Culture Magazine Michigan October 2015 by Culture Magazine

CULTURE // October 2015

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October 2015 // CULTURE

Contents october 2015

28 BEN & JERRY CHILLIN’ WITH

The world famous ice cream duo, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, sat down with CULTURE to talk about ice cream, politics and cannabis. 48

Feature 34

ON THE COVER: Photo by David Seaver

6 . Letter from the Editor

NEWS

. BON APPÉTIT

Prepare your taste buds, because this month we’re celebrating everything edibles!

8 . News Nuggets 11 . By the Numbers 12 . An Update on MI’s Cannabis Edibles 14 . Legal corner

Departments 46 . Growing Culture 48 . Destination Unknown 50 . Profiles in Courage 52 . Recipes 54 . News of the Weird

WEB Exclusive!

reviews

MMA Women's Champion Ronda Rousey Slams Athletic Commission for Cannabis Prejudice

16 . Certification Clinic highlight 20 . edible & concentrate

ReviewS

24 . Cool Stuff

New Tech Set to be Released at the Cannabis World Congress Business Expo

26 . Entertainment Reviews

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Vol 7 IssUE 4

letter from the editor

/freeculturemag

/ireadculture

Publisher Jeremy Zachary Editor-In-Chief Evan Senn associate Editor Ashley Bennett

Food is

Editorial coordinators Victoria Banegas, Jamie Durante

Love. A

ll animals eat, but humans are the only animals that cook. Naturally, cooking becomes more than a necessity to survive; it becomes the symbol of our humanity, what separates us from the rest of our natural animal kingdom. Our food is almost always shared; people eat together; mealtimes are events when the whole family or settlement or village comes together. Food is also an occasion for sharing, for distributing and giving, for the expression of altruism. Thus food becomes not just a symbol of, but the reality of, love and security. And because eating is almost always a group event, food is a unique symbol of our human existence. Who doesn’t love sharing a delicious and comforting meal with loved ones? And what about dessert? Our mouths water at the mere thought of our favorite sweet treat—a slice of cheesecake, an ooey gooey rice krispie treat, or a perfect scoop of Cherry Garcia . . . This month is our annual Edibles Issue, focusing on all the pertinent and wonderful innovation in cannabis-infused edible food and drinks, and the sincere appreciation and education in the cannabis culinary arts. Although we are still struggling in many states to organize and legalize cannabis edibles and get them to the people that not only want them but need them, the country as a whole is taking great strides toward this shared goal. This industry has been steadily expanding in reach and in innovation, and we are constantly impressed and thrilled about the edibles market growth. Even with labeling woes, taxes, titration issues and accessibility, the industry is still moving forward. Cannabis-infused drinks, condiments and seasonings are gaining

CULTURE // October 2015

momentum in the previously dessert-dominated market—and our taste buds as well as our bodies are so excited about it. Not everybody can handle smoking cannabis; depending on your condition, eating or drinking cannabis may be the best suited form of this natural medicine for you. However, whether your food is medicated or not, food can be healing. Your diet can affect your mood, your well being and your physical health tremendously. Ice cream innovators Ben Cohen & Jerry Greenfield started their ice cream company, Ben & Jerry, because of the love they had for this delicious and comforting, sweet and creamy concoction. Their passion and dedication to perfect ice cream creations helped them become multi-millionaires, and one of the most well known ice cream companies in the world. They pride themselves on using their products and success as a means to make the world a better place, investing in organizations, events, campaigns and education in important issues in our world, including climate change and justice, GMO labeling, political justice, marriage equality, cannabis legalization and many others. Ben & Jerry know the power food can have with people, and for people. I hope with this issue, you realize the power food can have as well, raw or cooked, grown or bought, recreationally or medicinally, as a solitary pleasure or a social experiment—food is love. c

Sincerely,

Evan A. Senn

Editor-In-Chief

Editorial Contributors Sheryll Alexander, Marguerite Arnold, Jake Browne, Jasen T. Davis, Alex Distefano, David Downs, Natasha Guimond, Addison Herron-Wheeler, Anthony Herrold, Pamela Jayne, Heather Johnson, Joe Jatcko, David Jenison, Kevin Longrie, Emily Manke, Tyler Markwart, Meital Manzuri, Sandy Moriarty, Denise Pollicella, Paul Rogers, Joy Shannon, Lanny Swerdlow, Simon Weedn, Zara Zhi Photographers Steve Baker, Kristopher Christensen, John Gilhooley, Joel Meaders, Duncan Rolfson, Rick Thompson Art Director Steven Myrdahl Graphic Designers Tanya Delgadillo, Tommy LaFleur Account Executives Greg Andes, Callie Bello, Jon Bookatz, Eric Bulls, Kim Cook, Ryan Dunn, Cole Garrison, Gene Gorelik, Emily Musser, Beau Odom, Justin Olson, Jim Saunders, Paulina Porter-Tapia, Chris Thatcher, April Tygart Office Manager Iris Norsworthy Office Assistant Angelina Thompson digital media Editor Kimberly Johnson Ctv Video Editor Kristian Quintanilla Ctv Contributors Anna Logan,Chris Salazar Interns Brahim Gousse Distribution Manager Cruz Bobadilla Culture® Magazine is published every month and distributes 25,000 magazines at over 500 locations throughout Michigan. No articles, illustrations, photographs, or other matter within may be reproduced without written permission. Culture® Magazine is a registered trademark. All rights reserved. 34841 Mound Rd. | #241 Sterling Heights | Michigan | 48310 Phone 888.694.2046 Fax 888.694.2046 www.iREADCULTURE.com

CULTURE® Magazine is printed using post-recycled paper.

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_______________________

State

NEWS NUGGETS

Gaylord petition calls for medical cannabis ordinance

A petition for the city of Gaylord to create a medical cannabis ordinance was recently filed. Organizers of the petition gathered 584 signatures from local residents, which was more than the original 314 that was required to submit to city officials. One of the head signature collectors and leaders of the initiative, Chad Morrow, noted that only two out of every 20-30 people denied to sign—many others were willing to sign. “A lot of people support taking the criminalization out of it. The war is over. It is just these little battles that are still being waged,” Morrow stated. The petition proposes a city ordinance that would allow for the regulated use of C-1 General Commercial District as a possible location for medical cannabis provisioning centers. Now that the petition has been filed, the city’s deputy clerk must verify all of the signatures, and if enough of them check out, the proposal will move on to the Gaylord City Council for language approval of the ordinance on the ballot.

New medical cannabis ordinance in the works for Detroit

The Detroit City Council will soon be discussing the idea of implementing regulations for medical cannabis, due to an “oversaturation” of dispensaries in the area, according to Detroit Free Press. “The challenge that we have is that we have to make sure we’re within the legal parameters of . . . what we’re allowed to do,” Councilman James Tate stated. “We want to make sure that we don’t end up allowing these entities to create a bigger industry.” Councilman Tate plans to introduce the ordinance to propose stricter regulations for dispensaries in the near future. He mentioned that he’s working with city lawyers, the Detroit Police Department and his fellow council members to devise rules

CULTURE // October 2015

that would specify where dispensaries are to be located (in regards to distance from schools, parks and religious establishments) by following the example of neighboring cities. The ordinance would also require each dispensary to obtain a city license in order to operate as well. One important distinction, according to Tate, is that no existing dispensaries will be “grandfathered in” based on previous history—everyone will be subject to new regulations, if the ordinance is passed.

__________________________

Nation

Currently in Arizona, it is legal for outof-state patients to possess cannabis, but illegal to purchase it. However, it should be noted that cannabis use by non-local patients may be very limited, due to private ownership of major hotels in the Las Vegas area. Medical cannabis patients who come from other states may possess up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis anywhere in Nevada and are required to sign an affidavit verifying that they have been approved to legally use cannabis in their home state.

Early Cannabis Sales Begin in Oregon

The early retail sale of cannabis became official on October 1, as per the state’s approval of Senate Bill 460. Measure 91 made recreational cannabis legal in July, however the measure also gives the Oregon Liquor Control Commission until January 1, 2016 to implement cannabis regulation across the board, for production, processing, and commercial state. As a result, the state has agreed to allow any existing medical cannabis dispensaries to sell cannabis after October 1 as an attempt to keep black market sales from rising. As an added bonus, from now until the end of the year, all recreational cannabis sales will be tax-free.

__________________________

World Colombia decriminalizes up to 20 cannabis plants Out-of-state patients can now buy medical cannabis in Las Vegas and Reno

A new ordinance has made Nevada the first state to allow dispensaries to sell cannabis to out-of-state patient visitors. Now, any patient may visit Nevada’s two current dispensaries, which have only been open since mid-summer (with over 60 more applications for new locations currently being considered throughout the state). So far, a majority of the customer traffic seen at those new dispensaries are patients who traveled from Arizona, where over 80,000 medical cannabis patients are registered.

