April 2022 Feast Magazine

april 2022

A medical marijuana card is your ticket to this St. Louis supper club on p. 40.

P. 1 7

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SPRINGFIELD 2935 E. Chestnut Expressway Springfield, MO 65802 417.512.9111

MOUNTAIN GROVE 117 E. 20th St., Suite C Mountain Grove, MO 65711 417.512.9111

WEST PLAINS 1391 Mitchell Road West Plains, MO 65775 417.512.9111

Jane Dispensary carries quality premier products!

Jane Dispensary At Jane, we have curated a wide variety of high-quality cannabis products: stunning flower, convenient oils and tasty edibles. The brands we carry have been fully vetted to ensure testing compliance and potency for reliability. Order our premium cannabis products online or come see us at our U City location!

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6662 Delmar Blvd. Ste A, University City, MO, 63130 314.464.4420 janedispensary.com 4

feastmagazine.com / a pr i l 2 0 2 2

SWADE Step inside and feel instantly at ease. SWADE dispensaries are designed to present the country’s best cannabis in a premium, elevated atmostphere befitting the SWADE name. From the serene surroundings informed by nature, to our first-of-its-kind jewelbox showcasing loose SWADE flower hand-selected for your order, we’ve examined every detail to make your experience inside SWADE both memorable and enlightening.

ST. PETERS 146 Jungermann Road St. Peters, MO 63376 314-924-6500

ELLSVILLE 16075 Manchester Road Ellisville, MO 63011 314-924-6501

THE GROVE 4108 Manchester Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110 314-924-6503

DELMAR 6166 Delmar Blvd.

St. Louis, MO 63112 314-924-6502

CHEROKEE STREET 2316 Cherokee Street St. Louis, MO 63118 314-924-6504

PROMOTION

Medical marijuana patients can shop for pre-rolls, vaporizers, tinctures, edibles and more at these dispensaries across the region.

Nature Med Dispensary Nature Med has some of the best daily deals in the state, and happy hour M-F. Our staff is experienced, friendly, knowledgeable and excited to take care of you! Come find out why our patients prefer Nature Med at any of our STLarea locations in South City and O’Fallon, or our KC-area locations in Independence, Gladstone, and Kansas City.

ST. LOUIS 234 Kingston Dr.

O’FALLON 1193 Bryan Road

INDEPENDENCE 15823 US HWY 24

GLADSTONE 207 NE 72nd St.

KANSAS CITY 2631 B NE Vivion Road

St. Louis, MO 63125 314.939.1076

O’Fallon, MO 63366 636.385.6638

Independence, MO 64050 816.832.8788

Gladstone, MO 64118 816.442.7838

Kansas City, MO 64119 816.298.7538

Heya Wellness

3Fifteen Primo Cannabis Has the Highest Standards Puts Patients First Knowledgeable Budtenders 3FifteenPrimo.com FLORISSANT 11088 New Halls Ferry Rd., Florissant, MO 63033 314-882-2569

ST. LOUIS 5501 Chippewa St., St. Louis, MO 63109 314.330.2118

Terrabis Terrabis is more than a dispensary. We are a community resource for personalized health solutions, providing you with access to Missouri’s best medical cannabis products, so you can feel better and live your best life.

COLUMBIA 4003 Ponderosa St., Columbia, MO 65201 | 573.355.2866

HAZELWOOD 7766 N. Lindbergh Blvd., Hazelwood, MO 63042 | 314.942.0935

VALLEY PARK 839 Meramec Station Road, Valley Park, MO 63088 | 314.924.0101

CREVE COEUR 11062A Olive Blvd. Creve Coeur, MO 63141 | 314.944.0240

BRANSON WEST 18031 Business 13, Branson West, MO 65737 | 417.337.2157

O’FALLON 1172 W. Terra Ln.,O’Fallon, MO 63366 | 636.695.8369

SPRINGFIELD 850 E. Kearney St. Springfield, MO 65803

KANSAS CITY 7025 Prospect Ave., Kansas City, MO 64132 816.654.6599

Heya Wellness is committed to cultivating, manufacturing and dispensing Missouri’s best cannabis medicine. Our multiple facilities produce and distribute a variety of products including flower, edibles, vapes and concentrates. Our Smokiez gummies are known for being delicious and consistent, while our premium cannabis flower can be found in dispensaries across Missouri, including our own Heya stores. Visit our website: heyawellness.com

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Multiple locations in: St. Ann, Eldon, Kirksville, St. Peters & Park Hills, MO / a pr i l 2 02 2

5

33 raising the bar From bonbons to chocolate bars to gumdrops, these chefs take edibles to the next level.

/ 11 / healthy appetite Creamy Polenta with Roasted Spring Vegetables and Gremolata

/ 12 / the dish

CBD Bonbons from Tsokolate

/ 15 / one on one Brian Owens of O'Fallon Brewery

/ 16 / shop here Blue Sage Cannabis Co.

/ 17/ midwest made CBD Seltzers

/ 18 /

mystery shopper Quince Paste

/ 21 /

one on one Maddi Pearcy of Heartland Enterprises

/ 24 / the mix

Tropic CBD Highball

/ 26 / quick fix Hemp Seed Pesto

/ 27 / culinary library Brent Gunnels of Clay & Fire

/ 29 / one on one James Ryan of Higher Love KC

/ 30 / sugar rush Spiced Carrot Loaf Cake with Citrus Glaze

37

grass roots

40

bud club

A historic crop, hemp is once again diversifying the livelihoods of family farms.

Meet Rooted Buds, a St. Louis-based “cannabis social club” and catering company.

Information provided is for educational and informational purposes only and does not supersede any medical advice given by a physician. Cannabis is still considered a Schedule 1 controlled substance and is illegal under federal law. Adults who consume cannabis must keep cannabis products away from animals and out of reach of children. Note that the intoxicating effects of cannabis can sometimes be delayed, so do not operate a vehicle or machinery after consumption. Use of cannabis during pregnancy or while breastfeeding may be harmful. By purchasing cannabis from a dispensary, you are assuming the risk of any damage or loss that occurs during its use.

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▲ stl | 04/21 | St. Louis Post-Dispatch Great Taste Thu., April 21, 7pm; general admission $45, VIP $65; Saint Louis Science Center, 5050 Oakland Ave., St. Louis, Missouri; stltoday.com/ourevents Explore the Saint Louis Science Center after hours while sampling from restaurants around St. Louis. The annual Great Taste event will feature tastings from area restaurants from the 2022 edition of Ian Froeb’s STL 100. Enjoy live music, browse items from local vendors and more.

◀ stl | 04/30 | Schnucks Cooks: Hemp Seed Pesto Sat., April 30, 3 to 6pm; $35; Zoom; nourish.schnucks.com/ web-ext/cooking-school Join us as we learn to make hemp seed pesto, minestrone soup, garlicmarinated grilled shrimp and chocolatepistachio biscotti. In this class, we will learn how to make pesto and explore its many uses, work on our knife skills and make a light Italian meal.

▶ stl | 05/22 | Feast Face-Off Sun., May 22, 1pm; $12; 9 Mile Garden, 9375 Gravois Road, Affton, Missouri; stltoday.com/ourevents Join Feast and the Missouri Pork Association for an epic face-off featuring restaurants from across the state. Champions will be crowned, barbecue samples will be eaten and we’ll toast to the winners of our barbecue bracket with cocktails and live music. / a pr i l 2 02 2

7

Inspired Local Food Culture /

april

midwest

2022

Volume 12 / Issue 04 EDITORIAL

sales

Editor in chief

general manager

Heather Riske, hriske@feastmagazine.com

Susan Eckert, seckert@feastmagazine.com

managing editor

media Strategist

Mary Andino, mandino@feastmagazine.com

Erin Wood, ewood@feastmagazine.com

digital editor

Kasey Carlson, kcarlson@feastmagazine.com Kansas City Contributing Editor

Jenny Vergara St. Louis Contributing Editor

Contact Us Feast Media, 901 N. 10th St., St. Louis, MO 63101 314.475.1260, feastmagazine.com

Mabel Suen

Distribution

Springfield Contributing Editor

To distribute Feast Magazine at your place of business, please contact Rich Hudson for St. Louis, Jefferson City, Columbia, Rolla and Springfield at rhudson@post-dispatch.com and Jason Green for Kansas City at distribution@pds-kc.com.

Tessa Cooper Columbia Contributing Editor

Jessica Vaughn Martin editorial intern

Charlotte Renner fact checker

Meghan Baker Proofreader

Alecia Humphreys Contributing Writers

Amy Feese, Teresa Floyd, Rogan Howitt, Patrick Mulvihill, Shannon Weber, Gaby Weir Vera

ART Art Director

Alexandrea Povis, apovis@feastmagazine.com Contributing Photographers

Zach Bauman, Rhianon Brown, Tom Carrow, Teresa Floyd, Gregg Goldman, Robert Grimm, Miranda Mungia, Mark Neuenschwander, Ben Nickelson, Aaron Ottis, Pilsen Photo Co-op, Jennifer Silverberg, Cheryl Vaughn Contributing illustrator

Kimberly Cho

Feast Magazine does not accept unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or artwork.

Submissions will not be returned.

All contents are copyright © 2010-2022 by Feast Magazine™. All rights reserved.

Reproduction or use in whole or in part of the contents, without the prior written permission of the publisher, is strictly prohibited. Produced by the Suburban Journals of Greater St. Louis, LLC.

on the cover Chicken and waffle skewers with mango and strawberry coulis from Rooted Buds in St. Louis by Jennifer Silverberg table of contents CBD bonbons by Christopher Elbow Chocolates in Kansas City by Pilsen Photo Co-op

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SAVOR Every Bite in Jefferson City ECCO Lounge

editor’s letter

W

hether or not you have

and even bonbons. But edibles –

a Missouri medical

a fast-growing category within the

marijuana card, it’s

cannabis industry – go far beyond

hard to ignore the impact the cannabis

sweets. On p. 40, you’ll meet the duo

industry is having on the local food and

behind St. Louis-based Rooted Buds,

beverage scene. Medical marijuana

a “cannabis social club” and catering

was legalized in the state in 2018, and

company that creates infused meals –

qualified patients can now access

think seafood mac ‘n’ cheese, ramen and

everything from chocolate bonbons

Thai coconut curry – while also pushing

to fried chicken and waffles to beer

for diversity and equity in the industry.

infused with THC. Meanwhile, another cannabinoid, CBD – which is legal in

Of course, it all starts with the plant

Missouri as long as the product features

itself, and on p. 37, we talk to a few

less than .03 percent THC – is popping

family-owned farms growing industrial

up in gumdrops, red velvet cookies,

hemp. Although it isn’t proving to be

seltzers and more.

quite the cash crop some had hoped, these farmers point to the plant’s other

In December 2021, the total sale of state-

benefits, including its status as a bio

regulated medical marijuana surpassed

accumulator and garden ally, as their

$200 million in Missouri. In this issue of

motive to persevere.

