Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/970887
4 | t h e c l e v e r r o o t CLIFF RAMES Cliff is Court of Master Som- meliers Certi- fied Sommelier in the NY/NJ region, where he currently serves as Wine Consultant for Wegmans Supermarkets and Contributing Editor for The SOMM Journal. As sommelier he has worked the floor at Beaubourg/ Le District in NYC, and the Caudalie French Paradox Wine Lounge at the Plaza Hotel. Cliff is Founder of Wines of Croatia, conducts mas- terclasses on behalf of the Associa- tion of Winemakers of Croatia, and regularly contributes to the Wines of Croatia blog. Cliff's other formal wine training includes the French Culinary Institute's Fundamentals of Wine program, the WSET Ad- vanced Certificate, and the Society of Wine Educators Certified Spe- cialist of Wine program. Featured Contributor ONE OF MY FAVORITE parts of traveling, whether it's in the U.S. or abroad, is the opportunity to try new restaurants and cuisine. On a trip to Paris last year with my boyfriend, our entire vacation consisted of eating until we were full, walking around the city until we were hungry again, eating more at a new restaurant, and so on and so forth. Local cuisine always offers a fascinating look into regional culture, as well as the traditions and innovations that have originated in the area, wheth- er it's "four-way" Cincinnati chili or Oaxacan mole (both coincidentally savory dishes which feature chocolate!). In this issue, our writers visit New Orleans to discover modern lo- cal cuisine beyond the traditional po' boys and étouffée, explore the national dishes of Hungary (paired with their world-famous Tokaji Aszú wine, natch), and head to Honolulu to make the case for the city as a new hot dining destination. I also spotlight some cookbooks that collect the best recipes from restaurants around L.A. and Austin, so whether you're craving avocado toast or breakfast tacos, there's a little something for everyone. I'll be heading to Spain soon, and top of my to-do list is exploring the country's wealth of food and drinks, from esqueixada in Barcelona to sipping sherry in Jerez. Hopefully I can share these culinary adventures with you in our summer issue, and tag us on Instagram @thecleverroot so we can see your favorite regional dishes as well! Hasta la próxima! A New Kind of Plastic IN 1967, ONE KEY word was uttered to Dustin Hoffman's erstwhile young character, Ben, in the classic film The Graduate. "Plastics." The well-meaning older character continued to offer his sage advice to Ben, saying, "There's a great future in plastics. Think about it. Will you think about it?" It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that 51 years later, plastics have become a veritable environmental disaster, with plastic pollution growing at an alarming rate and plastic micro-particles found in ice and water samples sourced from all over the globe. So it is time to rethink plastics, and I call on the cannabis industry to lead the way, and do so with something we should be well acquainted with: Hemp. Not only does this plant grow prolifically and contain high concentrations of cellulose, but it produces a remarkably strong bioplastic product that can be used in everything from furniture and packaging to car parts and water bottles. The industry already knows that this versatile plant can change the world (see our story on hemp derived CBD products' availability on page 54), so let's take it one step further by not only reducing plastics used in packaging and production, but leading by example for today's eco-chic consumer. From tubes and jars to child-resistant exit bags, the cannabis industry has a great opportunity to lead by example and build upon its sustainability- and activism-minded roots. We already know this is a burgeoning billion-dollar industry; what if it was also the leader in sustainability and environmentalism? Hemp plastics, my friends. There's a great future in hemp plastics. Think about it. Will you think about it? LETTERS FROM THE EDITORS Exploring Culture Through Regional Cuisine Contributing Editors Emily Coleman, Amy Collins, Karen MacNeil, Kelly Magyarics, Merrill Shindler, Ruth Tobias, Becky Tsadik, S. Irene Virbila Contributors Rachel Adams, Cal Bingham, Josh Brasted, Tricia Conover, Denny Culbert, Tasha Dooley, Paul Ernest, Janet Fletcher, Kate Gibbs, Richard Carleton Hacker, Else Hahne, Nick Klein, Benoit Linero, Hana Marino, Meg Neubauer, Mona Shield Payne, Rick Poon, Scott Suchman, Tom Visocchi, Izzy Watson, Hardy Wilson, Ryan Yamamoto, Danielle Zimmerer Jesse Hom-Dawson Managing Editor Rachel Burkons Cannabis Editor Rachel@thecleverroot.com ■cr