with infused blueberry mint sauce and a fresh mascarpone whip. I’ve posted below the recipe for the brown cannabutter sage sauce, because it is easy to make, can be adjusted for more or less people and is versatile for any style of pasta, or even poured over a steak. I really love the addition of toasted, chopped walnuts on top, if you are having it on pasta, because the nutty earthiness plays well with the cannabutter. The texture adds something nice as well. Get creative!

Lemon pound cake with infused blueberry sauce

I have to say, it was all delicious and the night was a success. Everyone felt fantastic, of course, and our munchies did not go unsatisfied. While that first party was great, I’ve been building on that experience ever since. It will always be the event that inspired me to experiment further and strive to develop a new class of edibles. Check back to see the progress and even grab a recipe, or two, for you to try in your own laboratory!

 

Brown Cannabutter Sage Sauce with Chopped Walnuts
(serves approximately 6)

1 stick of cannabis butter
1 clove garlice, chopped
1/4 cup chopped sage
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped and toasted
salt and pepper to taste
Pasta of your choice, or whatever you want to

Melt the cannabis butter over medium heat. You want it to begin bubbling and foaming up.  You can adjust the temperature according to your stove.
Brown the butter for about two minutes.
Add garlic and sautee for a minute.
Add sage and sautee for one more minite. Salt and pepper to taste.
Add chopped walnuts and stir to coat.
Pour over pasta.
Serve and enjoy!

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Journey to the Marijuana Motherland

Yes, Uruguay was the first country to out right legalize marijuana, and American states are really starting to come around, but when you think of places to experience marijuana culture in all its glory, you think Amsterdam. All of the Netherlands is beautiful and marijuana-friendly with local shops in smaller cities, such as Utretch or Nijmegen, but Amsterdam really is the marijuana motherland. I’ve been lucky enough to go multiple times, which actually turns out to be necessary for any visiting stoner. If you are anything like me, it’s likely your first trip will be blurred by clouds of smoke. Amsterdam is one of my favorite cities and, for those who have the chance to visit, it quickly becomes one of theirs as well.

Of course its everything stoners dream of, with each coffee shop offering its own unique experience. The first time I visited Amsterdam, I was there for 9 days. 9! As much as I love Amsterdam, that is a long time to be excessively high on a constant basis. I had some serious plans for my time in Amsterdam, too. Coffee shops were obviously on that list, but so were other things, like the Van Gough Museum, renting a paddle boat, The Anne Frank House and a day trip to Keukenhof Gardens to see the tulips. But, during my 9 days in Amsterdam, the only non-coffee shop activity I did was the Heineke Factory. Each morning, as I started my walk, I had a purpose and destination in mind. Unfortunately, I highly underestimated the amount of tempting coffee shops between points A and B. I stopped for a smoke and an espresso every canal or so, and before I knew it, the day was gone. Just mellowing out in a coffee shop, listening to the music or playing some pool, the time can slip away pretty quickly. I didn’t know a person could experience so much by doing so little, but it was an amazing time that I knew I would need to repeat.

The Bulldog Cafe is most famous and has multiple locations throughout the city, but the original shop was opened in 1975 in the red light district. You can’t help but notice Bulldog because colorful graffiti covers the building, creating real curb appeal. Another must stop when I’m in Amsterdam is Resin, where the vibe can be seen from the street. This coffee shop is bathed in a green hue with a full wall depicting a bamboo forest. A must order at Resin is a space cake with your coffee. Usually, once I’ve accumulated enough bud, because it is too tempting not to over-purchase at the shops, I usually make a trip to The Doors cafe. You can’t purchase any marijuana products here, but you can have a beer, bring your own joint to smoke and listen to great music, as the name would suggest. These have become a few of my favorite coffee shops, but there are so many more to explore. I actually stumbled across the pictures from my first trip and used them in this post.