Feast, we’re exploring the burgeoning industry through a culinary lens, chatting

Whether in the field or on the plate, the

with local chefs, bakers, brewers,

cannabis and culinary industries are

chocolatiers and farmers who work with

becoming increasingly intertwined, and

cannabis in various forms.

we hope this issue will give you a taste of culinary cannabis in Missouri – and a

As renowned chefs and confectioners

look at where it’s headed next.

lend their expertise to the cannabis industry, the quality of edibles, in regard

Until next time,

to both taste and efficacy, has risen. On p. 33, we explore how local companies have enlisted the help of experienced confectioners to create unique, chef-

Heather Riske

driven chocolate bars, gumdrops

editor@feastmagazine.com / a pr i l 2 02 2

9

PROMOTION PROMOTION

FIND INSPIRATION IN THE PRODUCE DEPARTMENT Corn, peas, broccoli and carrots. These were the staple vegetables I ate growing up.

It wasn’t until I got older that new vegetables like fresh asparagus, roasted Brussels sprouts and zucchini began showing up at the dinner table. Branching out from the familiar four vegetables brought new life to dinner and pushed me to explore what other vegetables could become stars at meal time as opposed to simply a side.

One veggie that has recently caught my attention again is eggplant. This unique purple vegetable is great because it’s able to absorb and take on any flavor it’s seasoned with. The recipe this month shows just one way this humble vegetable can be transformed and made into the center of the plate. I love bringing new dishes like this to my table. Sometimes, it can push my family out of their comfort zones, but it exposes them to different flavors and textures that could become a new favorite.

If you are looking for a fresh idea for dinner, I encourage you to take a stroll through the produce departament with an open mind. You may find seasonal items you forgot about and be inspired to try something new. The great news is all fresh produce gets a thumbs up in our Good For You program. So no matter what you choose you’ll be taking a step towards your health. If you haven’t joined our Good For You community, learn more and opt in today at schnucks.com/goodforyou. You will also find a variety of recipes if you need inspiration for your new produce purchases.

EGGPLANT BIRYANI MASALA SERVES 6

SPONSORED CONTENT BY

ALLISON PRIMO

SCHNUCKS REGISTERED DIETITIAN

2 tsp ground turmeric

½ tsp paprika

1 tsp coarse salt

1 14-oz can crushed tomatoes

½ tsp pepper

3 saffron threads

1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt

⅛ tsp ground cardamom

1 ½ lbs eggplant, cut to 1 ½ inch pieces

4 cloves

¾ cup olive oil

2 tsp lemon zest

2 medium yellow onions, sliced

2 bay leaves

3 tsp minced garlic

2 cups basmati rice, rinsed

3 Tbsp tomato paste

1 serrano chili pepper, sliced

2 Tbsp garam masala spice

½ cup cilantro, chopped

½ tsp caraway seed

PREPARATION In a large bowl combine first four ingredients. Add eggplant pieces and toss until well coated; let sit at room temperature 30 minutes. In a 6-quart pot, heat oil over medium-high. Cook onions until golden brown, stirring every 5 minutes; remove from pot to a paper towel lined plate.

In the same pot, add garlic and tomato paste to oil and cook about 2 minutes or until fragrant. Add garam masala spice, caraway seed, paprika and cook for 1 minute more.

Add eggplant, crushed tomatoes, ½ cup water and saffron threads. Cover, reduce heat to low; cook 30 minutes or until eggplant is tender. In a second large pot bring 4 cups water to boil. Stir in cardamom, cloves, lemon zest and bay leaves; boil for 2 minutes.

Add rice, cook until al dente, about 12 minutes; drain and set aside.

Remove lid from eggplant, increase heat to medium and cook until sauce is reduced by a third, about 8–10 minutes. Transfer half of eggplant to a medium bowl; distribute remaining eggplant evenly in the pot. Top with half of rice, serrano chilies, cilantro and browned onions. Repeat with remaining eggplant, rice, chilies, cilantro and onions.

Cover and bake for 25 minutes at 400 degrees. Remove from oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Serve with yogurt and lemon wedges.

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healthy appetite

/

the dish

/

shop here

/

MYSTERY SHOPPER

/

the mix

/

QUICK FIX

/

sugar rush

Gremolata is a fresh, parsley-forward seasoning blend traditionally used as a finish with Roasted Spring Vegetables and Gremolata

for the Italian dish osso buco. When I tried it for the first time, I was shocked by the bright, dynamic flavor evoked by these commonly used ingredients.

In this vegetable-based dish, I harness gremolata’s potential and challenge the culinary establishment’s traditional use of the condiment with luscious results. A solid base of creamy polenta is topped with crunchy roasted spring vegetables and a blooming helping of gremolata for a combination that breathes new life into traditional flavors.

Story and recipe by Gaby Weir Vera, private chef, Columbia, Missouri Photography by ben nickelson

serves 6 Polenta 4 cups water 1 cup stone-ground cornmeal 1 Tbsp kosher salt 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving ¼ cup sour cream 1 Tbsp unsalted butter Roasted Spring vegetables 12 medium rainbow carrots, halved lengthwise 12 small radishes, uncut 1 pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and quartered 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 1 Tbsp kosher salt 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp garlic powder Gremolata 1 cup fresh parsley, minced 3 tsp lemon zest 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp kosher salt

Consider adding a drizzle of hemp oil – available in the health section at most well-stocked grocery stores – to finish this dish. In addition to its purported health benefits, it has a nutty flavor reminiscent of pistachio.

/ preparation – polenta / Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium-low; add cornmeal, whisking constantly to make sure there are no lumps. Add salt; cook for 10 minutes, stirring constantly until thick. Turn off heat; add cheese, sour cream and butter. Season to taste. / preparation – roasted spring vegetables / Preheat the oven to 450°F. In a large bowl, combine carrots, radishes and mushrooms. Drizzle with olive oil; add salt, paprika and garlic powder and toss well to combine thoroughly.

Transfer seasoned vegetables to a baking sheet and spread out evenly.

Roast for 20 minutes or until the veggies are medium brown. / preparation – gremolata / In a medium bowl, combine parsley, lemon zest and garlic; season with salt. / to serve / Divide polenta evenly among serving bowls; sprinkle additional cheese on top. Top polenta with roasted spring vegetables and gremolata.

/ a pr i l 2 02 2

11

healthy appetite

/

the dish

From rich cacao bars to beverages and bonbons, chocolate and cannabis have become fast friends in the culinary world.

Written by Jessica Vaughn Martin photography by aaron ottis

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shop here

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MYSTERY SHOPPER

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the mix

/

QUICK FIX

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sugar rush

Mid-Missouri chocolatier Tsokolate offers confections that satisfy more than a sweet tooth, and the latest addition to its lineup – a CBD bonbon – falls directly in line with that philosophy.

With shells that imitate art and flavors that inspire health and well-being, Tsokolate, owned by sisters Jan and Elle Sanchez, is best known for its superfood bonbons that prove food is more than fuel. The Columbia, Missouri-based company offers more than a dozen single-flavor chocolates, ranging from globally inspired flavors such as ube and papaya to locally sourced ingredients like elderberry, turmeric and, now, CBD oil. Tsokolate’s newest bonbon, layered with smooth vegan CBD caramel and dark chocolate ganache, is the brand’s first multi-flavored superfood bonbon. With a mild dose of CBD in each bonbon, the candy evokes a feeling of calm; Jan recommends savoring just one at a time. Order online via tsokolate.co.

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Furniture

ONE ON ONE /

ONE on

O’FALLON, mo.

with Brian Owens / head brewer, O’Fallon Brewery Written by Kasey Carlson / photography by gregg goldman illustration by kimberly cho

When it comes to THC edibles, your mind might immediately go to chocolate bars or gumdrops, but thanks to BeLeaf Medical and O’Fallon Brewery, Missouri medical marijuana patients can get their high from an easy-sipping beer. MOHI is a nonalcoholic, THC-infused beer that delivers 5mg of THC in every can. Featuring notes of citrus and vanilla, the 80-calorie wheat ale is brewed like any other craft beer under the watchful eye of O’Fallon’s longtime head brewer Brian Owens, but that’s just the start of creating Missouri’s first THC beer.

How do you remove alcohol from beer while still making it taste like beer? We use a dealcoholizer, a piece of equipment manufactured by Centec, a German company. The process of removing alcohol is distillation, so distilling it would involve heating it up to drive off the ethanol, but heat is one of the major enemies of beer – the flavor of the beer can change the more you heat it up.

This piece of equipment we use distills the beer under a vacuum at a lower temperature, so instead of boiling off the alcohol at, say, 175°F, it boils off around 95°F. This equipment helps us preserve the natural flavor of the beer and make it taste like regular beer.

How do you approach brewing MOHI differently than other O’Fallon beers? Companies like BeLeaf are making huge strides in creating a distillate that is pretty neutral and clean, and by that I mean free of cannabis flavor or aroma. I think there are lots of products, like an IPA, that’d benefit from some of those terpenes that come from cannabis, but in MOHI, we really wanted to take those things down and keep the THC neutral. There’s still a little bit of those cannabinoid flavors and terpene flavors that

HOW

come through the distillate very subtly, which means we have to adjust the bitterness of our beer so that when we add the cannabis, we find the balance we’re looking for.

How does THC get added into MOHI? [The process is] called a nanoemulsion. The THC is found as a resin or oil in the cannabis plant, but oil and water don’t mix, so oil and beer don’t mix. But there’s a technology out there that can create a droplet of oil so small that it doesn’t come back together in the can or in the packaging, allowing it to be evenly mixed in the beverage.

What should patients expect when drinking MOHI? [The THC] metabolizes more like smoking would. It’s not like an edible where it takes quite a long time to metabolize in your body. What’s great about that is that you can consume a can of MOHI with 5mg of THC and start to feel those effects in about 30 to 90 minutes. They don’t hang on for hours or come on really strong because it's 5mg, so the idea was to replace the alcohol with THC and still find that moderated level of feeling that you can adjust by having another can of MOHI.

TO MAKE

The O’Fallon

Alcohol is removed

The concentrated alcohol that was removed,

The NA beer is

Nanoemulsified

A mobile canning machine

Brewery team brews

from the beer using

plus a regular “mother” beer, is added back

transported from O’Fallon

THC, in liquid form,

cans the beer at the

its original wheat

vacuum distillation,

in to return some of the beer’s aromatics.

