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The Easy Cannabis Cookbook

EasyCannabisCooking
EasyCannabisCooking

Of all the books that I’ve reviewed this year, my favorite so far is the new book written by my friend Cheri Sicard, named: “The Easy Cannabis Cookbook” and easy it is! Reading this well laid-out book is not difficult, even for those of us with ‘older-eyes’…remarkable how a detail like this can bring so much pleasure- or the constant search for reading glasses! This book is not a hodge-podge of information, it is carefully constructed to bring simplicity into your life, should you choose to medicate yourself using edibles.  I’m not a great expert on cooking with cannabis and this book makes it sensible to experiment with the luscious sounding recipes that would be right at home- even in a non-cannabis kitchen. Recipes like the Chicken Matzo Ball Soup resonate with my Jewish heritage and the Slow Cooker- Beef and Bean Chili begs for an icy day and snow down your back.  The section on staples is easy to read and simple to reproduce, the breakfast section makes me pine for tomorrow morning and the snacks section throws a party that is less of a chore and definitely never a bore.  You’ll be laughing your way into the couch- depending on the strain you choose, and these are never aimed at the collegian out for a loud buzz.  The recipes are carefully and thoughtfully dosed.  Less bang and more introspection, if you take my drift.  It’s never good to be that person who overdoses on every edible because they took too much.

A touch of the cap to the Nova folks who have built a decarb device that makes for stress-free decarbs… Cheri does demystify the decarb process for those who are unable to spend money on technology over simplicity in the toaster oven…

A unique and ‘highly’ helpful section on measurements brings the modern mathematic age into the age of the hard to pin down, possibly absent-minded cook, especially when the cook is under the subtle haze of some fine Kush?  Keep your wits about you because this is a very delicious combination of enchanting recipes and pertinent intelligence.  It’s up to you really, the recipes are really that good- even if you aren’t a chef- there is something for you here.  And for those who think that cookbooks should never be cooked from, this book tests!  The recipes don’t just read well, they act well too!  Photography is inviting and even the electronic copy that I received has that ‘new book smell’… Well, not really but it is a delicious way to end one year and begin another with this quality package of user-friendly recipes.  

Not the same old recipe book for brownies, either- with lip-smacking descriptions like: Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting (my favorite) or the individual Lemon Berry Trifles. I can’t resist a classic English Trifle. A lovely thing of rare beauty.  A tangle of dreams and wishes that Cheri attains the kind of success that is rarely found in food-writing.  This is not a stoner book, but an elevated book- a healthy adaptation of a 5000-year-old healing method.  A wonderful book to page through and hopefully experiment with.  To good taste!

Click To Purchase

 

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Articles Reviews

Jane West: Luxury Cannabis Accoutrements

Warren Bobrow iPhone X

Jane West

Jane West is a real person! A real mom and a real celebrity of her own hard work and never-ending, entrepreneurial efforts. Jane is effortless and cool, in a high-mountain, Colorado-Mountain Cool- kind of way- and she has Ultra-LUXURY with a uniquely feminine twist on her mind. This is an exalted place to be, in the tall seat at the front of the room, crowded by mere onlookers. Jane is at the top of the class with her gleaming line of chic and well designed cannabis smoking accessories. And she wants you to know she is different and therefore unique. There is a distinctively feminine approach to the Classic- one of the multitude of well-designed, non-antagonistic cannabis smoking experiences. This device is a true classic dug-out pipe- exceptionally modernized for the successful woman about town- who doesn’t want to shout when she medicates. The design of the ‘cigarette’ portion of the classic dug-out is sleek and finished with a tiny Jane West logo and flat matte finish. It does not shout, and smoking through the tiny chamber is cool and care-free. Jane West sent a Classic for review and the results couldn’t have been more wonderful. First of all, her packaging is eye-catching and crisp.

READ MORE AT FORBES

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Reviews

Day Trip: Authentic and Delicious Barbecue/1911 Smokehouse

Warren Bobrow (iphone 6s)

Authentic and sumptuous

That incessant growing in your stomach should be reason enough to go for a road trip. When one is motivated by the thought of that mystical ‘ring of fire’ that thing of rare beauty– the air that permeates the region around your head just over a platter of ribs or even chicken. All is sublime. That is what is called barbecue. Something more than just a meal. Barbecue is highly personal, and therefore perfect. Barbecue is regional, cultural and it has deep meaning to someone who understands the intellectualism in barbecue. There is a warm feeling surrounding the phrase- low and slow- and what this means in a broader context is part of the soul. Low means the temperature of the smoke and the time it takes to slowly melt the savory meat over warm smoke. Low also means the pulse of the smokehouse. Low means taking your time and low means sipping a fine beverage- like one of the eclectic selection of beers available at the congenial bar, from far and wide.