A Supreme Court ruling in Colombia last month decreed that having up to 20 plants of cannabis is not a crime. The court’s ruling came as the result of a case involving one man who was sentenced to over five years in prison after being caught by police with a “124 gram” plant, according to Colombia Reports. The current maximum amount of cannabis that can be carried at one time is 20 grams. However, because the man’s plant was to be used for personal use, the court decided that it shouldn’t be considered a crime. Possession of cannabis has already been decriminalized in Colombia, but this ruling further enhances the allowance of small amounts of cannabis. Later this year, the Colombian Congress will reportedly discuss the legalization of medical cannabis. c VISIT US AT

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by the numb3rs

584

The number of signatures that advocates in Gaylord obtained in order to bring a medical cannabis ordinance to the attention of city officials: 584 (Source: Gaylord Herald Times)

The estimated number of dispensaries currently operating in Detroit that will be required to begin a licensing process if a new ordinance is passed: 80 (Source: The Detroit News)

800 The percentage of people who participated in a new study that support legalizing medical cannabis in Michigan: 55.7 (Source: Public Sector Consultants)

The percentage of college students who reported using cannabis daily in 2014, according to a study conducted by the University of Michigan: 6 (Source: Business Insider)

The number of applicants who are currently being considered as candidates to open up medical cannabis dispensaries in New Mexico: 17 (Source: The Washington Times)

The estimated number of patients who qualify for medical cannabis in Georgia: 200 (Source: Chattanooga Times Free Press)

The estimated number of pages worth of research papers filed in support for petition to add autism to the list of cannabis qualifiers: 800 (Source: Detroit Free Press)

The number of dispensaries that will soon be opening in Long Island, New York: 2 (Source: Long Island News 12)

200

Made in Michigan Film Festival Returning for its seventh year, the Made in Michigan Film Festival is once again bringing a handful of well-crafted independent films to Frankenmuth. The Festival is hosted by a non-profit organization of the same name that aims to celebrate indie films by giving new filmmakers exposure and a place to show off their projects. The films being featured at this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s event range in length from five minutes to well over an hour and also offer a diverse selection of genres to choose from. Beginning at 6pm on Friday evening, and continuing throughout the weekend, attendees will have ample opportunities to experience the talent that Michigan has to offer.

IF YOU GO

What: Made in Michigan Film Festival. When/Where: Fri, Oct 16-Sun, Oct. 18. Bronner Performing Arts Center, 525 E Genesee St., Frankenmuth. Info: Visit www. madeinmichiganfilmfestival. org for details.

October 2015 // CULTURE

Risky Business Explaining some details in Michigan’s edible laws

E by Jackie Piper

Edibles in Michigan are tricky. In theory (and practice), they are better on your lungs, allow you to avoid smelling like a freshly smoked joint and have a more potent, long-lasting effect. The entire world of edibles, or medibles as they’re warmly referred to by patients, is vast and can be quite confusing, especially to those who are new to the scene. Even some veteran tokers stay away, because they know what works for them and have found a way to function and live without them. However, there are many patients that need to medicate, but need an alternative to smoking their cannabis medication. That’s where edibles and concentrates come in handy. Unfortunately, Michigan’s law surrounding these applications of cannabis is incomplete and confusing. Since there is no clear, defining language to support their usage, patients are lost in a gray area that enables those who enforce the law to crack down unnecessarily hard on those who have no other way of medicating or simply prefer that method. It’s all medicine; it’s just a different delivery system. That’s why advocates have been pressing for a long time to get everything cleared up and officially documented. Now, what we’re about to say might make you mad, or a bit worried. Even though you have your Michigan Medical Marihuana card, using, possessing, manufacturing or distributing cannabis resin or oil is a crime and most edibles are made with resin or oil. MCL 333.26424, section four states that you are protected, “ . . . provided that the qualifying patient possesses an amount of marihuana that does not exceed 2.5 ounces of usable marihuana

CULTURE // October 2015

. . . ” Useable marihuana, as defined in MCL 333.26423 (k) means, “the dried leaves and flowers of the marihuana plant, and any mixture or preparation thereof.” Meaning, if you possess any amount of cannabis resin or oil, you can be prosecuted because Michigan does not include cannabis resin or oil in the definition of usable cannabis. The silver lining? If an edible is made with dried leaves or flowers, it’s legal. But even with silver linings, there are other obstacles to consider. Two and a half ounces of usable cannabis, when we’re talking about flower, is quite a bit

of cannabis—much more than one person can consume in a short period of time. But when we’re addressing edibles, the entire edible is considered usable cannabis. Keep in mind, a typical twoinch square brownie is around one ounce. That doesn’t allow you to have many brownies at one time. And if you ever got caught, there’s no way for the police to test if it was made with flowers vs. oil or resin, so they’ll probably confiscate it and prosecute you anyway. There have been bills introduced to amend the verbiage in the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act, but so far nothing has passed. c VISIT US AT

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by Denise A. Pollicella

r e n r o c l a g e l

It’s Scary That We’re Still Talking About This

t’s been two years since the Carruthers case took resin-extracted, non-smokable cannabis, aka “medibles,” from MMMA protected goodness and turned them into 20year analogue felonies. For those of you who remember, a simple legislative fix to re-protect medibles was hastily introduced in September 2013. The rationale was, of course, that the bill was such a no-brainer, that it would pass overwhelmingly and quickly, and perhaps drag the dispensary bill along with it across the finish line. Alas, we all know the outcome, and it is easy to speculate about the reasons behind the bill’s ultimate demise. It seems impossible, however, regardless of the reason, that we have not managed this simple fix after witnessing first-hand the damage and pain that the Carruthers case truly inflicted. You see, this is not just candy. Of course, for the recreational user it is a fun, quirky alternative. Medibles make

CULTURE // October 2015

for colorful and eye-catching displays at dispensary counters. The chocolates can be outstanding, and the rice krispy treats, popcorn, cotton candy and gummy bears are retro yummy. But for the parents of children born with terrible, debilitating illnesses, this is not candy. This is life. For these children, non-smokable oils and medibles have quite literally made the difference between nearly catatonic incapacitation and seemingly miraculous animated interaction with the world. I have been in attendance for committee hearings when groups of these courageous parents pushed their wheelchair-ridden children into a room full of law makers and gave heart-wrenching testimony to the transformation that resin-extracted cannabis has made in their children’s quality of life. The room is quite often reduced to tears. These parents are already living in the impossible reality of caring for children who will never be able

to take care of themselves. The continued and prolonged denial of this therapy is nothing short of cruel. Of course, law enforcement sees it differently, as they often do. I do not mean to imply that our police forces are unsympathetic to the plights of those truly in need. I am saying that to people who spend their days looking for, and sometimes finding, the worst in people, their focus is elsewhere: On the steady rise of recreational dabbing, on those whom they do not view as valid, qualifying patients, on the very few less-than-careful, would-be chemists who set their garages on fire after their butane extractions go sideways. Life-saving medicine and candy in one. The legislative fix is still simple and still pending. I suppose it is a good thing that we are smart and compassionate enough not to criminalize every last thing that people might abuse. After all, without sugar or alcohol, cough medicine would be illegal and Halloween would be really boring. c VISIT US AT

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Certification Clinic HIGHLIGHT

Holistic House Michigan Interviewed: Mike “Medical Mike” Taylor 27411 Gratiot Ave., Roseville, 48066 (586) 883-3966

www.holistichousemi.weebly.com How and when did your certification clinic start up? I opened up Holistic House about three years ago, after my radio show went off the air. I had to find a way to help people in the cannabis community, so I opened up the Certification Clinic. I’m now able to be on the front lines and actually meeting existing patients and certifying and educating new patients faceto-face. My time on the air was well appreciated, by the many listeners we had, but being able to actually meet the people is more rewarding to me. What’s the story behind the name of your certification clinic? Actually the first idea for a name that I came up with for the clinic was Above the Fray. But I didn’t think many people would have understood that, so I had to sit back and really think about what all I was about venture into encompasses. After a short time, “Holistic” came to mind because it’s all encompassing, when you talk about medical marijuana; it’s used to treat so many things. I wanted to have a name that would transcend to people as

CULTURE // October 2015

being a solid foundation. What I’m basically saying is Holistic House is a solid foundation that works with people to help them on a path to holistic alternative medicine, and that’s how we became Holistic House. What does your certification clinic offer patients that they can’t find anywhere else? Patients surely come here to get certified, but what Holistic House also does is keep in touch with the patients by having a Social Club. We have over 2,000 members in our Social Club. I create activities, because for the most part, the only reason these patients may get out of the house is to go to work or go to the doctors. I also provide game night on Wednesdays, and once a month, we hold a big activity. We’ve done everything from going to Point, Tigers games, Stoney Creek, Pine Knob, haunted hayrides to dispensary crawls in a super stretch Hummer limo! Holistic House provides activities for people that don’t get out much. When they come out with us they get away from thinking about their illness, and that creates a positive, healthy image.