Brewery to BeLeaf’s

is added to the

licensed facility before it’s

beer with notes of

preserving the flavor

The whole mixture remains under .5 percent

licensed cannabis facility

beer at the licensed

shipped off to dispensaries

citrus and vanilla.

of the brew.

alcohol to maintain its NA designation.

in 330-gallon totes.

facility in tanks.

around the state. / a pr i l 2 02 2

15

healthy appetite

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the dish

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shop here

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MYSTERY SHOPPER

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the mix

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QUICK FIX

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sugar rush

CARTHAGE AND LEBANON, MO. ▶

Blue Sage Cannabis Co. Written by Tessa Cooper / photography by mark neuenschwander

At Blue Sage Cannabis Co., brightly colored packages of infused sodas, gummies and even bonbons line the shelves. But so do earth-toned cannabis flowers nestled in clear glass jars, because the dispensary’s two locations in southern Missouri operate deli-style. “The experience is unlike most other places,” says CEO and co-founder Boston Dickerson. “When you go in, you can actually look at your product and see and smell your medicine before you buy it.” Dickerson also helps lead efforts at VIVID, the company’s in-house brand of cannabis-infused products, including gummies. On March 15, VIVID launched a new line of gummies, Missouri’s Own Edibles, which features flavors inspired by fruits that are native to or common in Missouri, such as blackberry, Concord grape, cherry and pawpaw. “Being from Missouri, we’re really leaning into our roots,” Dickerson says. “[This] line of edibles complements that.” multiple locations, bluesagecanna.com

Locally Made

salted vanilla bonbons by clovr

orange creamsicle gummies by vivid

Made by Kansas City chef and chocolatier

These gummies are all-natural, pectin-based, non-GMO

Christopher Elbow, these chocolates

and vegan. Each gummy offers 25mg of THC.

feature a sturdy shell and a creamy

Edibles at

Blue Sage Cannabis Co. 16

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cannabis-infused center.

Turn to p . 33 to learn m ore about Clo vr edibles pawpaw gummies by missouri’s own edibles

Based on the native Missouri fruit, this gummy tastes like a cross between banana and mango.

midwest made

•

CBD continues to take the wellness world by storm, popping up in everything from gummies to lotions, oils and bath bombs, and the food and beverage industry is no stranger to the nonpsychoactive sister of THC. Featuring varying amounts of broad spectrum CBD, these locally made seltzers are meant for enjoying a calm evening with friends or relaxing after a long day.

Written by Charlotte Renner photography by robert grimm

cbd•

For a fresh botanical twist on the CBD seltzer, reach for a can of Mighty Kind. Using only organic hemp and produce sourced from U.S. family farms, Mighty Kind offers flavors including violet-mango, cherry blossom and tart pineberry in varying levels of CBD, from 10 to 30mg. Mighty Kind also produces separate lines of CBD seltzers in partnership with Kalm Kanna, St. Louis Cannabis Club and Wellbeing Brewing Co. – think peach-mango, citrus-lemon, Yuzu Bloom and MelonGrass.

Order online at bemightykind.com or find the seltzers in stores throughout St. Louis, Kansas City and Columbia, Missouri.

As the name suggests, the CBD sparkling waters from Zenly are perfect for achieving a calm and collected state. With 20mg of CBD per can, the sparkling waters come in fresh flavors like blood orange, honeycrisp apple, Bliss Berry and lime Mojito.

Drink a can to chill out after a long day at work or use it as a mixer. You can find Zenly at local coffee shops, grocery stores and bars across St. Louis and southern Illinois. drinkzenly.com

St. Louis-based Urban Chestnut Brewing Co. is best known for its classic German-inspired beers, but in 2019, the craft brewery launched several varieties of nonalcoholic sparkling hop water. For its CBD Hop Water, Urban Chestnut partnered with Oregon-based Scientia Labs, founded by St. Louis native Molly Conroy. Each 16-ounce can is infused with 25mg of CBD and Citra hops, creating a fruity flavor and piney hop aroma without the bitterness. Grab a 4-pack in stores across Missouri or order online at urbanchestnut.com. / a pr i l 2 02 2

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These petite skewers serve six as a meal, but make about 2 dozen skewers if you’re heading the appetizer route. Since not all quince paste is created equally, your glaze may be thicker than you’d like once it cools; simply whisk in more apple or lemon juice (or a little water) until it’s the consistency you like at room temperature.

Quince paste can seem like a charcuterie tray novelty act, but what if it could do more?

Quince-Glazed Chicken Skewers Serves 6

What Is It? Quince paste, also commonly known as membrillo, is a translucent, sliceable paste made from fresh quince and either honey or sugar that’s slowly cooked down and typically sold in blocks. Although it may look like an invention of the 1950s “gelatin-everything” era, its history stretches back much further – the first records of quince cooked in this way date back to fifth-century Rome when it was cooked down with honey and cooled until nearly solid. The paste remains one of the best ways to experience quince domestically, as it’s almost impossible to source fresh in the Midwest. The fruit is also nearly inedible raw; this preparation allows the “golden apple’s” floral fruitiness and gorgeous red color (a gift of heated tannins) to take center stage.

What Do I Do With It? Quince paste is often relegated to charcuterie boards, and for good reason: sliced into tiny cubes, it’s the perfect (and traditional) topper to Manchego and other salty cheeses. Use it in pastries like Argentinian pasta

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frola, spread it on toast or roll it in a little granulated sugar to eat like candy. Although not as obvious, the paste has savory applications, too: Kotopoulo me Kythonia, a Greek dish of quince-braised whole chicken, is traditionally made with fresh quince but can also be made with the paste.

These skewers are an accessible, everyday version of the quince and chicken pairing. A gingery quince glaze brushed over grilled chicken thighs makes for a quick weeknight dinner main or appetizer. Find quince paste at specialty cheese shops, well-stocked conventional markets or international markets, typically in the Spanish or Mexican sections. If you happen to find fresh quince, make your own paste: tons of recipes exist online, and you’ll just need a few ingredients and some patience (or a pressure cooker) to get it done.

Story and recipe by Shannon Weber, Writer and Recipe Developer, aperiodictableblog.com Photography by jennifer silverberg

4 to 5 2 5 ¼ 3

2 ¾

2

Tbsp grapeseed oil, divided Tbsp shallot, finely diced oz quince paste, finely diced cup apple juice Tbsp apple cider vinegar juice of 2 lemons tsp fresh ginger, peeled and grated tsp kosher salt, plus more for seasoning chicken lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and sliced into 1-inch strips, at room temperature fresh ground black pepper high-heat oil, for brushing grill grates

/ preparation / Heat 1 Tbsp oil in medium skillet over medium heat; add shallot and cook until softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add quince paste, apple juice, vinegar, lemon juice, ginger and salt, stirring frequently to break up and dissolve quince paste in liquids. Set aside.

Thread chicken onto skewers and prepare a grill for medium-high heat. Once grill is heated, brush chicken with oil; generously salt and pepper all sides. Brush grill grates with high-heat oil. Grill skewers 4 to 5 minutes; turn and grill another 4 minutes. Brush skewers with glaze and turn again, grilling for 1 minute; brush on remaining side and flip, cooking for 1 minute until glaze is set. / to serve / Divide onto plates or serve family-style alongside grilled vegetables and a cooked grain such as couscous, or on a platter as an appetizer.

PRO TIP If using wood skewers for this recipe, make sure to soak them for at least 1 hour in water

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PRESENTED BY

GETTING TO THE ROOT OF GINGER S P O N S O R E D C O N T E N T BY K AT H E R I N E L E W I S

PHOTO PROVIDED BY SITEMAN CANCER CENTER

COMMON GINGER

GALANGAL

TURMERIC

WHITE GINGER

Common ginger is the knobby root of the plant Zingiber officinale, and it’s the variety found in most grocery stores.

Common ginger is closely related to cardamom and turmeric, and just like those spices, it’s a powerful anti-inflammatory packed with antioxidants. There’s some evidence that it may help alleviate motion sickness, morning sickness and menstrual cramps. Available ground, dried, candied or preserved, common ginger works well in a range of recipes, from cookies to curries.

If ginger’s bite is a bit too much, look to galangal root for a sweeter, more citrusy alternative. Sometimes called Thai or Siamese ginger, it’s a popular ingredient in soups throughout Southeast Asia.

Galangal may help improve memory and lower blood sugar, thanks to antioxidants known as polyphenols. Galangal can be used in stir-fries and salad dressings, but it’s more solid than common ginger, so it needs to be pureed rather than grated.

Although today it’s the breakout star of cold-pressed juices and hot teas, turmeric has been around for millennia. It’s used as a brilliant yellow dye, an earthytasting spice that adds depth of flavor to cooking, and medicine to treat wounds and skin disorders. Turmeric is brimming with minerals like phosphorus and potassium, as well as vitamins C and B6. It’s known for lessening joint pain and inflammation, and studies are looking at its role in combating a slate of conditions, from depression to high cholesterol and even the flu.

White ginger is grown more for its looks and jasmine-like fragrance than for consumption.

The tropical plant’s delicate, butterfly-shaped flowers belie its hardiness: It is so invasive that it’s illegal to grow in some parts of the world. When ground into powder, the roots of this pretty plant are used to treat stomach issues, like indigestion and constipation, and they’re thought to stimulate the appetite.

Carrot Ginger Vinaigrette MAKES 2 CUPS (8 SERVINGS) 1/4 cup celery, roughly chopped 1 cup carrots, roughly chopped 1/2 cup yellow onion, roughly chopped 1/2 cup rice vinegar

YOUR HEALTH TIPS

1/23 cup canola oil 3 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated

Ginger has been valued worldwide as both a medicine and a spice for thousands of years.

Native to Southeast Asia, ginger is widely used to soothe an upset stomach. “This is why you may have been given ginger soda when you were sick as a kid, or why many people order it on airplanes to fight motion sickness,” says Adetunji Toriola, M.D., Ph.D., a Washington University researcher at Siteman Cancer Center. “Ginger helps ease nausea, including nausea caused by morning sickness or chemotherapy.”

Ginger also works to reduce inflammation, which may mitigate some symptoms of respiratory conditions (such as asthma), as well as inflammatory bowel disease, arthritis and menstrual cramps, Toriola says. Many of

these benefits come from a compound called gingerol. Interestingly, the antioxidants found in gingerol are at their most effective when ginger is dried or slightly cooked — a rare departure from the majority of herbs, fruits, vegetables and spices that are most beneficial when eaten raw. “Antioxidants may help to reduce the risk of certain cancers, especially gastrointestinal cancers, breast cancer and ovarian cancer,” Toriola says.

