Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/689634
s p r i n g / s u m m e r 2 0 1 6 | 8 5 hink back to the last time you had a cannabis-infused edible. Perhaps a from-the-box pot brownie made by your college roommate? Or maybe a pack of THC-laced gummy worms from the local dispensary? While decades of canna- chefs have experimented with the substance, marijuana's pungent flavor and difficulties manag- ing dosing have plagued the realm of gourmet ganja. But as the modern cannabis industry devel- ops around a sophisticated consumer in search of elegant edibles, more and more classically trained chefs are exploring the possibilities of a truly green kitchen. One chef making these moves is looking to recast cannabis's possibilities on the plate beyond your average infusion: In Los Angeles, Chef Holden Jagger seeks to merge fine-dining and marijuana to create cuisine that embraces the flavor of marijuana—rather than hiding it—using terpenes, the organic compounds that affect the smell and taste of different strains of marijuana. Terpenes are also naturally present in other resin- producing plants—ranging from lemons and limes to lilacs and pine trees—so Jagger pairs the flavor of the cannabis with the flavors in the rest of the dish, just like he would with any ingredient that ends up on the plate. "My main purpose is to focus on the flavors of the marijuana over the effect of the cannabis," Jagger explains as he sears scallops over the stove, creating the perfect crust to hold up the marijuana-infused beurre blanc that he will pour over the dish. "It's about finding balance and matching the terpenes to the ingredients in the dish you're cooking." We had met to taste through a four-course menu typically found in some of the upscale, well-known restaurants where Jagger has worked, like Tom Colicchio's Craft and Curtis Stone's Maude in Los Angeles or Town Hall in San Francisco. But there's something different here: Every single dish included some cannabis component, whether it was infused, pickled or— most fascinatingly—salted and sugared. PAIRING TERPENES IN FOOD AND MARIJUANA TO CREATE FLAVORFUL CUTTING-EDGE CUISINE A close up of the pickled male plant pollen used in the cheese course. Humboldt Fog with onion jam, infused mostarda and pickled male plant pollen. An unassuming but delicious-looking cheese plate is placed before me. I recognize Cyprus Grove's Humboldt Fog, a blue goat cheese well-known in its home state of California. Less recognizable are the accoutrements, which Jagger proceeds to expand upon, motioning to each ingredient on the plate like a server at a fine-dining establishment. "First there's an onion jam, created by caramelizing onions and a sativa-dominant strain called Blue Dream. The sweetness of the terpenes in the Blue Dream play off the sweetness of the sugar released by caramelizing the onions. Next, we have a mostarda made with seasonal stone fruit and whole grain mustard, infused with Sour Diesel. Lastly, there's a se- lection of pickled vegetables. Along with carrots and onions, I've taken the male plant pollen of a Spanish indica and pickled them all together." While the marijuana used in the pickling won't have any ef- fect, since it's the trichomes on the bud of a female marijuana plant that usually hold about 25–30% of the THC, that's beside the point: "I use cannabis like a regular herb," Jag- ger explains. "It's an ingredient, and like with any typical herb, you want it to enhance a dish, not overpower it." And he's correct. Each aspect of the dish except for the cheese contains an element of marijuana, but it is never dominating; instead, offering a subtle hint in the layers of different flavors and textures. Caramelized and Perfectly Pickled: The First Course