How has the cannabis industry changed since you have been in business? When I first started, everybody was scared of being on what is called “The Grid” or “Radar.” Everybody was afraid of being on the state’s list and thought their little grows and their lives were going to be caved in by “The Man” coming through the door like the SS Gustapo. Now there’s so many of us and there’s safety and strength in numbers, so they’re not as afraid. Now they’re more apt to come out, get a card and get on to their way to holistic medicine that is healthier than stuffing pharmaceuticals down their throat. So now instead of being afraid they’re actually taking care of their health in the proper way. If someone wanted to open a certification clinic to get their feet wet in the industry, what advice or

counsel would you give them? If you wanted to get into my realm of this industry, I would suggest you first ask permission through the city or community that you live in, instead of begging for forgiveness afterwards— because it goes so much smoother when you have the right people on your side from the start. What other information would you like to add? We plan on merging into a 9,000 square foot building to create Detroit’s first 420 Private Social Club, where Monday night is movie night, Tuesday night is casino night, Wednesday is karaoke or open mic comedy, Thursday night is DJ night, and Friday and Saturday we will get some big acts coming in, and hopefully I’ll be having my TV show on Sunday night. c

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edible + concentrate Honey

If you haven’t “waked and baked” with a spoonful of this honey, you’re missing out. We thought their peanut butter was good, but this really takes it to the next level. Especially if you have a cup of tea or coffee in the morning and like a little sweetener. Another example of “I wish I thought of this!” The “green” taste is barely there, and the honey is smooth and bright—just the way it should be. The honey itself is actually locally sourced from right here in Michigan. The entire $30 jar has 300mg of THC and it’s made with full extract cannabis oil. Nothing else makes you feel more like a hefty, happy Pooh-bear than eating up every last drop.

Available AT: Ann Arbor WELLNESS Collective in Ann Arbor.

Available AT: Hemphill Wellness in Burton.

S’more Treat

Since this treat is made with cereal and only a touch of chocolate, we figured this would be a good morning snack to go with our coffee. In theory, this should be sweet, almost too sweet, because of the marshmallow, but the cannabis oil does something tricky with the flavor. Sometimes flavors do funny things when mixed, like when you mix a cinnamon jelly bean with two green apple jelly beans and the spiciness of the cinnamon is negated and you end up with a sweet candy apple taste. It’s a big treat with lots of chewing involved. Given its size and amount of THC (50mg), it’s perfect for sharing with a friend. Available AT: Michigan Chronic Relief in Detroit.

Chocolate Almond Bar

Made at Hello Labs, these chocolate almond bars are packed with 100mg of THC. It’s very easy to break apart, so you can measure your doses effectively. Each square ends up being 12.5mg which is a great starter or daytime dose. If you know you need more, then by all means, enjoy more. You may want to refrigerate it so it doesn’t melt. We have no idea what the cocoa percentage is, but it’s definitely a high quality chocolate. With little chunks of almond distributed throughout, it’s easy on your teeth and provides nice little crunches. This treat allowed us to become very focused and efficient, like Bobby Fischer playing speed chess.

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Available AT: Mind Right in Detroit.

Apollo-13

Got Milk

There are a couple of layers to this culinary delight. Looking at it, we assumed it was just a cute little cake bite or truffle. But when it was cross-sectioned, we realized there was so much more than what met the eye. There’s a peanut butter ball center that’s been dipped in chocolate and then surrounded by raspberry cake infused with 70mg of THC. If it sounds intense, it’s because it is. It’s like a gourmet peanut butter and jelly sandwich, but with chocolate and cake involved. If we weren’t told it was an edible, we wouldn’t know, because the symphony of flavors do a great job of masking any herb flavor. Pick this one up and share it with your BFF or keep it to yourself, but don’t test your limits on such a beautiful specimen. Take it easy and treat yo’self.

Available AT: Om of Medicine in Ann Arbor.

At 100mg of THC per capsule, we were warned about taking it all at once, and we’re happy to relay that warning. With the Apollo-13 flower being a sativadominant hybrid, an entire capsule at the beginning of the day seems like a good idea, but it’s so powerful, that if you’re not used to that amount all at once, you’ll soon find yourself needing to take a nap. During the warning, there was a reenactment of twisting the capsule apart and very carefully taking a sip, being certain not to take too much. But unless you’re like Inspector #34 from that episode of The Adventures of Pete & Pete, be prepared to get your medicine on your fingers—when it should be in your tummy. These are perfect for patients who medicate heavily and want to avoid smelling like a Grateful Dead concert. Available AT: The Green Room in Detroit.

Available AT: Top Notch Solution in Detroit.

Breaking Bad Cheesecake

A bit deceiving at first glance, when you unwrap this treat, the top half is cheesecake filling and the bottom half is the graham cracker goodness that contains 200mg of THC and 5mg of CBD. So if you’re only interested in the cheese part, you’ll lose out on all the fun. At $15 a pop, this culinary delight doesn’t mess around. We sliced it up for more manageable doses. It should be refrigerated, so make sure to keep the packaging intact for nice storage. You could probably freeze it if you really wanted to cherish it, but make sure you pre-slice it first. If someone’s throwing a party, let them know you’re bringing the dessert!

Kool-Fade

Made by Cured Edibles, one $10 (13.5 oz) bottle contains 20-30mg of THC. It’s a fantastic way to medicate in the warmer months, because you can just pour it over some ice and go to town. We got to taste the Strawberry-Kiwi, which was a perfect balance of sweet and tangy. They’ve also got Grape, Cherry, Orange, Blue Raspberry Lemonade, Black Cherry and more. It’s great to slip into a travel cup and stay under the radar. Plus it literally tastes like Kool-Aid, so you’ll almost be fooling yourself as well! If you’re not sure of your tolerance level yet, just drink half in one sitting, but if you know you can handle it, go for the whole thing. And the experience leaves you feeling like the KoolAid Man . . . “Ohhhh yeahhhh!”

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cool stuff Recipe Dice

Tired of making decisions at the end of your day? We know the feeling. Luckily, we found Recipe Dice! Roll the dice to create your dinner—12 little wooden dice feature more than 60 seasonal vegetables, grains, meats, spices and herbs. Fun and food—double win!

K-Vape Micro-DX

PRICE: $16.50 MORE INFORMATION: www.leafcutterdesigns.com

PRICE: $199.95 MORE INFORMATION: www.vapornation.com

Those who love the original Kandy Pens vape pens will get even more excited to discover the K-Vape Micro-DX—a brand new KandyPens vape pen that comes with advanced temperature control. Not only does the MicroDX sport a sleeker and more portable design (boasting to be one of the smallest currently available on the market) but it heats herbs like a boss without ever making direct contact with the heat source. This device has up to 80 different temperature settings, and can be heated up to 430 degrees with its easy-to-use OLED display, delivering pure vapor every time.

PRICE: $24.95 MORE INFORMATION: thatinventions.com

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Personal Butter Churner

PRICE: $39.99 MORE INFORMATION: www.uncommongoods.com

CULTURE // October 2015

Making your own pantry staples is very rewarding—and can help anyone maintain a healthier lifestyle. With this simple design, you can churn your own butter (with or without cannabis) in just 10 minutes, and impress all your dinner guests. Simply pour the whipping cream into the churner, turn the handle, and enjoy a fresh batch of butter with a little personal touch. Try adding your own herbs in there too—rosemary white truffle butter? Yes please!

Scoop That! Heated Ice Cream Scoop No more waiting for the ice cream to thaw a little bit so you can scoop it out with ease. The Scoop That! ice cream scoop uses thermo-ring technology and heat from your own hand to heat up the edges of the scoop for a perfect round of your favorite ice cream every time. Paired with the awesome Scoop That! ice cream bowl—which allows the insulated scoop bowl to keep ice cream in its perfectly frozen state—this will keep your ice cream looking and tasting great, regardless of the temperature around you.

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entertainment Release Date: October 27 Available on: Xbox One

Green Buds and Hash: A PotFilled Parody Dana Larsen Hairy Pothead Press

“Soviet Constructivist Posters

Halo 5: Guardians Dev. 343 Industries Pub. Microsoft Studios

It’s been three years since the world has received a new game from the Halo franchise, but rest assured fanboys and girls, the wait is over. Halo 5: Guardians is one sequel you can count on to bring famous characters, weapons and worlds of the Halo universe to life. Players will get to experience a new story, classic matchmaking and four-player online campaign co-op modes on a beautiful 1080p display at 60 frames per second on Xbox One. Good luck, Spartans!