Ginger even has antimicrobial properties, so don’t be surprised if you find it listed as an ingredient in cleaning products.

When shopping for fresh ginger, check that the ends aren’t shriveled or dried out. It has thin, papery skin that’s easy to scrape away with a spoon, but that’s not necessary if you’re

siteman.wustl.edu/YDR

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2 Tbsp sugar 2 Tbsp soy sauce

PREPARATION

ADETUNJI TORIOLA, M.D., Ph.D. Washington University researcher at Siteman Cancer Center

PHOTO PROVIDED BY SITEMAN CANCER CENTER

using it in hot tea, for example. Ginger brings a bright, almost peppery taste to stir-fries, and it perks up mild fish, such as tilapia or cod.

In a food processor, blend celery, carrots and onion.

Then, slowly add the remaining ingredients and puree until smooth. Serve on salads or use as a marinade.

This vinaigrette may be kept up to four days in the refrigerator.

NUTRITION INFORMATION Per 1/4 cup 100 calories 6g carbohydrate 1g protein 4g sugar 1g fat

ONE ON ONE /

ONE on

with Maddi Pearcy

BUFFALO, MO.

/ director of operations, Heartland Enterprises What inspired your family to create Heartland Labs? My brother Hayden moved out to Colorado in 2011. While he lived there, he got involved with the medical marijuana community and really saw the medicinal value of the plant and how it has helped transform people’s lives. He moved back a few years later and filled my dad in on all of the medical benefits. We’ve also had some family members who really could have benefited from medical cannabis, but unfortunately at the time that they were needing it, it wasn’t available to them. I’ve always been a big advocate for medical cannabis, too. Hayden was a part of Amendment 2 [the Medical Marijuana and Veteran Healthcare Services Initiative], and we both worked on the grassroots level for it.

What sets your production process apart for the Sweet Stone edible line? For all of our edibles, we use distillate, which is a flavorless, odorless, highly concentrated form of THC. All of our edibles are able to actually taste like a cookie or taste like honey – nothing tastes like there’s cannabis in it, which is awesome because not everybody loves the flavor of cannabis.

Written by Tessa Cooper / photography by rhianon brown

Heartland Labs is a family-owned and -operated medical marijuana manufacturing company located just two miles shy of Buffalo, Missouri.

Here, tried-and-true family recipes and hydrocarbon extraction instruments team up to make the Sweet Stone line of edibles, which features products like soft peanut butter cookies, low-sugar fruit-flavored gummies and local infused honey. The quality-tested products are available all across Missouri in dispensaries from Kirksville to Kennett. Here, Maddi Pearcy, Heartland’s director of operations, chats about the mission behind the business, the key to tasty THC edibles and what the future holds for the medical marijuana industry.

Where do you see the medical marijuana market heading in the next decade? I think that we’re going to start seeing a lot of higher-dose products. I don’t know how the recreational movement is going to play out, but I think as far as the medical market goes, there’s also going to start being a bigger push for some healthier products. A lot of gummies are coated in sugar and are not exactly health-oriented products, so I think that we’re going to start to see a shift toward a little bit more health-oriented products.

Sweets don’t have to be bad for you, and we’ve really tried to integrate that – our gummies are one of the lower sugar content gummies on the market. We are also partnering with Elder Farms to work on an immune shot directed toward the medical cannabis market. heartlandlab.com

3 Edibles from Sweet Stone

chocolate chip cookies

In this product, cannabis enhances a family recipe for classic chocolate chip cookies. Each cookie contains 10mg of THC and a mix of semi-sweet chocolate and white chocolate chips.

Thanks to the resealable packaging, the cookies are able to stay fresh and maintain their soft texture.

black cherry gummies

With 10mg of indica distillate produced in-house, this sweet treat is ideal for taking before bedtime.

native ozarks infused honey

Locally made Cooper’s Honey, produced from bees that feed on Missouri wildflowers, serves as the base for this product. Just one teaspoon of this liquid gold provides 5mg of THC. / a pr i l 2 02 2

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CBD drinks are nothing new to the cocktail scene. Usually nonalcoholic and varying in flavors, they can make for great cocktail mixers with or without a spirit involved. This simple highball cocktail combines a watermelon-lemongrass sparkling CBD water, an overnight infusion of pineapple rum and flavors from a classic tropical cocktail with honey, lime and peach, all garnished with plenty of fresh mint.

Story and recipe by Rogan Howitt, beverage director, Good Spirits & Co. in Springfield, Missouri Photography by cheryl vaughn

Tropic CBD Highball

Serves 1 Honey Syrup 4 oz hot water 4 oz honey Pineapple-Infused Rum 1 very ripe pineapple 1 750ml bottle white rum Cocktail ½ oz honey syrup (recipe follows) 1 oz pineapple-infused rum (recipe follows) ½ oz peach liqueur ¼ oz lime juice 4 dashes orange bitters 4 to 6 oz Wellbeing MelonGrass CBD sparkling water / preparation – honey syrup / In a small bowl, combine hot water and honey; stir to combine. Transfer to a bottle and refrigerate.

icalAny trop ill seltzer w flavored e. this recip work in ut ore abo Read m D B C e d a locally m n o s seltzer p. 17.

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/ preparation – pineapple-infused rum / Remove skin and core from a very ripe pineapple and place in an airtight container. Add rum; agitate vigorously with a wooden spoon until the pineapple has broken down a bit. Allow to sit at room temperature overnight, or up to a week for maximum flavor, then strain. / to serve / Combine first five ingredients in a 12-ounce highball glass. Fill glass with ice and top with sparkling water. Garnish with an oversized bouquet of fresh mint and pineapple.

PROMOTION

with Dr. Patricia Hurford, MD, MS The medical community is beginning to take a new look at how it treats health conditions. Medical marijuana has recently been legalized and regulated in 37 states, including Missouri and Illinois, providing thousands of local patients with both acute and chronic conditions a new option beyond the traditional treatments, which may be addictive or side effect-heavy pharmaceutical drugs. To learn more about medical marijuana, how it works and who it works for, we sat down with Dr. Patricia Hurford, MD, MS, a pain management specialist at St. Louis Spine & Orthopedic Surgery Center.

Dr. Patricia Hurford, MD, MS Dr. Patricia Hurford is an orthopedist and certified medical cannabis educator who practices in both Missouri and Illinois. She sits on the board of directors and is the committee chair for the Missouri Medical Cannabis Trade Association's Health Training and Education committee and also belongs to the Society of Cannabis Clinicians, a national organization.

Written by Aubrey Byron Photography by Jennifer Silverberg

Paid for by

Many patients dealing with pain who have limited options have become curious about medical marijuana. Cannabis treatment can be lower risk than some more traditional medications and minimally invasive, according to Dr. Hurford. For some, it may provide additional relief or allow patients to lower the dosage of their coexisting medications. “[Treating pain] is challenging,” Dr. Hurford says. “Chronic pain is multifactorial.”

Identifying the source and getting relief in these instances can be difficult or even desperate for some patients.

In light of the opioid crisis, many doctors and their patients are taking a harder look at what is being prescribed. Dr. Hurford believes the use of cannabis for medical treatment could play a role in curbing opioid addiction while also not leaving patients experiencing severe pain stranded without relief.

“Cannabis gives patients an exit option from the use of opioids,” Dr. Hurford says.

“There’s so many different emotions from physicians, scientists, patients and law enforcement regarding the use of cannabis for medical conditions. We all have had questions or concerns about legalization, the effectiveness and whether there’s any good clinical data.”

well,” Dr. Hurford says. Targeting multiple symptoms at once may decrease the risks of opioids that can occur when multiple medications are introduced.

Finding the method and mode of cannabis use that’s right for each patient takes a conversation. Some patients prefer not to experience any of the psychogenic symptoms of THC and may benefit more from topical treatment or ointments. How Marijuana’s federal classification as a quickly patients need relief or the desired Schedule I substance had previously limited duration can also be factors in what its use in studies for many years, but as a method works part of a growing best for them. wave of stateDr. Hurford says level legalization, “Cannabis can address she and many more studies multiple symptoms of pain – physicians are have been conducted on its nerve pain, dissociative sleep hesitant to prescribe an effectiveness disorders, anxiety – so not inhalant, but for everything only can we diminish the use there can be from pain to neuropathic of opioids, we may be able exceptions when rapid treatment to diminish the use of those onset to insomnia. treatment other agents as well.” is needed.

“It is easily a great medicine at Physicians can still be reticent to endorse improving sleep in my patient population,” cannabis, but the tide is clearly turning – Dr. Hurford says, adding that using medical here in Missouri, where medical cannabis marijuana as a sleep aid helps reduce the was approved by voters in 2018, there risks for her patients of taking other sleep are now over 175,000 patients and medications that may have side effects. caregivers registered with the state.

As that patient population grows, it’s “Cannabis can address multiple symptoms important physicians talk openly with their of pain – nerve pain, dissociative sleep patients about how they are using cannabis disorders, anxiety – so not only can we for treatment and awareness of potential diminish the use of opioids, we may be able of medication interactions. to diminish the use of those other agents as / a pr i l 2 02 2

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Hemp Seed Pesto Full of healthy fats and high in vitamins and minerals, hemp seeds are a great plant-based protein with a soft texture and sweet, nutty flavor. Hemp hearts – hemp seeds that have had their shells removed to make them easier to eat – are a great alternative to nuts in a traditional pesto. Use this hemp seed pesto as a spread or condiment on sandwiches, a garnish for soups or a pizza topping; you can also toss a little with pasta or stuff it into a pork chop or chicken breast. To make this pesto vegan, simply replace the Parmesan with

In this class, we will learn how to make pesto and explore its many uses, work on our knife skills and make a light Italian meal.

nutritional yeast.

Written by Amy Feese Photography by Jennifer Silverberg

Get Hands-On

Join Schnucks Cooking School chef Amy Feese on Zoom at 3pm on Sat., April 30 to learn how to make the dishes on this month’s menu.

For more information on everything you’ll need for the virtual class, from cookware to ingredients, contact the cooking school directly.

nourish.schnucks.com/web-ext/cooking-school or call 314.909.1704 26

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yields 1 cup ¼ 4 2½ ½ ½ 1 ¾ ½

cup hemp hearts cloves garlic, roughly chopped cups fresh basil leaves, packed tsp kosher salt tsp freshly ground black pepper Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice cup extra-virgin olive oil cup grated Parmesan or ¼ cup nutritional yeast

/ preparation / Add hemp hearts and garlic to the bowl of a food processor; pulse until roughly chopped. Add basil, salt, pepper and lemon juice. With the motor on, stream in olive oil; process until pesto is puréed. Stir in Parmesan or nutritional yeast.