READ MORE HERE AT FORBES

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Reviews Tasting Notes

Authentic Rum: Foursquare Rum Distillery

Warren Bobrow

Real Rum, not manipulated rum

In life there are certain accomplishments that are sometimes quantified by the quality of the spirits that you sip. If you doubt the words of a rum expert, all you need to do is look at the groaning shelves at your favorite package store. Rum has just about exploded in popularity in recent decades after a hundred or so year slumber. Sure you could count on a booze-cruise rum punch while sailing with your friends in the islands- you probably want to forget what highly manipulated rum can do to your gut and your aching head. But this is not a piece about what happens when you drink manipulated, (read: lousy) rum on a stern of a pitching sailboat. This is about drinking some of the very best rum that money can buy. And while you’re learning about what is special about Foursquare Rum, the suggestion is first and foremost, that you are worth it. This is not booze-cruise rum, nor is it rum that deserves a place on the very top shelf of your bar, never to be opened. Why? Fear perhaps has much to do with it. You do deserve to drink Foursquare. Recognize this fear of the unknown and you’ll come to a magical place where quality and cost become a misnomer. Where success is not measured by expense, but by quality. Where experience matters, like that picnic boat you ogled over in your youth, or the first time you experienced a glass or two of really well aged wine, or slurped some really rare Scotch Whisky. It’s important to note that while Foursquare is not inexpensive, there are rums on the market that far exceed it in cost. Many of these pretty label and fancy bottle rums are manipulated in some manner. Why is that? Because they can, it’s because they are permitted, because no one really cares to know. From caramel coloring to sugar being re-added for a sweet mouth-feel, to globs of thick glycerin to even out the creaminess across the palate- to all sorts of things that would get a rum judge in trouble, just by mentioning that so-and so’s rum is being manipulated.

READ MORE HERE AT FORBES

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Articles Recipes Reviews

Triibe: A Marvelous Spirit Welcome To Many Recipes

TriibeThe Reformed Spirits Company, makers of the World Renowned, Martin Miller’s Gin has created a crystal clear, uncolored, ‘Irish Cream’ liqueur that is mesmerizing in mouthfeel, quality and overall finesse. What they have created, using Irish Malt Whiskey, is a bourbon, chocolate, milk punch without any caramel color added at all. In fact, what they have done is rectify an authentic spirit base with a plethora of marvelous flavors that say rich and creamy in the glass without a drop of artificial color to further confuse the consumer with layers of provenance that just doesn’t exist.  

READ MORE AT TOTALFOOD.COM

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Articles Interviews Reviews

A RUM FOR EVERY PALATE

Around much of Pan America, rum offers a taste of place and a mini-history lesson in every sip. As U.S.-based rum expert and judge Warren Bobrow says, “There is a rum for every island, for every meal, and every dish. Rum is incredibly versatile: it speaks to Cognac and brandy lovers.” There’s infinitely more to explore than “the captain.” Here are some of the must-tries, should you be so lucky!

READ MORE @ Rum; Worldly Delights!

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Interviews Reviews

Jersey Spirits Distilling Company: Real Craft Spirits from NEW Jersey

I’ve always admired the craft spirits entrepreneur. The person who does something with his or her hands that doesn’t involve pushing a pencil across a desk for their entire career. Distilling is one of those fine arts. It’s possible to be a great distiller but to lose focus on the art of business. A micro-distiller must be more than just a distiller- they must be focused on sales, marketing, science, art, customer service and of course, just putting the time in doing what they love.

Jersey Spirits Distilling Company, located in typically “Jersey-style” commercial office park set just a few miles from thundering routes 46 and 80.  They are hand distilling tasty, award winning spirits one drop at a time.  Founded in 2005 by a tight group of passionate Jersey residents, this Jersey-centric distillery may not be on everybody’s radar just yet.  But don’t let that stop you from discovering something that is quite delicious and surprisingly well made. From the gleaming tasting room with a little history of distilling in New Jersey on the walls to the tenaciously designed distillery, this is an extremely impressive operation.  They are a distillery mind you, their license says that no food is prepared here aside from some Pepperidge Farm Goldfish crackers-a cheese driven compliment to their communicative spirits.