GO:OD AM Mac Miller Warner Bros. Records

Mac Miller has returned with GO:OD AM, which marks both his first new album since 2013’s Watching Movies With The Sound Off (and the 2014 Faces mixtape) and his major label debut. GO:OD AM not only sees Miller in top form lyrically and execution-wise, but also shows off a much more polished, mature sound and style. His flow still mixes the classic with the contemporary in an accessible way, and his choice of producers, collabs and overall vibe of the album follows Mac’s reputation for making music that is both fun to party to and rife with depth. (Simon Weedn)

Author Dana Larsen and artist Chip Crumb recreate the format of the children’s book Green Eggs and Ham in a delightful parody. Mister Stash is concerned for his friend, and goes to great lengths to convince him that not only are there many different ways to enjoy cannabis, but that it could help him feel much better. No forcing, pushing or berating, just a friendly and informative conversation, all wrapped up in well-crafted illustrations and clever, poetic verse. (Alex Bradley)

Love & Mercy River Road Entertainment Dir. Bill Pohlad

In many circles, it’s well-known that the Beach Boys’ most visionary member and primary songwriter, Brian Wilson, suffered from prolonged periods of mental instability exacerbated by heavy substance abuse in the ‘60s and ‘70s. It is this period of Brian Wilson’s life which serves as the back drop for Love & Mercy. The film captures all of the bizarre twists and turns in Wilson’s life under the direction of Dr. Landy, while also excellently showing what caused Wilson to need major psychological care in the first place. Love & Mercy is an incredible film. (Simon Weedn)

CULTURE // October 2015

The era of the Soviet Union was a unique time for expression during the 1920s. The first 10 years were hopeful for citizens, as the new social order rejected both the values and traditions of Tsarist rule in Russia. Constructivists such as Vladmir and Georgy Stenberg paved the way for art that promoted egalitarian ideals. “Soviet Constructivist Posters: Branding the New Order” features a number of posters from the early Soviet Union that employ bold colors and dynamic compositions that were seen throughout the nation. Each poster promoted the upward movement of the Soviet Union, advertising the nation’s strength and perseverance that would lead to a utopian future. This unique selection of history was the birth of design that inspires today’s advertisements and promotions created specifically for the public to witness.

IF YOU GO

What: “Soviet Constructivist Posters: Branding the New Order” exhibit. When/Where: On view through Feb. 21, 2016. University of Michigan Museum of Art, 525 S State St., Ann Arbor. Info: Visit www.umma. umich.edu for details.

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n 1978, Brooklyn-born Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield chose a dilapidated gas station in Vermont to open the first Ben & Jerry’s scoop shop. Frosty weather and shady Häagen-Das dealings sought to thwart their rapid rise, but the childhood friends finished their first decade together as President Reagan’s U.S. Small Business Persons of the Year. Unilever, a European consumer giant with brands like Axe, Dove and Lipton, purchased Ben & Jerry’s in 2000 with an understanding that the company could maintain its social values and activism. Ben and Jerry continue to work at the company, but they now spend considerably more time advancing social issues like cannabis legalization and a better environment. The ice cream moguls recently gave CULTURE the scoop on everything from cannabis-themed flavors to the Stamp Stampede for campaign finance reform.

You recently said you would be game for making cannabis-infused ice cream. What kind of reaction did that provoke? Ben: Our comments were the most widely circulated thing that we have ever said. Jerry: I think Ben said that. Ben: A decision like that at Ben & Jerry’s would not be ours to make, but personally, once it goes fully legal, sure, I would make ice cream that

CULTURE // October 2015

has marijuana in it. As with all edibles, it is important that they be properly dosed and labeled so that consumers are aware and a child does not eat them. It has been proven that marijuana is very efficacious as far as medicinal uses, and it is crazy not to allow that use. It has also been proven that recreational marijuana use is a lot safer and better for your body than alcohol. I think it is unconscionable that there is this drug war and prisons overflowing with people prosecuted for marijuana offenses. The

really unfortunate part is that, despite the fact that marijuana is used by a whole lot of rich white people, the prisons are overflowing with poor not-white people. That is unjust, unfair, unAmerican and something that we have to change.

In a 2013 podcast, Ben said you stayed out of the legalization issue because you thought it would be used against your

work to reduce the Pentagon budget. Do you feel cannabis is a stigmatizing issue in political circles?

Ben: Less so than it used to be. The handwriting is on the wall that it is going to be legal. What is it, 19 or 20 states legalized medicinal use, and more and more states are going to make it legal recreationally. A whole lot of law enforcement, former and current officials, favor legalization. I recently asked the campaign director for

Stamp Stampede–my major focus lately for getting money out of politics–if it would hurt the cause if I took a public stand in favor of legalization. He said nothing will be more widely distributed than my quote about marijuana ice cream, and that did not seem to hurt us, so take whatever stand you want to take.

An urban legend on the internet suggests you started out selling cannabis green tea ice cream at California music festivals in the ’60s and ’70s. Ben: If only! No truth to that at all. Jerry: I think that is the best rumor I have ever heard about myself. >> Photos David Seaver

October 2015 // CULTURE

CULTURE // October 2015

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interesting, though, what recently happened in Indiana with that ridiculous law that lets people discriminate against gay people. It is the first time I can remember that companies without a direct stake in the issue took a firm, public and rapid stand opposing a law. Jerry: It is understood in the agreement between Unilever and Ben & Jerry’s that we would be able to take positions on issues that they might not. An example is the issue of mandatory labeling of GMOs in food products here in the United States. That is something that Ben & Jerry’s actively campaigns for in different states. That is a position that Unilever does not agree with, but they recognize that it is within Ben & Jerry’s values.

Free Cone Day is usually within a week of 420, and flavors have included Half Baked, Satisfy My Bowl and Magic Brownies. This is not a coincidence, is it? Jerry: Ha! I never associated Free Cone Day with April 20, and those flavors you mentioned were not flavors that came out on my watch. Ben: Those are flavors that came out since Unilever took over the company.

You temporarily changed flavor names to Hubby Hubby and Apple-y Ever After in certain markets to celebrate gay marriage legislation. Was that under Unilever as well?

Jerry: Those happened inside the company. Ben and I had nothing to do with that.

You must appreciate that Unilever supports Ben & Jerry’s values and activism.

Jerry: It is helpful to understand that Ben and I work at the company, but we are not involved in the management or operations, so we do not really make decisions about those things. People really care about what happened with Ben & Jerry’s since Unilever acquired it. The company has stayed strong

with issues like marriage equality as a human’s rights issue, and the company transitioned to all fair trade and 100 percent non-GMO ingredients. Good things happened with the company, and it is no different than when Ben and I were running it. Ben: There are occasions in which the parent company can feel–nervous is not the right word–but concerned that Ben & Jerry’s maintains positions that the company does not agree with, and that is not unusual for Unilever. Most businesses shy away from taking any type of position on social or environmental issues unless it is something that will make them more money. It is

You mentioned Stamp Stampede, which involves stamping messages on paper currency. Was this effort started in response to Citizen’s United?

Jerry: A very large movement in the country is focused on getting money out of politics, and several Supreme Court decisions led to the current situation, but Citizen’s United was the straw that broke the camel’s back. That was what catapulted the movement and added a lot of momentum to it. Ben: We are essentially turning money into media. We call it monetary jujitsu, using money to get money out of politics. Every bill you stamp–once you spend it and put it into circulation–is seen by 875 people. One person stamping three bills a day for a year can create a million impressions, and that is very powerful. We are essentially saying that if the Supreme Court said money is free speech, we are going to make our money scream. The corporations and ultra-wealthy are using their money to buy politicians, and the rest of us should make our voices heard to create an undeniable demand to get money out of politics. The idea is to infiltrate the money supply–this is all legal, by the way–and so far we have over 50,000 people stamping, and we are growing at about 100 people per day. By the end of this year, we should have 80,000 people stamping. You can get your very own stamp at StampStampede.org. >>

October 2015 // CULTURE

Jerry: There is a range of non-profits working on the issue, and they are working on one level. What Ben did, which is brilliant, is to find a way for the average person to get involved and have their voice heard without having to join an organization. More than 80 percent of the people in the country, whether they are Democrats, Republicans or Independents, want to get money out of politics. They understand that all the money in elections comes from these giant corporations and extremely wealthy people, and it is undermining the entire democracy. This is a way for average people to get engaged.

Ben & Jerry’s got a [Tesla] that is going into different markets around the country with the goal of signing up people to join Avaaz [with its 100 percent Clean Power Petition] for the upcoming climate summit in Paris, and they are doing that by giving away free ice cream and talking about the issue. We are trying to use the deliciousness of Ben & Jerry’s to activate people on important issues.