MAKE THE MEAL ○ Hemp Seed Pesto ○ Minestrone Soup ○ Garlic-Marinated Grilled Shrimp ○ Chocolate-Pistachio Biscotti

Serve immediately or freeze in ice cube trays for later use. Once frozen, transfer pesto to a sealed, freezer-safe container to be used as needed; pesto will keep for 4 to 6 months.

CULINARY LIBRARY /

kansas city

with Brent Gunnels / executive chef, Clay & Fire t

Brent Gunnels understands what it takes to successfully infuse food and drink with cannabis. In some ways, it’s not all that different from cooking with any green plant, but cooking with cannabis – whether CBD or THC – does take a bit of research to understand the different strains, flavor profiles and, most importantly, safe dosages.

Gunnels knows firsthand, as he did his own research in preparation to open a nextwave coffee shop, Tree Haus Café, that would specialize in CBD and Kava drinks.

Although his CBD concept didn’t survive COVID-19, Gunnels is currently developing a line of edibles that he hopes to sell at dispensaries this fall. Here are some of his favorite resources to help medical marijuana patients learn the basics of cooking with cannabis at home. –Jenny Vergara photo by zach bauman

Bong Appétit: Mastering the Art of Cooking with Weed

The Leafly Guide to Cannabis: A Handbook for the Modern Consumer

Cannabis Edible Cookbook: Complete Beginner’s Guide to Making Edibles at Home

by Editors of MUNCHIES (2018)

by The Leafly Team (2017)

by Canna School

“Not only an entertaining show, ‘Bong Appétit’ is as informative as it is beautiful. The MUNCHIES team stuffed this book full of great tips on evaluating cannabis quality, strain effects and a killer equipment list. Most importantly, the user-friendly dosing charts and pairing fundamentals will help you make the most of the 65 gourmet recipes.”

“Leafly.com has been my favorite resource for strain information, effects and, now, to see what my favorite dispensary is offering.

The info on their site can be overwhelming, which is why I love their book. It’s a great introduction to everything cannabis and basic pantry recipe staples. It’s a perfect read to plan your dispensary shopping list.”

“I find myself grabbing this book often for inspiration from its library of recipes; there’s over 130 of them and they’re all very approachable.

Plus, as with most cannabis cookbooks, it has basic properties, strain info and dosing to make recipe planning a breeze. Just as with Leafly, Canna School started as an online education platform, but I always prefer books in the kitchen – the screen never turns off.”

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ONE ON ONE /

ONE on

KANSAS CITY

with James Ryan / owner, Higher Love KC Written by Jenny Vergara / photography by zach bauman

James Ryan started his CBD-infused treats business, Higher Love KC, with a simple goal: to help his mom, who had expressed an interest in trying cannabis to treat a neurological condition that caused mild tremors. As he began researching edible options for her, he was disappointed in the taste, quality and size of baked goods he found.

Using his experience as a chef, he decided to develop his own line of dosed delicacies that he now sells at pop-up events and private dinners. Over six years later, his sweet treats are being requested by friends, family and even some well-known Kansas City musicians. Along with his partner, The Modest Mallow, Ryan is working hard to educate the public on the benefits of CBD while he puts in the time to make his side hustle his main gig. instagram.com/higherlove_kc What got you interested in making infused baked goods?

My mother had been reading about the ways cannabis could help ease the symptoms of people who suffer from seizures and other brain-related conditions. She came to me and said she was curious about trying it for medicinal purposes but didn’t want to smoke it, so I knew it would have to be edibles. I made a trip to Colorado in 2014 and bought several different brands of CBD-infused baked goods to see what was out there for my mom. Everything I bought was small – like the size of a Starburst candy or a postage stamp – and was dry and mostly flavorless. The ones I tried just didn’t taste good, and I knew I could do better.

How did your partnership with The Modest Mallow come about?

After having a lot of success making treats for friends and family, I was at a place where I was juggling my full-time job with this new

“These red velvet cookies – like red velvet cake meets a soft-baked chocolate chip cookie – were the first dessert I ever created for Higher Love KC. Perfectly sweet with hints of vanilla and cocoa flavor, they have that traditional chocolate flavor in a red cookie dotted with infused white chocolate chips.”

business and wasn’t sure how to scale. I connected with William Wald, owner of The Modest Mallow, which makes scratch-made artisan marshmallows and oatmeal cream pies; he and I found our businesses have a lot in common, and a friendship was born. I started Higher Love KC in 2016, and we became business partners in 2018. Today, Higher Love KC sells William’s fluffy marshmallows, which we infuse with CBD and use as a binder for our Fruity Pebble bars. It has been a great partnership that has helped us both grow our businesses.

What is the secret to making delicious CBD-infused sweets?

Having worked as a chef for 15 years, I did a lot of research and made a lot of mistakes before I figured out the tricks to making flavorful treats with CBD. The first thing is to start with quality ingredients, just like any other dish you would make. Second,

“Made from scratch, these light and fluffy marshmallows come 10 to a bag because you can’t eat just one. Made in collaboration with The Modest Mallow, they are infused with CBD and are available in both classic and innovative flavors. Try them in hot cocoa or s’mores.”

cannabinoids are fat-soluble, so the CBD needs to be infused into the fat you plan to use in your recipe – that can be olive oil, butter or coconut oil, which I prefer because it also adds a lot of flavor. Finally, you must bake your infused treats at a slightly lower temperature than you would normal cookies or cakes to make sure they bake evenly and don’t burn off the CBD. How can people find Higher Love KC products? You can find me selling Higher Love KC products at local pop-ups and private dinners around town, which I promote on my Instagram account.

I also supply Higher Love KC products to two local stores, Hemp Haven and ReLeaf Resources Dispensary. I also am happy to do custom or special orders for people, and am available to cater my treats, too.

“A brilliant mashup between chocolate brownies and tangy lemon bars, these moist, citrusy lemon brownies are a wonderful spring treat. The zesty, dynamic flavor makes them one of our bestsellers.” / a pr i l 2 02 2

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with Citrus Glaze Yields 1 (9-by-5-inch) loaf

PRO TIP Spiced Carrot Loaf Cake 1¾ cup all-purpose flour Glazing the cake while 2 tsp baking powder still warm will create a ½ tsp baking soda 1 tsp ground cinnamon thin, crystallized coating ¹⁄₈ tsp ground ginger that flakes beautifully pinch nutmeg when cooled. ½ tsp kosher salt ¾ cup packed dark brown sugar 2 large eggs ½ cup mild olive oil ½ cup unsweetened applesauce 1½ cups finely grated carrots ½ cup toasted and chopped walnuts or pecans, optional Citrus Glaze 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest (from about 1 lemon) 1 tsp finely grated orange zest 3 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice 2 tsp freshly squeezed orange juice 1 cup powdered sugar / preparation – spiced carrot loaf cake / Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking oil and line with strip of parchment paper, leaving an overhang of parchment on the ends. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat brown sugar and eggs until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add oil and applesauce; mix until combined, stopping to scrape down sides and bottom of bowl. Add flour mixture; mix on low, just until combined. Remove bowl from mixer; using a spatula, fold in grated carrots and nuts, if using.

An elegant yet unpretentious springtime dessert, this rich and moist carrot cake is flecked with finely grated carrots and enveloped in a generous coating of tangy citrus glaze. It’s equally at home as a casual weekend dessert or a festive holiday treat, but for the complete experience, make sure to serve it with a warm cup of tea or coffee.

Story, recipe and photography by Teresa Floyd, food writer and recipe developer, now-forager.com

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Transfer batter to prepared loaf pan, smoothing the surface into an even layer. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until golden and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Shortly before loaf is finished baking, prepare citrus glaze. Remove carrot cake loaf from oven and set on a wire rack. Pour glaze over top of cake, spreading so that it sinks in and creates an even coating. Set aside to cool for 30 minutes before removing from pan Allow carrot cake loaf to come to room temperature before serving, then cut into ¾-inch slices and enjoy. / preparation – citrus glaze / In a bowl, whisk all ingredients together until smooth. If mixture is too thick, add 1 to 2 teaspoons more lemon juice to achieve a pourable glaze.

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photo by miranda mungia

Thanks to the help of some experienced chefs, these local cannabis companies are elevating the edibles game with artisan chocolate bars, gumdrops and more.

From artful Italian espresso-caramel bonbons to tangy blood orange-infused dark chocolate flecked with crisp candied hazelnuts to shimmering mango gumdrops, edibles have come a long way from your college roommate’s weed brownies. As the category continues to flourish within the national cannabis market – edibles sales grew by more than 20 percent in 2021, totaling $1.38 billion – several local companies are looking to corner the market with more refined offerings in the wake of Missouri legalizing medical marijuana in November 2018. With the help of some talented and ambitious chefs, they’re upgrading the edible experience with thoughtful ingredients, precise dosing and an artisanal approach. / a pr i l 2 02 2

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In October 2020, acclaimed Kansas City chocolatier Christopher Elbow – known for artful chocolate bonbons, colorful pâte de fruit and delicate caramels made with the finest ingredients – turned heads by entering the medical marijuana industry. He teamed up with Clovr, a cannabisinfused product manufacturer in Kansas City, to develop recipes for chocolate confections and handcrafted bonbons with varying levels of THC and CBD.

“I thought about this as a lateral shift where I could still be

Paulakovich and Galusha, both still in their 20s, bring a fresh

in the confectionery business – which I really love – while

perspective to the test kitchen and edible production line

working with some different ingredients and objectives,”

for Nuthera’s two edible brands, Panda (chocolates) and

Owens says of his move to Proper. “It was an opportunity to

EDBLS (gumdrops), which can all be found at Fresh Karma, a

work in a startup environment with a lot of space to grow.”

dispensary with locations in Midtown Kansas City, St. Joseph and Parkville.

