Below is a partial reprint of an article published by Seattle Met magazine on March 17, 2017. The full article can be found here: https://goo.gl/UNRB3X
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On March 11, in a private dining room at Belltown’s Escala, industry folk, politicians and local press, gathered to share one of Washington’s very first cannabis themed dinner parties. With approximately 50 guests in attendance, the event, billed as “A Culinary Journey: Exploring the marriage of food, wine, and cannabis” was organized by Eric Gaston, owner and cofounder of The Evergreen Market (a retail cannabis store). “I thought it was really important to do something that helps change the narrative of cannabis. The reality is that cannabis, like wine or spirits, can be enjoyed in small amounts as a way to enhance an experience, and that is what this dinner is all about,” said Gaston of the event.
The evening began with a passed appetizer of infused mushroom tarts and a cocktail, called the Evergreen Aviator. The drink, also infused, was comprised of gin, elderflower liquor, fresh lemon juice, and a blueberry lemon elixir containing cannabis. The dinner featured four infused courses, each paired with small pours of wine provided by Kerloo Cellars (the appetizer course was paired with Kerloo Cellars’ earthy Grenache).
Ryan Crane, the winemaker and owner of Kerloo Cellars, was also present, and spoke passionately about his wines and some of the parallels between the wine industry and the cannabis industry. Each food course was prepared with small amounts of cannabis butter, with the donated cannabis coming from Green Barn Farms, a certified “Clean Green” outdoor farm owned and operated by Stephen Jensen. Jensen also spoke, talking about the effects of different cannabinoids and THC on the human body, and how they work together to enhance the way we experience our environment—including the food and wine that was being consumed.
The food was prepared by Chef Ricky Flickenger, a local chef and owner of Mortar and Pestle. Chef Ricky explained how the butter used to prepare the food was made with “kief” (a pollenlike substance collected from cured cannabis flowers). He was also careful to point out that each dish contained very small amounts of cannabis, with the intention that by the end of the meal each guest would have consumed a total of no more 10 mg of THC, which is considered one serving in Washington state. Uninfused dishes were also offered for those who chose not to consume cannabis.
To continue reading the full article from The Seattle Met magazine click here: https://goo.gl/UNRB3X