If money were removed from politics, what type of financing structure would you prefer? Public financing?

Ben: Um, uh, you know, I think you are free to speculate.

alas, I think the ideal solution and the one that I would most prefer, but there are various other proposals. One is a voucher system in which everybody in the country gets a voucher on their taxes, like $100, to give to whatever politicians they want, and that would be the only money for the purposes of elections that politicians could use. Another good example is the one passed by the city of New York and the states of Connecticut and Maine, which is basically a small donor match whereby politicians pledge not to take large donations in exchange for having their small donations matched on a six-to-one basis by the government. The cost of public financing is about $6 per person, so getting money out of politics does not cost that much.

The company also has the Climate Justice campaign and Save Our Swirled Tour.

Jerry: This is a campaign the company is doing to engage people into policy issues like climate change. We partnered with the nonprofit Avaaz, one of the big organizers of the climate march in New York City last fall, and they are working towards ending fossil fuel use and getting to all renewables by 2050.

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Ben: Where did you hear that?

Is that still a secret?

So, no denial?

Ben: I would just say feel free to speculate.

Ben, I read that you once did a diet of French bread and butter. How was that supposed to work?

Ben: Ha! It was actually French bread and garlic butter. It was garlic bread. It worked great. It was delicious and cheap, and I was not too fat, right, during that period of time? I think I was reasonable. One time it caught fire in the toaster oven.

“

“It has been proven that marijuana is very efficacious as far as medicinal uses, and it is crazy not to allow that use. It has also been proven that recreational marijuana use is a lot safer and better for your body than alcohol.” Have either of you ever considered running for office?

Jerry: [In 1993,] I ran for [a seat on the Board of Selectmen] in the town of Williston where I live, and I lost. I think the reality is that I could not get elected as a dogcatcher.

You were both teens living in New York in the 1960s, but neither of you attended Woodstock. How is that possible?

Ben: When the Woodstock festival was happening, I was actually an ice cream man. I was running a truck with a friend of mine where we were ringing bells and going up and down the street in the neighborhoods

“

Ben: Public financing is one solution, and

I heard that you might launch a Climate Change ice cream flavor. Is that true?

selling ice cream to little kids. Jerry: He was a mobile ice cream vendor. He was the Pied Piper man. Ben: I was. That was the brand, the offbrand, the competitor to Good Humor. You know, there was some talk around the yard that we should take our ice cream trucks to Woodstock, but people started to talk about the traffic and how we would resupply. I just kept going up and down the streets in the neighborhood. I didn’t make it to Woodstock.

Jerry: I think we have to say that the diet didn’t catch on.

What is the next thing you would like to do with ice cream? Maybe a Led Zeppelin flavor?

Jerry: Ben and I are not really drawn to celebrity-type flavors or popular cultural things. When we were doing the company, Jerry Garcia [with the Cherry Garcia flavor] was an unusual thing. It happens more frequently at the company now. Ben and I both think that connecting ice cream with social issues and activated people, particularly marginalized people, is the highest use of ice cream. We want to connect with our customers over delicious ice cream and making the world a better place. c VISIT US AT

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October 2015 // CULTURE

Edibles Issue

Cooking with Cannabis Comes of Age

Cannabis fine dining is gaining momentum across the country By Sheryll Alexander

annabis is exploding on today’s almost bloated medical cannabis and recreational edibles markets, but what about the herb in fine dining? Mixologists are just beginning to muddle cannabis into iconic cocktails, and chefs in Europe and on both coasts have conquered “hidden” dinners. There’s even been hosted “weed bars” at weddings. With so many states going recreational and a big push to lift federal controlled substance prohibition, it is only a matter of time for cannabis to hit boutique bistro menus, right? Yes and no. Yes, there are truly some remarkable cannabis chefs and bakers who are intent on bringing this medicinal to the plate and to print. No, cannabis in cookery isn’t always tasty, and you still can’t sit down to a ninecourse cannabis dinner at your favorite fine dining restaurant. The reasons why are both complicated, yet simple to understand.

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Firstly, it’s not easy to coax the cancer-fighting and good-feeling chemicals (mostly THC and CBD) out of the cannabis flower and certainly not in exact measured doses. Secondly, each chef has their favorite way to infuse cannabis into a cooking product. It wasn’t until this February that the “standard dose” of 10mgs per serving was set (100mgs maximum) in Colorado, so chefs finally have a target to hit when concocting cannabisinfused dishes. For most foodies, however, cannabis does not make a gourmet meal, because it is just not that tasty. The overpowering taste does not enhance a dish as foodies would expect, but must be masked over somehow. In fact, most cannabis chefs are renowned for their abilities to standardize dosage and to mask the hideous taste rather than coax it into ever more edible splendor as with most “new” culinary ingredients. Still, some chefs are focusing on cannabis because of their love for this humble plant and its seemingly miraculous healing abilities throughout human history. These cannaentrepreneurs are bringing cannabis

back in both old and unexpected new ways. Some are in it for this new health food’s market potential in the billions of dollars and others seem to be truly intrigued by the plant’s healing abilities. Because restaurants have been unable to cook with cannabis (and mixologists handcuffed to mere herbbased simple syrups), the mother of all herbs has been mostly relegated to athome cookery and medicinals. Although cannabis has never killed anyone, no chef nor restaurant wants to feed their guest into a catatonic state. Most certainly, feeding someone vast quantities of cannabis at one meal could lead to a legal nightmare. The result has been secret cannabis dinners by clandestine chefs at undisclosed locations mostly New York, London, Copenhagen and Vegas. But not for long. The cannabis cuisine revolution is about to hit mainstream culture big time with now dozens of prominent chefs and, perhaps more importantly, the release of many illuminating cannabis cuisine cookbooks, including Cannabis Kitchen Cookbook and HERB: Mastering the Art of Cooking with Cannabis. >>

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Meet the Top

Cannabis Chefs

So, who are these pioneering cannabis chefs? Here’s our short list: Chris Kilham

true ethnobotanist, “The Medicine Hunter” is also the author of 14 books and a cannabis (along with all other indigenous medicinal plants) educator most notably at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. His title really is “explorer in residence” for Naturex, which is the world’s largest botanical extraction company. He’s also on the medical advisory board for The Dr. Oz Show and writes frequently about cannabis in his weekly column for Fox News. Chris started cooking with cannabis in the 1980s. For Cannabis Kitchen Cookbook, he contributed his world-

famous, 20-minute cannabis olive oil infusion along with bonzo butter, highland yogi smoothie, good morning sativa chai, ganja java go-juice, high ho puttanesca, holy mole! and majoon love balls. “Why would you want to get the cannabis flavor out of your foods? I would never recommend such a thing!” exclaims Kilham. “The aroma and fragrance of cannabis offers a profusion of aroma sols, various fruity, spicy, skunk, floral and other emissions that tease the mind through the senses of smell and taste. Embrace the nuances of cannabis as an ingredient. This is a big part of cannabis cookery.”

Herb Seidel

nother Cannabis Kitchen Cookbook contributor Herb “Mota” Seidel has brought together his experience as a Chicago culinary school trained fine dining restaurant chef, a health care consultant and a longtime toker to create what he calls “healing cannabis food.” He started back in the early 2000s by going public of his love for cannabis and cooking with it when the stigma was not only real, but could get you jail time. Based in L.A., Herb now cooks fine cannabis cuisine to private

clients and for special events such as cannabis conventions. He also has a tutorial video series titled Cook with Herb. He contributed no less than 15 recipes to the Cannabis Kitchen Cookbook, including beginner’s oil and butter, cannabis ceviche, smokin’ grilled corn and grilled romaine hearts with olive cannabis dressing. “I believe that the medical uses of cannabis have been barely touched upon at this point, and in the future it should become a major component in the food as medicine and living food movements,” he says.

Scott Durrah

ot only a professional chef, Scott is also a master grower and contributor to Cannabis Kitchen Cookbook. He has run award-winning restaurants in L.A., Denver and Jamaica, but he owes his cooking background to his Boston roots, Italian grandmother and his Rastafarian island “brothers.” He and his wife Wanda ran Apothecary of Colorado until they were forced

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to close because their burgeoning business was turned down for banking services. Instead, they opened Jezebel’s Southern Bistro and Bar in Denver and Simply Pure Cooking School, which offers cannabis culinary excursions to Jamaica as well as Denver-based chef certification and cooking classes. A former Marine, he teaches people how to maximize cannabis’s flavor and health benefits in gourmet cuisine.