Proper Cannabis currently operates two dispensaries in South St. Louis County and one in Warrenton, Missouri, and while

Panda’s infused chocolate bars currently have four distinct

its medical marijuana flower and concentrates have gained

flavors: milk chocolate, cookies and cream, chocolate shake

popularity, it’s the brand’s Honeybee product lines that really

and strawberry cheesecake. Nuthera will soon release its

have people talking. Honeybee’s chef-crafted chocolate bars

Medusa line of chocolates, too, which will use even higher-

are made with European chocolate and fresh ingredients,

grade cocoa. The brand’s top-selling EDBLS, Blueberry Bliss

including flavors such as cherry-pistachio, peanut-pretzel

and Mango Punch, are made with real fruit. And unlike many

and banana-candied black walnut. Honeybee also produces

edible gumdrop makers, neither Nuthera nor Proper use

an array of sweet and chewy real-fruit gumdrops, including

animal products such as gelatin as a thickening agent in their

the bestselling black cherry-cola, blood orange-strawberry

gummies, opting to instead use pectin, a vegan, fruit-based

and sour watermelon-passionfruit, which are all made at the

gelling agent made from the peels of oranges and apples.

company’s St. Louis-area facility.

While we’ve all heard (or perhaps experienced) horror stories

Italian Espresso-Caramel, Vanilla-Salted Caramel and Citrus-Caramel Bonbons from CLOVR cannabis and christopher elbow chocolates photo by pilsen photo co-op

“My goal was to partner with a company that shared my vision for wanting to bring a high-quality edible to the market,” Elbow says. “Clovr’s commitment to quality, safety and efficacy really aligned with what I believed to be the correct approach. To me, there is really only one way to do this, and that is at the highest level, mirroring what we’re doing here [at Christopher

And at Kansas City’s Nuthera Labs, Seth Galusha and Alex

of the potent batch of homemade edibles that went awry,

Paulakovich are blending their dedication to their craft with a

these companies take dosing seriously. Thanks to processes

commitment to creating premium and sustainable edibles for

that have turned dosing into an exact science, along with

their patients.

additional testing at independent laboratories – each batch of edibles must be tested before being made available for

“I have been a longtime cannabis user,” says Paulakovich, the

purchase – the more than 170,000 Missourians who have

company’s director of manufacturing. “I just really believe

state-issued medical marijuana cards can be confident that

in the plant, so in 2014 when it was legalized recreationally

they’ll receive the same potency with each purchase.

in Colorado, I packed up and moved from Kansas City to Denver and jumped right into it. When it went medical here,

“It’s just another ingredient – it just so happens to be a

I considered myself lucky to be able to come back home and

regulated ingredient,” Owens says. “We’re always aware of

use everything I learned in Colorado here for Missourians.”

the fact that we’re dealing with patients, not just people who like fine confections, so we really have to hit our mark. Our

Elbow Chocolates].”

Galusha came to Nuthera Labs with a confectionery background,

By this time, Elbow had already consulted for several edible

was drawn “further and further” into the cannabis space. Today,

Cannabis distillates – the highly refined versions of THC and

as Nuthera’s director of edible production, he works in the

CBD being added to each recipe – are often made in separate

kitchen testing recipes and collaborating with Paulakovich and

labs outside of where the chocolates and gumdrops are

the production team to bring his concepts to life.

produced. Some companies purchase these distillates, while

companies in Colorado and understood what worked and what didn’t. According to him, success in the medical marijuana industry requires an “unwavering commitment” to using

patients need consistency.”

but after diving into textbooks and taking several seminars, he

quality ingredients and getting the dosage right.

vertically integrated operations, such as Proper, make them

The Clovr team worked with Elbow to develop recipes for

where safety and efficacy are top priorities.

in-house. These distillates are then brought into the kitchen,

two product lines: chocolate bars and bonbons. The bars

“When you’re making a product, you never know when

use the same meticulously sourced cocoa, milk and vanilla

someone needs the dosage to be exactly the right amount,”

bean as Elbow’s popular small-batch bars, with offerings like

Galusha says. “Many of our patients have cancer or are dealing

Venezuelan dark chocolate, crème brûlée and milk chocolate-

with really serious illnesses. It’s not a very fun topic, but it’s a

almond-sea salt. The real star of the show, however, is Clovr’s

reminder of why we take our jobs so seriously.”

line of cannabis-infused caramel bonbons. Each handcrafted candy is made in a copper kettle, and the result is as beautiful

The thought and care that goes into each edible is quite

as it is delicious. Clovr currently sells 2- and 6-packs of vanilla-

impressive. To understand the science behind the process,

salted caramel, citrus-caramel and Italian espresso-caramel bonbons at dispensaries throughout the state.

one must understand how THC and CBD are ingested. The

Dave Owens, the director of culinary at St. Louis-based Proper

sublingually, topically and through inhalation. For edibles,

human body can absorb cannabis in four different ways: orally, chefs consider how their products are impacted by oral and

Cannabis, was drawn to the “new challenge” of entering the

sublingual consumption, which lead to differences in onset,

(as of yet) unsaturated market of edibles. After four decades

duration and potency compared to smoking.

in St. Louis’ restaurant and culinary scene, most recently as Bissinger’s chief chocolatier for 12 years, Owens and his

During oral consumption, THC and CBD compounds are

assistant Jessica Nelson left Bissinger’s state-of-the-art production facility in early 2021 to join co-founders John

real-fruit gumdrops from Nuthera labs

Pennington, Craig Parker and Matt Labrier at Proper Cannabis.

photo by pilsen photo co-op

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absorbed by the small intestine and moved to the liver, where they finally make their way into the body’s blood system.

Sublingual ingestion, on the other hand, occurs when the product is placed under the tongue, where the mucosal skin layer is much thinner. Many edible producers argue that this results in a faster, less wasteful and longer lasting effect.

In layman’s terms, the longer the product stays in your mouth, the quicker it works, so it helps to create an edible worth savoring. And to make an edible worth savoring, you can’t take any shortcuts.

Edible producers also need to consider the science behind protecting the THC and CBD during digestion. Galusha and Nuthera Labs, for instance, are considering how to employ a process that uses antioxidants and a special carrier molecule made from processed coconut oil to preserve the

before they can reach the patient’s intestines, which might

Cherry-Pistachio, Strawberry Crunch, EspressoCaramel-Toffee and Banana-Candied Black Walnut chocolate bars from proper cannabis

otherwise decrease the product’s potency.

photo by miranda mungia

For Clovr, Proper Cannabis and Nuthera Labs, the importance

it, the appetite for a more refined product that is at once

of quality ingredients cannot be understated. While quality

delicious and dependable. These chefs are also considering

distillates are as pure and tasteless as possible, each team

how to make a bigger impact for patients who depend on

still must consider how to mask the bitter flavonoids and

edibles to alleviate specific medical concerns.

cannabinoids, extending a product’s shelf life and limiting the amount of THC and CBD that are eaten up by stomach acids

terpenes of cannabis in their recipes. It helps to stay away from light, delicate flavors in edibles, but having a chef’s

Clovr is looking to launch some more “effect-oriented”

approach ensures that these products are still subtle,

products that will adjust the CBD-to-THC ratio, including

thoughtful and delicious.

nighttime edibles to help patients sleep and relieve anxiety.

Nuthera Labs, meanwhile, is working on a fast-acting

“I’m not a fan of the flavor of cannabis, so we had to make sure

gummy line focused on sublingual absorption with the goal

that the Clovr products taste like something that comes out

of providing relief in 15 to 30 minutes, which can help those

of our Christopher Elbow lines,” Elbow says. “We’re starting

experiencing physical pain. And Proper recently launched new

with the highest quality distillate or extract possible, and the

RATIO microdose mints aimed at giving patients a heightened

recipes are designed to mask any additional bitterness from

level of control over their experience with medical cannabis.

the product, so by the time we add it, we have a really cleantasting result.”

“At one point, this was all taboo, but we’ve seen the stigma of cannabis be lifted in recent years,” Owens says. “People of all

Of course, a premium product comes with a steeper price,

ages are dealing with their own afflictions. We see everyone

but these companies strive to make sure their products are

from grandmothers to young adults buying our products.”

still affordable for patients. For instance, a 100mg package of EDBLS gumdrops and Panda chocolate bars run $27 and

Elbow also sees the emerging cannabis industry as a positive.

$32, respectively – standard prices for Missouri and maybe

“The fact that the stigma is being lifted on cannabis is great,”

just a tick above the industry average nationwide. Honeybee’s

he says, citing firsthand how medical marijuana has positively

gumdrops and chocolate bars run around $25 per package,

impacted many in his life. “To me, using these products instead

and Clovr’s 100mg chocolate bars cost $32. The Clovr bonbons

of, say, a narcotic to combat chronic pain is a no-brainer. Not

– arguably the most unique edible experience available for

only are we making a really quality product, but we’re also

Missouri patients today – come at a slightly higher premium of

providing an excellent experience for those who need it most.”

around $12 for a 20mg pack of two or $22 for six.

For Paulakovich, the benefits of marijuana have been evident “Missouri has a wide wealth gap, but we care about our

for years, and she’s proud to play a part in elevating its status

patients and we strive to bring the most affordable product

– not just as a way to relieve pain, but as a more refined

we can right now,” Paulakovich says of Nuthera’s prices.

experience to be enjoyed by those who need it most.

“That’s been a through line for all of our decision-making,”

“Whether you’re fighting cancer or lupus or arthritis or anxiety,

Galusha adds. “How are we finding an appropriate intersection

we hope that our work is making a difference for a lot of

between quality and price? We’re always considering the

Missourians in need,” she says. “Cannabis is a really beautiful,

affordability and pharmacological benefits of our products

versatile plant that deserves all the attention it’s getting.”

instead of just trying to maximize how high someone can get.”

Clovr Cannabis, clovrcannabis.com The market for medical marijuana in Missouri has grown

Honeybee Edibles, honeybee-edibles.com

steadily since the first legal sale in October 2020, and with

Nuthera Labs, nutheralabs.com / may 2 02 1

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T

asha Mueller has watched the vista around her family’s century farm in Wentzville,

Missouri, turn from rolling fields to subdivided neighborhoods, altering the landscape and lifestyle surrounding the memories of her youth. Mueller’s grandfather Raymond and his brother Ralph tended this land, now known as R&R Farms, for all of their lives – something their ancestors have done since 1904. Today, the farm continues a pared-down version of its row crop legacy, and in recent years has welcomed a new specialty crop: hemp.

Centuries before its prohibition in the 1930s and well before the whisper of “marijuana” furrowed the brows of concerned parents across the nation, the cultivation of agricultural cannabis was often a family affair. Now, with the rise of CBD use, legalization of recreational marijuana in 18 states and medical marijuana in 37 states (including Missouri), hemp is rejuvenating the soil and diversifying the livelihoods of family farms large and small.

Like many farm kids do, Mueller ventured away from agrarian living after high school, but following the birth of her first daughter, she felt called to care for the earth again.