Amsterdam does have something for everyone though, and its evident as you walk the streets. Older couples walking through the markets, families playing in the park and hungover bachelors trudging in and out of coffee shops can all be found in Amsterdam. One thing I look forward to in Amsterdam, when the season permits, is walking through the neighborhood markets. In the spring, the markets are checkered with vibrant, blossoming tulips and the fresh scent overwhelms as you walk past the vendors. Of course, being stoned, I get pretty hungry so the snacking ensues. During my earlier visits to Amsterdam, the coffee shops did not serve food, which has since changed. However, the market is the perfect place to find some fresh bread, meats and cheeses, fruits and other samples to feast on. Be sure to finish with a stroopwafel! If you don’t know what stroopwafel is, its a shame, and you should look it up immediately! That first bite of a freshly made, warm and gooey stroopwafel in an Amsterdam market is one that I remember fondly, and you would, too!

The real beauty of all that Amsterdam has to offer is how accessible the city is. The half-circle grid of canals are perfect for exploring and become more familiar as you wander. Walking from one end to another could take just about an hour, but it won’t. Maybe you’ll pop into a coffee shop, or two, or three, or explore a museum, or maybe you’ll just stop to smell the tulips.

 

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A Budding Passion

Marijuana, Cannabis, Sprouting, Budding

I’ve been an increasingly vocal and unapologetic cannabis enthusiast for many years, so it is an exciting endeavor for me to be launching Broad Buds, a blog to further engage in the growing cannabis community!  I’ve developed a real passion for the plant and Broad Buds is my way of  spreading that feeling to others.  With all that marijuana has to offer, there are more ways for people to connect over the bud than ever, and I hope to connect with you!  Here you can find recipes for elevated edibles, information to broaden the marijuana horizon and stories of a cannabis-infused life to help enhance yours.

Marijuana, Cannabis, Buds, Crystal

Marijuana has been a very conscious aspect of my life for many years, and as I reflect on my past, even had a quiet presence when I was young.  My aunt, diagnosed with MS, was a cannabis user.  However, 20 years ago, it wasn’t entirely accepted to openly discuss marijuana use, even for medical purposes, so the subject was rarely breached.  I was on the younger side when the MS first began affecting her.  It wasn’t until I was a bit older in high school, when at times I would hold and light the pipe for my aunt, unable to move her arms.  I’m sure it was an awkward call for my mom to initially make, but luckily, weed helped lighten the mood, and my aunt and I had a laugh at her subpar stoner skills.  I was happy to help my aunt get the medicine that made her feel better, and my interest in all that marijuana can provide medically began to grow.  I look forward to sharing that interest and knowledge with you.

Before being exposed to marijuana in the medical sense, the recreational side was a presence in life as well, though I was too young to realize at the time.  My parents grew up in the 70’s and my dad was in a rock and roll band through the beginning of my childhood. I can remember laying in bed during summer nights, listening to the band playing in the backyard, their jam sessions fueled by kind bud.  While his is still rocking to this day, the joints are no longer rolling!  Cannabis is a great way to promote creativity and I look forward to featuring how I am inspired every day, which hopefully inspires you, too.

Another great passion of mine is cooking, a natural outlet for the herb, as well as a great way to connect with people.  Everyone’s got to eat!  Experimenting in the kitchen has always been an outlet for me, so adding cannabis to the mix was a natural step.  While I am very much a dessert person, my approach to cooking edibles is not necessarily to try masking the infusion,  but instead to enhance and blend flavors.  Marijuana is an herb after all, so why not treat it as such?!  I am a homegrown chef, but whether you barely step foot in the kitchen or never seem to leave it, there will be a recipe here for you!

Cannabis, Infused, Ravioli

A marijuana-friendly world is fast approaching and it is cause for celebration, preferably with a joint!  Throughout my exploring, I’ve encountered all different kinds of stoners from around the world.  There are many faces to the cannabis community and I’d like to connect with each one!  By sharing my experiences, and learning some of yours, I hope to make the marijuana world seem a bit smaller and more approachable for all.  Broad Buds is the manifestation of my cannabis-infused life so far, and I hope to continue to grow on my passion and experiences into the future, with you in tow.