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Melissa Parks

contributor to the new HERB cookbook, Melissa Parks is a classically trained Le Cordon Blue and Johnson and Wales trained chef, who has worked for French pastry chefs in Texas, for fine dining restaurants in Minneapolis’ theatre district, as a product developer for General Mills, as a private chef for CEOs and as a custom wedding cake designer. She started cooking cannabis into edibles and baked goods when a girlfriend was stricken with breast cancer. Knowing nothing about cannabis, let along cooking with it, she eventually started cooking what she calls “cannabis-infused artisan edibles” for other sick friends in need of medicinal cannabis from stage four non-

Hodgkin’s lymphoma to migraine and insomnia sufferers. She is famed for developing techniques to cover up the “inherent grassy sage-like taste” of the oils. Melissa uses many methods to infuse cannabis into culinary products such as CBD oils, butters and concentrated extracts. “The changing flavor components of cannabis are what create a chef’s playground,” says Parks. “The advice I would give to any home canna-foodie/cannachef is to figure out what type of effect they are aiming to achieve through their edibles, and safely experiment with the strains in their area. Once they gain an understanding of the plant and its properties, the creation of meals becomes a natural next step.”

Curry Payton

urry Payton has a thriving non-weed restaurant group in Scottsdale, Arizona (Brat Haus and Taco Haus). He is hoping to broaden awareness of what he calls a “nutrient-rich vegetable” by writing the upcoming Nutritional Marijuana Cookbook. He teaches medical cannabis patients how to cook with cannabis and has partnered with the

Epilepsy Foundation of Arizona to provide free cannabis and cannabis cuisine classes to parents of sick children and the sons and daughters of aging parents. Payton has also just launched his Rawvolutionary Edibles line, which Payton says “showcases the abilities of marijuana to oxygenate aging blood cells and improve motor function all without being psychoactive.”

Chris Sayegh

hris Sayegh, who is also known as The Herbal Chef, travels up and down the West Coast cooking cannabis “experiences.” His Herbal Chef brand not only brings pop-up cannabis dinners to your table, but it is also launching a line of frozen dinners, focusing on cancer patients, that are infused with hemp CBD, whole plant CBD or THC (depending on your nutritional and pain management needs). A molecular biology student at the University of Santa Cruz, Sayegh left school to cook with some of the best Michelin-starred chefs in L.A. He fell in love with cannabis during

his college days at Santa Cruz and decided it was a “natural synergy” to put his cooking skills and passion for this powerful plant together as a viable career. On October 30, Sayegh has partnered with the American Cancer Society to raise awareness for cannabis as medicine at a swanky eight-course charity dinner held at L.A.’s LABART space. “Most strains that you are purchased nowadays have been crossed many times and are rarely pure strains,” says Sayegh. “So I really don’t have a favorite strain I like cooking with as long as they are grown and made with love and proper nutrients and care.”

Jeff the 420 Chef

eff the 420 Chef’s claim to fame is that he has somehow magically created “tasteless cannaoils and cannabutters,” which he demonstrates at private parties and cooking classes. Chef Jeff says he has noticed recently that cannabis patients are becoming a lot more discerning about what they are consuming and they want it to taste great too. Jeff is partnering with Harper Collins

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to publish a cannabis cookbook in June 2016. “I prefer to cook to cook with either pure sativa or indica strains and high-CBD strains,” he says. “The results from pure strains are more predictable than hybrids. Strains that are high in CBD really help medical cannabis patients. It’s rewarding to see them doing better and knowing it’s because of something I made to help them feel better.” c

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Edibles Issue

Your CANNA Cookbook Reading List We’ve got some favorites—now, you will too

Sweet Mary Jane: 75 Delicious CannabisInfused High-End Desserts

By Karin Lazarus Avery Author Karin Lazarus runs Sweet Mary Jane bakery in Boulder, Colorado, but now offers the public access to her amazing and delicious cannabis dessert recipes. Lazarus has won legions of loyal fans with sophisticated treats like Smashing Pumpkin White ChocolatePumpkin Bars, Sweet Temptation Mango Sorbet and Chocolate Almond Delights. Lazarus provides a simple primer on making essential canna-staples like cannabis-infused butter, cannabisinfused coconut oil and THC-infused sugar; a chapter on dosing and how to make sure your edible treat is the exact potency you want; and, of course, 75 delectable and deliciously-infused recipes from one of Colorado’s most beloved cannabis bakery.

CULTURE // October 2015

Cooking with Marijuana: Interesting, Delicious and Easy Recipes you can make with the Magical Herb

By Gordon Rock CreateSpace Publishing We are all familiar with using cannabis as medical therapies and treatments, and of course, most of us are familiar with some simple recipes for cannabis cooking. But this book by Gordon Rock focuses on simple and easy recipes that have nutritional value as well as medicinal. He not only explains the recipes clearly and simply, but he also goes into detail about which recipes are best suited for particular ailments and why. In this book, the author focuses on healthy home remedies for a variety of illnesses including anxiety, depression, cancer and autoimmune deficiencies, among others. Best of all, these recipes can be prepared by just about anyone—a great starter guide for any budding cannabis home cook.

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* Wake & Bake: A Cookbook

By Corinne Tobias Wake & Bake Publishing A slightly older cannabis cookbook, but still one of our absolute favorites, this book is unassuming at first glance, but don’t be mistaken, Corinne Tobias is a hilarious and witty writer and chef, and creates an open and healthy atmosphere for any learning canna-chef. Geared toward the health-conscious and veganfriendly audience, this is the first vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free cannabis cookbook that we’ve seen that also comes with a handy conversion table—and gorgeous pictures—so you can make these recipes with dairy or meat too!

* Herb: Mastering the Art of Cooking with Cannabis

By Laurie Wolf and Melissa Parks Inkshares Coming out next month, Herb has one major boost over most of the other cannacookbooks we’ve seen—reducing the taste of cannabis in these recipes. Chefs Melissa Parks and Laurie Wolf have developed recipes that specifically complement and downplay the taste of the herb so that each appetizer, entrée and dessert will be enjoyed to the fullest. Herb also goes into detail about dosing, which is essential for cannabis home cooks and is jam-packed with mouth-watering pictures that will make you hungrier as you move through the book.

Cooking With Marijuana: Mega Munch Recipes

By Sean Riley CreateSpace Publishing Cooking With Marijuana is laid out in a very simple format with very simple instructions. Easy to follow for any level of canna-chef, each dish comes with an easy list of ingredients, followed by numbered, concise, step-by-step directions. No muss, no fuss. These satisfying, munchies-worthy recipes will impress your friends and keep you cooking with love and appreciation for your favorite herb.

* Marijuana Cookbook: 50 Comfort Foods from the Marijuana Chef

By Gordon Rock Amazon Digital Services, Inc. An e-book written by the self-proclaimed “Marijuana Chef,” Marijuana Cookbook: 50 Comfort Foods is a great addition to an already established cannabis cook’s stable of digital cookbooks. It is packed full of easy recipes, tips and tricks to revitalize your canna-cooking. Aside from helping you to transform standard recipes, it’ll help you to breathe new life into your normal go-to recipes and bring them up to a new level.

* The Cannabis Kitchen

By Sandy Moriarty Quick American Archives No canna-cookbook reading list would be complete without our own recipes writer, Aunt Sandy’s Medical Marijuana Cookbook. This cookbook compiles Sandy’s favorite recipes with easy instructions, tasty looking photos and even has a chapter on how to cater to dietary restrictions, and alternatives you can use. Sandy goes into great depth about safety in cannabis cooking, the medicinal properties of cannabis, the history behind it, and she even delves into her tips and tricks for better cooking all together! This book is a great starter guide for any cannabis chef—plus it’s the official course book for Oaksterdam University.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence Skyhorse Publishing In The Cannabis Kitchen Cookbook, chefs in the know from Amherst to Anaheim share their secrets for infusing everything from oil and agave to soups and cocktails. This book provides step-by-step instructions on preparing cannabis for use in any kitchen, as well as advice on personalizing dosage. The author offers tips for trimming, processing, storing and preserving cannabis too, along with a “buyer’s guide” that sheds light on the many varieties of cannabis flavor profiles, showcasing strains based not only on feel-good levels, but more importantly, taste-good levels. c

Aunt Sandy’s Medical Marijuana Cookbook: Comfort Food for Mind and Body

Cookbook: Feel-good Food for Home Cooks

October 2015 // CULTURE

Canna-

Edibles Issue

Beverages Catching Our Attention and Quenching Our Thirst By Addison Herron-Wheeler

The growing edibles market within the cannabis industry is becoming not only a highly sought after arena, but an innovative cesspool of expert invention with a high-end culinary edge. One of the most enjoyable trends right now is the appearance of infused beverages. These refreshing treats are tasty, lower in calories than eating sweet treats, and easy to treat as medication, or use as a replacement to an alcoholic beverage. Here are just a few of the cannabis drinks that are getting some national attention.