Serendipitously, a friend had recently planted a seed of an idea: introducing hemp on her family’s farm. At the time, the crop promised a hefty profit. “Two years ago, you were going to be a millionaire if you grew hemp,” she says. “So originally, it was, ‘Let’s do this to save the farm.’” Though it

Grass Roots Missouri farmers can once again grow industrial hemp. Meet the local farms betting on the historic specialty crop.

written by jessica vaughn martin photography by tom carrow for r&r farms

has not garnished the millions in profit they hoped for – a reality for hemp growers nationwide – it’s saved the farm in another way. “I think in the process, what we got that we didn’t really plan on is the super deep connection with our family,” she says.

“My cousin does all the other farming, and I saw him a couple times a year. Now we’re in weekly conversations, sitting in the field together drinking beer and trying to problem-solve.” Seeking diversification, not an overhaul, R&R Farms has just six acres of hemp, a small parcel on more than 100 acres of land. But the thumbprint has already had a large impact. “With corn and soybeans, my cousin’s working very hard, but there’s nobody else who’s gonna step up,” she says. Now, you’ll often find Mueller’s whole extended family walking rows or helping during hemp harvest. / a pr i l 2 02 2

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The eastern United States was largely hemp

not. “Our traditional row crops are not getting

ground in the nation’s early years, lauded

used for human consumption, but hemp is,”

for its strong fibers fit to make clothes,

Michelle Poindexter, co-owner of Rural Route,

rope, paper and more. In the early 1600s

says. The company is also diversifying beyond

in Pennsylvania and Virginia, it was even

merely growing; they process and extract

considered a form of currency; around the

all their own product as well through their

same time, a Virginia law mandated that

secondary business, MOcann Extracts, which

hemp must be grown on every farm in the

sells gummies, lotions, CBD-infused coffee,

colony. But the crop didn’t boom in the

tinctures (for both humans and dogs) and more.

Midwest until the mid-1800s. Missouri’s production rose quickly, and the state was

As with other crops, maintaining control is a

Tasha Mueller and

second only to Kentucky in hemp production

common worry; fears that bigger pests in the

her family plant

by 1860; however, challenges spanning

form of large conglomerates will take over

and harvest the

from environmental to mechanical caused

easily perpetuate. But Morgan says most of

hemp crop at R&R

production to hurriedly decline, bottoming

those big players have already tapped out,

Farms by hand.

out by the beginning of the 20th century.

and it’s the small farmers who control highend products. “In terms of creating quality,

I

n 2021, the Missouri Department of Agriculture reported 386 active industrial hemp licenses within the state. Many began with dreams of big profits and, after three years in business, have instead found themselves sitting on big piles of inventory.

The market is saturated, and prices have dipped to all-time lows, forcing producers to sell at a loss, or not sell at all. “We’re sitting here staring at our warehouse full of biomass,” says Luke Poindexter, who co-owns Rural Route Hemp Co. near Kansas City. “We just slowly push through, and hopefully we’ll have plenty of product whenever it takes off.” As the statewide and national industries mature and consumers become more educated about the benefits of hemp, Tyler Morgan, chairman of the producer-led Missouri Hemp Trade Association, is realistically hopeful that day will come. Even in this rough patch, though, he says it’s often the generational farms, armed with that same patience and realism, that are finding success.

“They’re starting to integrate it knowing that it’s gonna take some time to build a market

But hemp didn’t totally disappear – according

boutique brands, that’s always gonna belong

to MU Extension, wild hemp persists across

to the small farmer, and that’s that customer

the state. The plant roots in the rich, fertile

base that’s going to be able to stabilize and

ground of waterways, floodplains and river

create pricing support across the market,”

bottoms, but it can also grow in open ground.

he says. Most Missouri hemp farmers focus

Though it’s not the precise climate from

on growing cannabis for CBD products, but

which hemp is native, Morgan says Missouri

for those few that focus on fiber (to produce

can be exceptional hemp ground. “We have

building materials, paper and more), recent

every soil type; we’re an ancient mountain

Missouri reimbursement grants have helped

range and we’re so heavily mineralized that

their piloting operations.

you can get things out of Missouri soils that you can’t get anywhere else,” he says. “There’s

The cannabis family of plants encompasses

a terroir to Missouri for cannabis that is

both hemp and marijuana, the former

absolutely mind-blowing. You just have to be

grown from varieties that produce lower

able to find ways to deal with the fact that

concentrations of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC),

we live in the middle of one of the largest

which generates marijuana’s characteristic

temperate hardwood forests on the planet,

psychoactive effects. The farms mentioned

which means we have every type of mold,

here all grow hemp, not marijuana. They’ve

fungus and mushroom you can imagine. So

chosen this path for varied reasons, but

you’ve got to be able to understand how to

there’s one they all share: The regulations on

work in this environment.”

medical marijuana are many, and its uses are limited, but with hemp, the opposite is true.

… I’ve seen a lot of people who have gone out and tried to put in huge amounts of stuff, and

Just ask Sean Hackmann and Scott Mertz of

then completely failed. I’ve literally watched people lose tens of millions of dollars – washed

Grandpas Family Farms in Chamois, Missouri.

down rivers, flooded, rotted in the field. It’s heartbreaking. But I’ve also seen people who’ve made really good, conservative choices, like, let’s grow a couple acres because we know we

T

The duo had an interest in growing cannabis hough generations have farmed in

and already had the equipment, irrigation

the same setting, there’s a steep

and agricultural knowledge to begin the new

learning curve when moving from

venture. After researching both hemp and

traditional agriculture to specialty crops. For

marijuana, they found the former to be the

example, when you harvest smokable hemp

wisest route. “It’s more like a farm commodity

flower, each bud has to be hand-picked. “With

instead of restricted medicine,” Hackmann

row cropping, you’re using large equipment

says. To become a licensed hemp producer, one

and planting seeds directly in the ground,

must complete a written application, create

covering hundreds of acres,” Luke Poindexter

parcel maps and complete a background check

says. “Whereas, we’re starting our seeds off

for fingerprints and criminal history. A license

in a greenhouse for hemp, and we’re planting

“authorizes a person to grow, produce or

1,500 to 2,000 seeds per acre instead of

cultivate industrial hemp on their registered

millions, like with soybeans.” The family hadn’t

site,” according to the Missouri Department

make infused cannabinoid products such as cookies, cheeses or fruit juices.

previously used greenhouses, so there was

of Agriculture, and once approved, producers

an adjustment there, too. Another game-

can grow and sell cannabis that has a THC

2022 is the third season for modern industrial hemp growers in Missouri – after more than

changer? Most Missouri hemp farmers

concentration below 0.3 percent. Though

abide by organic principles, but many row

it comes with potential for greater profit,

croppers, including the Poindexters, did

growing cannabis for medical marijuana also

can manage that and still be able to manage the rest of the farm. [They see that] we have to invest before we start seeing payoff because everybody knows we’re all standing on the bleeding edge of the industry.”

With a background in landscaping and a personal passion for gardening, Morgan looks at this budding industry with a similarly global focus. “I come at it from the perspective of how to grow anything,” he says. “I’ve grown just about every damn thing you can grow.” It was that knowledge that catalyzed his own business, Sky Trace, which currently works with other hemp farmers to cultivate successful hemp plants and products. “With Sky Trace, we’ve really endeavored to build a brand that people can trust,” he says. “We actually made the decision not to grow this last season because we’re already working with six other farms, helping them really be able to integrate regenerative agriculture into their production.” Sky Trace is also one of just a handful of Missouri processors that distill and extract the necessary oils and byproducts from hemp to

70 years, industrial hemp was legalized at the same time as medical marijuana through a different piece of legislation – but it’s not the first time Missouri has seen hemp.

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begets higher input. “We were looking into the medical side and decided that was super risky. The financials were overbearing,” Hackmann says.

Money aside, it’s the benefits of cannabis – from soil to body – that draw interest from growers. CBD has been heralded for years, but hemp’s environmental benefits are not as publicly well known. “Hemp is a great bio accumulator in terms of cleaning soil,” Morgan says. “So it can easily be used on the fiber side as a cash crop that could help you prepare the ground for future food crops or other things.” For Sky Trace, Morgan is looking to integrate a sustainable power plant that will help serve energy needs for his own manufacturing and produce a waste product of biochar that can reintegrate into the fields.

For smaller farms, hemp is a wonderful garden ally. “We’re set up this year to begin a lot of companion planting with chestnuts and pawpaws,” says Dan Kuebler, who owns MOearth and The Salad Garden farms in Ashland, Missouri, which recently diversified with a small plot of hemp. “This crop could fit into a permaculture model that I’ve always wanted my farm to move toward.” It’s that growth in a variety of areas that keeps farmers keen on continuing in the world of hemp despite its challenges. “Just like everybody else, you get down and start kind of focusing on the wrong things,” Michelle Poindexter of Rural Route says. “Then you have a customer come in and they tell you ‘I’m off my pain meds or anxiety meds,’ or ‘my dog can jump up on the couch again.’ Those types of things are what really just kicks us back into gear and keeps us moving forward.”

From diversification to permaculture and regenerative farming, the future of cannabis appears fruitful for producers who are rooted in agriculture. This camp doesn’t often shy away from a challenge, and that seems to be the case for many who have embraced hemp on their farms – with any luck, and a glut of determination, hemp production will again become a Missouri family affair. “We’re all figuring it out as we go along,” Morgan says.

“But I think what everybody figures out is that none of us can do it on our own, and we’ve got to have really good relationships with the other players that are in our own market. It’s good to see that there’s a good core group of people across the state who have stuck with it and have put enough into it that they want to take the next step. I’m really proud of what Missouri is doing.”

sky trace: Owned by Tyler Morgan, this processor is based in Imperial, Missouri, near St. Louis. Though Sky Trace offers a small product line including smokables and infused products, the company’s focus is working with other farmers to help cultivate a sustainable, quality product. facebook.com/skytracefarms

r&r farms: R&R’s product line features gummies, tinctures and smokable flower, but beyond goods, owner Tasha Mueller is eager to educate her customers about hemp as a whole. Drawing from her experience in the events world, she hopes to welcome people to the Wentzville, Missouri, farm for tours, yoga sessions in the hemp field and more. rrfarms1904.com

rural route hemp co.: The Poindexter siblings grow and extract their own product at their facility (called MOcann Extracts) in Adrian, Missouri, near Kansas City. From salves to gummies to calming pet treats, the company uses top-of-the-line extraction methods to craft quality farm-to-package products. mocannextracts.com

grandpas family farms: One of just a handful of mid-Missouri hemp growers, Grandpas Family Farms uses nature to advance and cultivate well-being. Lotions, fruit chews and smokable flower are just a few products in its CBD lineup. grandpasfamilyfarms.com

mo earth: Dan Kuebler is

Missouri Medical Marijuana doctor We’re Here To Help!

