Contributor: Carl Fullerton
Marijuana and food.
Why, not since Turner & Hooch, has there been a hotter duo. These two go together like tailor-made peas in a pod. But, I’m sure this is already common knowledge to all of you, fellow cannabis enthusiasts out there.
For us, daily smokers, the usual wave of “munchies” is more than a common occurrence, it’s a welcomed culinary event that we look forward to, mostly for how it enhances an already delicious meal to new heights. Yes, that’s primarily due to how marijuana can heighten your senses and whatnot, but what if I told you there was an even better way to combine marijuana and meals together?
No, I’m not talking about edibles, although, that was a pretty solid guess. Instead, I am referring to the pairing of marijuana with your favorite foods and drinks. Much like you’d pair a specific wine with a particular type of cuisine, you can do the same with your ganja!
Why relegate the smoking of cannabis to the beginning (or end) of a meal, when you can partake in a few puffs of tasty THC throughout your dining experience.
Impress Your Friends With Some Awesome Cannabis & Meal Pairings
You don’t have to be a seasoned budtender or cannabis expert in order to properly pull off a solid pairing, either. Though, it wouldn’t hurt. For us, common cannabis enthusiasts, there’s a handful of things to look for and consider when attempting to pair some specific strain to a dish that you are planning to eat.
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The main thing that you need to concern yourself with, when it comes to pairing buds with meals, is a strain’s terpene profile.
Now, for those of you who have never heard of “terpenes,” they are little cannabinoids that can be found on a litany of things, not just cannabis. Their sole purpose is to provide the scent and flavor profile for that particular strain. In short, they are what make certain flowers taste great (fruity, peppery, etc.), and they are also responsible for any sort of aromatics that your senses are able to detect.
Once you are equipped with a strain’s terpene information, usually located on their packaging somewhere, you can proceed from there. And, when I tell you that pairing food with cannabis is easy, I mean it. There are quite literally no wrong decisions here, as it’s a matter of personal taste and culinary preferences.
And, if that seems vague right now, no worries. Allow me to elaborate.
Let’s say you have a seafood platter resting in front of you. Amongst all of that delicious aquatic-based meat, you’ll see a smattering of lemons, as well. The addition of lemon to a seafood dish of this nature, really kicks things up a notch.
And, the same thing goes for your potential cannabis.
You can heighten all of those lemon flavors, with an equally-lemon or citrus-inspired series of terpenes. That would accentuate those delectable elements of the dish, and your taste buds would be in a whirlwind of deliciousness.
However, maybe you want to subdue those lemon vibes a bit, again, not a problem. Simply pick an opposite set of terpenes, one that’s a bit earthy or peppery. That should help balance out the cacophony of flavors that you are currently consuming. But, as you can see, it’s totally up to you, and what sounds good.
Now, let’s say, just for the sake of conversation, you’ve found the perfect strain to pair with your meal. Everything is ready to go, so you toss it in a bong, and fire it up. Which, I’m assuming, is what most of you would do in this case. Which is all fine and good, but it’s not the optimal way to enjoy a strain’s terpenes.
As you could imagine, the burning of cannabis, though necessary to activate the THC in the bud, itself, doesn’t provide the best environment for those terpenes to survive. More often than not, that sudden burst of combustion will severely deplete the power of those delicious terpenes. Sure, you can still taste a bit of its original flavor in a joint, or what have you, but it’s just not the same.
I’m not saying it’s impossible to taste bud through these smoking mediums, I’m just saying that’s not the most flavorful way you can partake in these pairing buds.
That’s why most of the professionals go with a dry herb vaporizer, like a Volcano, or any number of handheld devices that are currently on the market today. These have a low and slow heating approach to your bud. That way, it can accurately finesse all of those terpenes out of the flower, and help it release their mouthwatering effects (and flavors) onto the consumer. Not only is it a cleaner way to partake in cannabis, it’s undeniably more delicious.
While you now have a solid foundation of understanding of how (and what) to pair with future meals, you may like to know that those exact same components can be used for drink pairings, as well. However, there’s an additional thing to consider during this sort of liquid assessment, and that is, how this beverage will make you feel after you consume it.
For instance, coffee, obviously, will energize you, and get you ready for the day. Whereas more mellow teas, or juices, can be a bit on the sedative side of things. Again, there is no incorrect combos here, it’s all about what you are looking for.
So, let’s say, you have a special herbal tea that you are sipping before heading off to bed. In this case, I’d suggest opting for a strong indica with a tropical, fruity terpene profile. It will serve as a nice counterpart to the herbal elements of the tea’s taste, and the sleep-inducing powers of its indica genetics, should help increase the sedative powers of the tea.
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Conversely, let’s say it’s a weekend morning, and you just poured yourself a cup of coffee to kickstart your day. Seeing as how most coffee beans are a bit earthy in nature, I’d say you’d be smart going with an uplifting sativa, that shares a similar terpene profile, or even one that’s known to pack a gasoline-like taste. These are often nice when paired with slightly bitter beverages, such as coffee, and I could see it working incredibly well in this scenario.
But, maybe, you find those “uplifting” effects a bit overwhelming. They may even make you a touch jittery. No worries – everyone’s different.
So, newly armed with that knowledge, you can counteract the caffeinated effects of the coffee a bit, without harshing the flavor, by pairing it with an earthy-tasting indica, or hybrid. That should help you achieve that desired balance of effects, and flavors, that you’re looking for.
Again, these are mere suggestions that I hope are used to nudge you in the right direction of flavor experimentation. Just pay attention to what you like (and don’t like), that way you can make more informed decisions the next time you’re wondering what bud to smoke alongside your meal.
Stoned appetit, my fellow enthusiasts!