Wana Drink Mixes A really new and exciting way to medicate and relax with cannabis drinks is to use powders and drink mixes instead of purchasing something in a bottle. Wana Drink Mixes offer options for both the cool and hot weather. Wana Hot Cocoa can be mixed with warm milk or hot water for a deliciously decadent winter treat. It is gluten free, and you can sub soy or almond milk to meet with dietary requirements. The packets also come in 200mg doses–that’s some strong cocoa! If that amount is too much, you can break up the contents of a packet and save half of it for later. For summer months, or if you just prefer something cold and fruity, 50mg Wana Drink Mixes come in flavors like lemonade and tropical punch. These can be mixed with cold water in order to dose up and get refreshed on the go.

Chai High For those who prefer coffee and tea to the fruity or soda-inspired drinks, there is Chai High, by Solace Meds. This tasty treat comes in 12oz bottles, and is 100 percent naturally brewed. The drinks are infused with a blend of organic indica and sativa buds, and the flavor is sweet and milky, and a bit like a “dirty chai,” chai with espresso in it. It contains 316 cannabinoids, and is perfect for if you are feeling under the weather and want a sweet, comfort drink with a little pick-me-up, or as a study aid for pulling an all-nighter, due to the small amount of caffeine found in the drink as well. Plus, the name is a catchy pun, and the big drink size gets you a lot of bang for your buck.

CULTURE // October 2015

CannaPunch This drink is one that is making serious headlines in the world of edibles reviews, and it is also sold in almost any dispensary that carries infused products. The kicker with CannaPunch is that this drink is not a soda–it’s a punch-like beverage infused with fruity goodness, like pineapple, black cherry and watermelon. These beverages are super tasty, and range from 30 to 100 and 200mg of THC. If you’re a lightweight, here’s a tip–try putting a shot or two of CannaPunch in sparkling water for a delicious and refreshing beverage.

Dixie Elixirs This Colorado-based brand of delicious beverages is also one of the best if you want to drink your cannabis. With flavors like Wild Berry Lemonade and Sparkling Blueberry, these concoctions are so delicious that your biggest problem will be trying to drink just a few sips and not dosing too heavily. Their most popular drink series is a line of 90mg beverages that are just perfect for a relaxing afternoon or a day when you need to medicate for pain. They also make “Dew Drops” which you can add to other drinks in order to make them tasty, and laced with a little bit of THC goodness.

Canna Cola Sodas For those who prefer straightforward sodas, Canna Cola offers some great options for you. They of course have their classic cola flavor, and they also offer such creative name puns as Orange Kush, Sour diesel for sour apple, Grape Ape, and Doc Weed instead of Dr. Pepper. Each bottle offers up 12oz of tasty goodness. The downside? They don’t list their THC content, and the product is a bit hard to come by. Still, as one of the first ever cannabis colas, it certainly deserves some attention.

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by Ed Rosenthal

growing culture

EXPERIMENTING WITH

LIGHTING

arlier in the season, I set up an experiment to see whether I could hasten flowering using far-red light at 730nm after dusk to flip the plants’ chemistry. The experiment was not successful, but I think that the results were inconclusive because the lights used weren’t intense enough. However, I had inadvertently created another experiment that I mentioned in my last column. I had placed a 320-watt induction fluorescent light against the wall of the greenhouse, just over the plants, in the center of the garden. The light turned on each day in the afternoon for four hours as the garden phased into shade. It turned off hours before dusk, so all the plants in the room received the same length of photoperiod. However, the plants on either side of this light were powered only by natural light. Last month I noticed that the flowers of the plants receiving the supplemental light were ahead of those of the side plants. Now, it’s the first week in September, one month later, and the plants are showing marked differences based on their placement, rather than on variety. The buds closest to the bulb and in direct contact with sunlight were the first to ripen. Buds on the same plant that received less light were a few days behind, but the side plants, which received no supplemental light, were two weeks or more from ripening. This outcome is consistent with other studies regarding DLI (daily light integral). It represents the total amount of light usable by the plant over

a 24-hour period. The theory is that growth and maturity is dependent upon the amount of light the plant receives. In this experiment neither the enriched light plants nor the controls were receiving the maximum light they could process, but the enriched light plants were receiving considerably more than the controls. Therefore, any difference in growth or maturity not variety related would be attributed to the increase in light of the experimental group. The result was that the experimental group did grow larger and mature faster than the control group. The result of this experiment has practical applications: Supplementing natural light with additional intensity from electrical sources increases the yield while shortening ripening time. The light can be used to supplement the whole garden in the fall, when natural light intensity is diminishing day by day. Increasing light to the shaded part of the garden, especially when the plants are maturing, is even more beneficial. Supplementing the natural light with light from induction fluorescents, white LEDs or metal halides adds brightness, but is usually not noticeable to casual passerby since all of their spectrums are close to natural light. I’ve now harvested all of the plants that were under the lights. They are drying in the drying room. The plants that were growing without supplemental lighting are now maturing under the lighting. In the next few weeks they too, will be hung to dry and cure. c

TIP OF THE MONTH FROM ASK ED® Time for fall planting

f you live in the lower third (latitude wise) of the country, where the sun is still intense in winter, you have greenhouse protection or an unobstructed south facing window, you can plant a fall crop. Place clones in 6-10 inch pots. Use high quality enriched

planting mix. Then place them in the sunniest part of the garden or greenhouse. Because the plants are getting long nights they will immediately start to flower. They will stay small, single bud plants. In about eight weeks, they will be ready to enjoy. Options: If you give them supplemental light, they will grow bigger.

If you break up the dark period with bursts of light a couple of times each night during the dark period the plants will continue to grow larger. When you stop, the plants will start to flower. If you extend the light period to 18 hours, they will grow faster and continue to grow vegetatively. As soon as the light period is decreased to 12 hours daily, the plants will begin to flower.

Copyright by Ed Rosenthal. All rights are reserved. First North American Magazine rights only are assigned to culture Magazine. No other reproduction of this material is permitted without the specific written permission of the author/copyright holder.

CULTURE // October 2015

1 The plants receiving additional light from an induction fluorescent were mature September 10. The others needed several weeks to ripen.

2 A mature bud. Since all the buds of the experimental plants were receiving both natural and supplemental light, they matured simultaneously.

3 Bud close-up.

4 Control bud. These received no extra light and are weeks behind.

5 A farmer’s favorite moment—Harvest!

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October 2015 // CULTURE

destination unkown

Connecticut

by Sheryll Alexander

Autumn Harvest in Connecticut

IF YOU GO:

Fun-Filled Facts 1 Romance is in the air when traveling to

Connecticut during the chilly falling of the leaves season. Cozy B&Bs dot the state to provide romantic respites complete with fireplaces, homemade breakfasts and even couples’ massage. 2 Skip the shore, and head to

the center of Connecticut up river via New Haven and Hartford. This hilly country is not only incredibly scenic, but also full of colonial history, art and architecture as well as such venerable cultural institutions as Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Hill-Stead Museum, The New Britain Museum, Yale Center for British Art and the Mark Twain House & Museum.

Surprisingly, Connecticut is home to 25 eclectic wineries, which together form what is called the Connecticut Wine Trail. CULTURE // October 2015

Even when offering New England’s only “pharmaceutical” medical cannabis program where no smoking is allowed, Connecticut’s all-organic powdered and edible cannabis dispensaries have doubled their growing customer base since going legal in 2012, so says Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection Commissioner Jonathan A. Harris. In fact, medicinal cannabis patients and their advocates have been lobbying as of late to get three more dispensaries licensed and opened as there’s only six “cannabis clinics” operating at this time. The number of doctors dispensing oral cannabis meds is also expanding although they can only prescribe pills, creams and edibles to those who can conform to a list of just 14 medical conditions.

Time to Go: Fall, spring and summer Weather: Cool and breezy in the fall and spring with hot, humid summers Budget: $$$$$

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et another New England state has gone medicinal thanks to Connecticut’s “pharmaceutical” cannabis program (only pills, creams and edibles are sold). Even though you can’t smoke flower buds, what could be better than orally medicating on a chilly autumn day along a stretch of lonely lake with what seems like millions of orange, red and yellow leaves fluttering in the wind and reflecting back to you upon the still water? Connecticut is the southerly-most New England state, although some of its most southwestern cities near the New York border are considered part of the Tri-State Area. To the south, Connecticut is known for its maritime past and present as it hugs the more peaceful Long Island Sound in such chic seaside towns as Stamford, Norwalk, Bridgeport, Madison, Old Saybrook, Mystic (as in the Julia Roberts’ classic chick flick Mystic Pizza) and, perhaps not so ironically now, Stonington. October is the perfect time to visit Connecticut. September’s country fairs have all but vanished from the scene to be replaced with Halloween happenings and holiday boutiques in charming by-the-sea towns and river valley villages. Fall’s raging colors are in full force by mid fall and so are other enjoyable things to do in this vibrant state such as: Hiking, biking, kayaking, sailing, apple picking, art gallery hopping, designer shopping, casino gambling, fine dining, wine tasting and road tripping through quiet and quaint New England-style towns. c

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October 2015 // CULTURE

William Cioci profile in courage

Age: 46 Condition/ Illness: Depression, Anxiety, PTSD

Using medical cannabis since: 2009

Are you an MMJ patient with a compelling story to tell? If so, we want to hear from you. Email your name, contact information and details about your experiences with medical cannabis to courage@ireadculture.com.