Obtaining your Medical Marijuana card can be a daunting process for some patients.

Greencert MD wants to make this as easy as possible for you. Ask us about our Full Service Application Assistance.

Call (314) 596-9555 or email us hello@greencertmd.com

a longtime produce merchant at the Columbia Farmers Market. With his recent expansion into the world of hemp, he has launched a limited product line of smokable flower, available

To Begin Your Medical Intake Form

at his market booth. moearth. org/our-farm / a pr i l 2 02 2

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Written by Heather Riske Photography by jennifer silverberg

Serving up birria tacos, chicken and waffles and other savory fare, St. Louis-based

Rooted Buds

showcases the potential of culinary cannabis.

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On the final Friday of each month, The Cola Lounge on South St. Louis’ bustling Cherokee Street plays home to one of the city’s emerging supper clubs.

The menu du jour might include gooey birria tacos or crispy fried chicken served over fluffy waffles, but the surroundings – including an infusion kitchen, TVs playing Ice Cube’s 1995 film “Friday” and a bud bar outfitted with pipes, vapes, wraps and papers – hint at the night’s star ingredient: cannabis.

A self-described “cannabis social club” and catering company, Rooted Buds hosts a monthly residency at The Cola, a private cannabis consumption lounge, for which Missouri medical marijuana card holders can purchase tickets to a dinner featuring dishes infused with CBD and THC. Co-owners chef Snoop Hollins and Denise Winfield-Hollins founded the company in 2019 in the wake of Missouri legalizing medical marijuana to combine their passion for entertaining and providing great experiences with their love of the cannabis plant and its medicinal benefits.

“When things opened up here in Missouri, it allowed us to venture into something that we both enjoy,” Hollins says. “We had an idea to take my background in hospitality and culinary and bring something different to St. Louis, utilizing cannabis as one of the main ingredients we specialize in.”

Hollins, who attended culinary school at Johnson & Wales University and has more than 16 years of experience in both front- and back-of-house positions, serves as Rooted Buds’ chef, while Winfield-Hollins is the brand’s communications and operations specialist – and chief taste tester, naturally. The married duo also both hold cultivation and caregiver licenses, which allow them to grow their own cannabis for patients to use and to “manage the wellbeing of a qualified patient,” respectively. Hollins says the number-one issue for their patients is chronic pain, but they also work with patients dealing with chronic migraines, insomnia, fibromyalgia, anxiety and cancer.

Depending on the patients’ needs, Rooted Buds offers a variety of services, from growing the plant to preparing cannabis-infused butter, sugar and oils to cooking fully prepared meals infused with THC or CBD, all of which are carefully dosed. The duo prides themselves on accommodating a wide range of dietary restrictions for their clients, and most of their offerings can be made vegetarian or vegan. Rooted Buds also caters both private and public events, the latter of which strictly feature CBD-infused foods and drinks. “You connect food as a pleasure, so if you’re able to medicate and have it in a favorable way, it’s an experience. And that’s what we try to do at Rooted Buds – create an experience,” Hollins says. “If they see something as delicious and enticing as our food right in front of them, they can maybe disassociate [cannabis] with something negative.”

When it comes to cooking with cannabis, Hollins likens the plant to wine in the sense that there are hundreds of different strains with their own unique terpenes (aromatic compounds that contribute to taste or smell) with flavors that run the gamut from citrusy to earthy to peppery, just to scratch the surface. Rooted Buds’ sweet, smoky and spicy Bud Sauce, for instance, is made with mango, which is rich in myrcene.

“We take certain foods and pair them with a similar flavor profile to elevate the flavor; we try to use

PICTURED: Co-owners Denise Winfield-Hollins (left) and Chef Snoop Hollins (right)

lemongrass and mango because a lot of strains

Seafood Mac ‘n’ Cheese with Pan-Seared Salmon and house Bud Sauce

inflammatory and calming/relaxing benefits. It can

QuesaBirria Jackfruit Tacos with infused consommé

While Rooted Buds’ private events typically feature

have that profile,” Hollins says. “We often include myrcene not only because it’s the most common terpene in cannabis but also due to its possible antialso help to increase the quickness of your effects from medicating with cannabis.”

more elevated fare, Hollins says the goal for public events is simple: to make mouths water. a pr i l 2 02 2

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“Their passion and their drive and their ability to execute left me confident to lock them in as a monthly feature,” England says. “They are pioneers on the local scene. I think they are exercising a model that – although it’s fringe or niche right now – it’s going to be mainstream, so they’re ahead of the time. Consumable products – because they are a more familiar form of administration both for enjoyment and for medicine than smoking – are going to continue to take the forefront in the larger commodity market of cannabis. Cannabis tourism and culinary cannabis experiences are the future, so they’re positioning themselves for long-term success.”

“Fried Fridays,” it would appear, are just the beginning for Rooted Buds. Looking to the future, the duo hopes to make infused dishes even more accessible to their patients, starting with a line of packaged sauces, seasonings, cooking oils and dressings available in local stores. Initially, they’d stick to CBD, but should adult-use marijuana become legalized in Missouri, they’d love to partner with a local dispensary to create products infused with THC. By infusing a wide range of culinary items, whether a bottle of salad dressing or a heaping plate of tacos, the pair hopes to expand the scope of edibles beyond gummies and chocolate bars and show their patients how easy it is to incorporate cannabis into their everyday lives. “I think having food be a piece of that – instead of it just being sugary things, but having food to utilize on a daily basis – is imperative in order for us to make that change and show what cannabis can do,” Winfield-Hollins says.

And as they work to make CBD and THC more accessible to medical marijuana patients, Hollins and Winfield-Hollins are also focused on promoting equity and access in the larger industry.

While the national cannabis industry is valued at $61 billion, the plant has a much darker history for some communities – a 2020 ACLU report, for instance, found that Black people are 3.6 times more likely than white people to be arrested for marijuana possession, despite similar usage rates. Conversely, across the country, people of color continue to face greater barriers to entry

PICTURED: Chicken and Waffle Skewers with mango and strawberry coulis The runaway hit has been the birria tacos

a co-working space, a lounge with games, a

into the industry; approximately 4 percent of cannabis companies across the country are Black-

bud bar, an on-site kitchen and educational

owned, and according to an Insider analysis published last year, white men make up 70 percent

resources. Although the lounge is members-

of top executives at the 14 largest publicly traded cannabis companies in the U.S. In Missouri,

only, tickets to private events such as Rooted

more than 200 licensed medical marijuana dispensaries are currently operating, and the state’s

Buds dinners, include a day pass; the meals can

first Black-owned dispensary, Luxury Leaf, just opened in St. Louis earlier this year.

also be prepared without any cannabis.

“When it comes down to it, getting into the cannabis industry on the THC side, because of all of

served with infused consommé, but comfort food is a popular theme across the menus,

“Cannabis-curious or ‘cannasseurs’ can

the things you have to go through legally, requires a lot of money,” Hollins says. “Having help with

ranging from Thai coconut curry to Philly

visit The Cola and feel welcome and have

funding, having partnerships with people who have that access and collaborating and working

cheesesteak sliders (including a twist with

opportunities to explore introductory to

together would help open up the doors to provide more spaces for Black and brown people in

chicken or veggies) to ramen. The duo is often

advanced ways to engage with the plant, from

the cannabis realm. It took a while to see someone of color be able to have a dispensary, and I

inspired by what’s available seasonally from

smoking or extraction methods to infusion

think it’s very important with the fact that a lot of people of color are incarcerated due to the

local farmers, whether that's microgreens

methods in our kitchen and making your own

same plant.

from Bee Simple Farms or collard greens and

concentrates,” says owner Brennan England,

sorrel from George Washington Carver Farms,

who also founded St. Louis Cannabis Club and

“There’s so many people that are locked behind bars due to this plant and there’s all of these

a new urban farm based in North St. Louis.

is the state director of the Missouri chapter of

other people making money off of it. There should be some way that people can come together

Minorities for Medical Marijuana. “We really

and work with the people behind bars for the plant as well as allow opportunities for people

“We’re also really inspired by when we’re

focus on the space being welcoming and warm,

trying to step into their realm and do something positive.”

moving and grooving,” Winfield-Hollins says.

but it’s very educational – especially with

“Maybe we’re inside of the store and we see

the new industry, the largest percentage of

Hollins and Winfield-Hollins’ mission is rooted in more than just preparing tasty food and

something – it may be a piece of mahi mahi –

dispensary consumers are new to the plant.”

helping their patients feel better from day to day. With Rooted Buds, they’re also carving out a piece of the burgeoning industry for themselves and for their community, promoting equity and

instantly, our brains begin thinking how we can create a meal that someone will love.’”

The Cola Lounge is the brick-and-mortar

access in St. Louis and beyond.

realization of England’s work with St. Louis St. Louisans can also get a taste of Rooted

Cannabis Club, a resource network that

“I would love to see us be able to come together more often, to have those difficult

Buds’ cooking – including those famous tacos –

connects cannabis culture to the industry.

conversations, to be able to walk into those rooms and say, ‘Hey, we’re here also. Let’s work

at the aforementioned “Fried Fridays” at The

The group’s core objectives are wellness,

together. How can we build this community?” Winfield-Hollins says. “If there’s one thing I’ve

Cola Lounge on the final Friday of the month.

education, entertainment and economy;

learned, it’s that I communicate with people I would have never communicated with before had

Named for the flowering site of the female

with the latter in mind, The Cola offers R&D

it not been for cannabis. So what we’d like to do is get involved, be able to have those tough

cannabis plant – hence the tagline “where buds

space and resources for budding cannabis

conversations, find different ways to elevate and build together.”

meet” – The Cola was the first acknowledged

entrepreneurs – including Rooted Buds.

private cannabis consumption lounge in

England says the caterer’s first event was a

The issues at the heart of those conversations aren’t solved overnight or over one plate of

Missouri. Membership is available to medical

smash success, featuring delicious food that

delicious birria tacos – but for Hollins and Winfield-Hollins, it’s a start.

marijuana patients by the day, week, month or

was both safely dosed and thoughtfully plated.

year, and grants access to amenities including

It sold him immediately.

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facebook.com/rootedbuds

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Small Sub , Small Fresh-Cut Fries and a Medium Drink

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Hot Grilled Cheesesteaks, Hot Grilled Subs, Fresh Cut Fries, Hand Squeezed Lemonade / a pr i l 2 02 2

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