CULTURE // October 2015

Why did you start using medical cannabis? I had anger and violence issues that eventually led me to be involved with the criminal justice and mental health systems. I was put on numerous pharmaceutical medications that had multiple negative effects on my health, resulting in me needing in-patient care multiple times per year. At the end of one of my appointments, as my doctor gave me a handful of trial size boxes of pills along with a written prescription for more, he asked me if “I had ever heard of medical cannabis.“ I had smoked a little as a teen, and never thought of it as medicine. I was on probation in a state that had no legal protections for medical cannabis, so I used the next few years to do as much research as I could on the subject. When I got off of probation, I sold all my belongings, left my friends and family, and moved to California. I am now pill-free and haven’t had any need for institutional care for seven years. Did you try any other methods or treatments before cannabis? Yes. I was on a multitude of pharmaceutical medications and was involved with therapy and counseling. Most of the pills actually made my conditions worse. What do you say to folks who are skeptical about cannabis as medicine? Educate yourself, talk to patients that use this medicine. If you can’t find a patient, the internet is full of good information. There is no reason to remain ignorant in this age of information. The truth is out there. c

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October 2015 // CULTURE

recipes

Menu: CARAMEL APPLES

CANNA-CANDY CORN SEVERED WITCH’S FINGER COOKIES

CANNA-CANDY CORN 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar 6 1/2 teaspoons nonfat dry milk 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 3 1/2 ounces canna sugar t (about 1/2 cup) 3 3/4 ounces light corn syrup, (about 1/3 cup)

2 1/2 tablespoons water 2 tablespoons unsalted canna butter t (room temperature) 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 to 3 drops yellow and orange gel paste food coloring

Directions Combine the powdered sugar, dry milk and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse 4 to 5 times until the mixture is smooth and well combined. Set aside. Combine the canna sugar, corn syrup and water in a 2-quart pot. Put over medium heat, cover and cook for 4 minutes. Add the infused butter, clip on a candy thermometer, and bring the mixture to 230°, about 1 to 2 minutes. When the sugar-syrup reaches 230°, take the pot off the heat and remove the thermometer. Add the vanilla and the dry mixture, stirring continuously with a silicone spatula until well combined. Pour onto a half sheet pan lined with a silicone baking mat. Cool until the mixture is cool enough to handle, about 10 to 15 minutes. Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces. Add 2 drops of yellow food coloring to 1 piece and knead the dough until the color is consistent throughout. Add 2 drops of orange to the second piece, and knead until the color is consistent throughout. Leave the third piece white. Roll each piece of dough into a strand, about 18-inches long. Cut each strand in half. Roll 1 of the white pieces into a strand that is about 1/2-inch thick and about 22-inches long. Repeat with a yellow piece and orange piece. Lay the strands side by side and press them together using your fingers. Cut the strand into 4-inch pieces. Lay the strands, one at a time, onto the silicone mat and press into a wedge shape, like a triangle. Use a wire butter slicer to cut the candies into pieces. If you don’t have a wire butter slicer, use a knife, metal bench scraper or pizza cutter to slice the dough into small pieces. Repeat the procedure with remaining dough. Lay the finished pieces on a piece of parchment or waxed paper to dry for 1 hour. Store in an airtight container with parchment paper between each layer.

CULTURE // October 2015

CREEPY CONFECTIONS

Now that fall is in full gear, it’s time to dive into our favorite time of year. This month, it’s all about the sweets. We’re not talking about individually wrapped, “fun sized” candy bars. Instead, put on your culinary cap and embrace some delicious, homemade adult desserts made even sweeter with cannabis. The kids have to work for their candy this holiday, but adults get to consume some nostalgic and timeless treats. Gooey caramel apples, sweet and fun candy corn and severed witch’s finger cookies, now at your fingertips—no doorbell ringing required!

SEVERED WITCH’S FINGER COOKIES Vegetable oil cooking spray 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon fine salt 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted canna butter t (room temperature)

1 cup sugar 1 large egg, at room temperature 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 28 large sliced almonds 1/2 cup raspberry jam

Directions Place your oven rack in the center of your oven. Preheat the oven to 325°. Spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of a standing mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the canna butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed, about 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla until smooth. Gradually beat in the flour mixture until a dough forms. Using about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough at a time, roll the dough between your palms into 5-inch-long “fingers,” about 1/2-inch thick. Firmly press a sliced almond into the end of each finger to make fingernails. Make several horizontal cuts, about 1/4 inch deep and 1/2 inch long, in the center of each finger to make knuckles. Press the dough on either side of the cuts to shape the knuckles. Arrange the fingers on the prepared baking sheet and bake until light golden, 16 to 18 minutes. Transfer the fingers to a wire rack and cool completely. In a small saucepan, heat the jam over low heat until warm, about 2 minutes. Dip the blunt ends of the fingers in the warm jam and arrange on a platter. Legal Disclaimer Publishers of this publication are not making any representations with respect to the safety or legality of the use of medical marijuana. The recipes listed here are for general entertainment purposes only, and are intended for use only where medical marijuana is not a violation of state law. Edibles can vary in potency while a consumers’ weight, metabolism and eating habits may affect effectiveness and safety. Ingredient management is important when cooking with cannabis for proper dosage. Please consume responsibly and check with your doctor before consumption to make sure that it is safe to do so.

t Additional recipe can be found at iReadCulture.com

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CARAMEL APPLES by Aunt Sandy

2 cups sugar 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1 cup infused canna butter t 1 cup milk 1 cup light corn syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 8 apples of your choosing (we prefer Granny Smith Apples) Optional: Nuts, sprinkles, infused-melted chocolate for drizzling, etc.

Preparation Combine all mixable ingredients, except vanilla, into a heavy 4-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally for about 15 to 20 minutes or until butter is melted and mixture comes to a boil. Continue cooking 25 to 30 minutes, or until candy thermometer reaches 244째. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla extract. Remove stem from each apple and press a craft stick or popsicle stick into the top. Butter a baking sheet. Roll each apple quickly in heated caramel sauce until well coated. Place on wax paper-lined sheet to set.

October 2015 // CULTURE

Chuck Shepherd's

News of the

Weird

LEAD STORY—PETS OF THE 1 PERCENT u “The worshipful treatment of

pets may be the thing that unites all Americans,” wrote an Atlantic Magazine blogger in July, describing the luxury terminal for animals under construction at New York’s JFK airport. The ARK will offer shower stalls for traveling horses, “conjugal stations” for ever-horny penguins, and housing for nearly 200 cows (that might produce 5,000 pounds of manure every day)—and passengers traveling with dogs or cats can book the Paradise 4 Paws pet-pampering resort. The ARK is a for-profit venture; said one industry source, quoted in a July Crain’s New York Business report, “You hear stories about the crazy money that rich people spend on their (animals) ... they’re mostly true.”

GOVERNMENT IN ACTION u Officially, now, it is

“unreasonable” for a federal agency (the Bureau of Land Management, in this instance) to fail to say yes or no for 29 years to a drilling permit application. (Before July’s federal court decision, BLM had been arguing that 29 years was not too long).

CULTURE // October 2015

A company had requested to drill just one exploratory well in Montana for natural gas in 1985, but the bureau had delayed the proceeding six times since then. The judge ordered the bureau to set a deadline for deciding.

u Georgia, one of six states that

make taxpayers shell out huge fees to access its databases of public records, tries so relentlessly to control its archive that, recently, in a federal lawsuit, it said opposition to its policy was basically “terrorism.” Activists (Public.Resource.org) have been establishing workarounds to free up some databases for citizen use, and Georgia demands that they stop. Georgia even claims “copyright” protection for one category of important legal documents that were initially drafted by state bureaucrats, audaciously calling them “original” and “creative” works.

u Mandatory Inaction: In July,

the mayor of the town of Ador, Spain (pop. 1,400), officially enacted into law what had merely been custom—a required afternoon siesta from 2 to 5 p.m. Businesses were ordered to close, and children were to remain indoors (and quiet).

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October 2015 // CULTURE