READ MORE @ https://www.forbes.com/sites/warrenbobrow/2017/09/06/jersey-distilling-real-craft-spirits-from-new-jersey/#22f9c39b6c88

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Reviews

Cocktailing 101: How To Muddle Fruit Like A Pro

Muddle Fruit

Photo by Flickr user Didriks

Muddling brings out the soft and tender elements of fruit and vegetables by crushing the firmer flesh and revealing the sweet and aromatic inner flavors. Muddling is the hidden secret to blending together flavors without pureeing them, changing their texture. A mint julep is the perfect example of muddling, in this case mint with raw sugar to bring out the flavors instead of pulverizing them.

 I like to use wood for my muddling, but high volume bartenders will use a plastic one or one made of stainless steel. Wood is just too difficult to clean on the fly and it cannot be sterilized in the commercial chemicals without deteriorating. You can muddle roasted fruits with syrups and fragile herbs before adding liquor and soda water.  That’s what makes for a wonderfully ‘muddled’ cocktail — you’d muddle for only a few presses so you don’t turn the herbs to chlorophyll, making them unpalatable and ruining your cocktail.

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Articles Books Miscellaneous Recipes Reviews

Weed Recipes: Top 10 Best Cannabis Cookbooks

I’m so very honored!

Edibles are a fun, convenient and covert way to consume cannabis, whether for recreation or medical purposes. Edibles are yummy treats infused with marijuana, that deliver the medicinal and psychoactive ingredients to your system without having to smoke anything. They can take the form of anything from brownies to borscht, with the help of infused oils like cannabutter. You can make savory cannabis foods like spaghetti, sweet treats like cookies and candies, or even drinks like cocktails and marijuana tea. If you want to get started making your own edibles at home but do not know how, don’t worry – there is a cannabis cookbook out there for you! In this list we will go over our top 10 favorite edibles cookbooks, featuring recipes for all tastes, budgets, and skill levels. You will find omnivorous and vegan treats, sweet and savory, complex recipes and some that take as little as five minutes to prepare.

If you want a more in-depth look on how to make cannabutter and other cannabis oils, check out our How To Make Pot Brownies post where we cover all of the steps. Make sure to follow all local laws when growing, processing, or eating your cannabis!


1. ‘Cannabis Cocktails, Mocktails and Tonics: The Art of Spirited Drinks and Buzz-Worthy Libations’ by Warren Bobrow

'Cannabis Cocktails, Mocktails and Tonics: The Art of Spirited Drinks and Buzz-Worthy Libations' by Warren Bobrow, best weed cookbook, marijuana cooking

One of the newest ways people are enjoying cannabis is by combining it with cocktails and mocktails. This is especially popular at dinner parties in the any states where cannabis has recently become legal for recreation. But, with a strong taste and a particular method of infusion necessary, beginners may not know how best to make cannabis cocktails. This book has a collection of 75 cannabis drink recipes by “The Cocktail Whisperer” Warren Bobrow. It also includes a full history of cannabis as a social and medicinal drug. You will find recipes not only for cocktails but for shrubs, bitters, butters, oils and even coffee, tea and milk-based drinks for the morning hours. This is a really fun book for anyone who loves drinks and cannabis.

Price: Kindle $2.99 Hardcover $17.57

Buy Cannabis Cocktails, Mocktails and Tonics here

READ MORE AT: http://heavy.com/garden/2016/06/weed-recipes-top-10-best-cannabis-cookbooks/

 

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Books Events Reviews

2017 Books And Bitters Recap!

Octavia guy and a closeup of the Octavia Books nameplate

For the first time, the annual partnership between Tales and Octavia Books was hosted in the Royal Sonesta Hotel.

2017 marks another successful year at the Books and Bitters Market, the annual event sponsored by Octavia Books. For eight years now, Tales of the Cocktail® has partnered with the local bookstore to showcase an impressive global selection of both cocktail books and bitters for Tales attendees to peruse through during the week of the cocktail festival.

This year, bitters were incredibly well-represented at the Bitters Market, which featured over 24 brands and sold over 600 bottles of bitters. The top five selling bitters at this year’s market were Peychaud’s, Mr. Bitters’ Variety Pack, Peychaud’s Barrel Aged, The Bittered Sling Gift Box, and Wild Hibiscus’s B’Lure Butterfly Pea Flower Extract.

The bookstore portion of the market offered close to 200 titles, representing some of the industry’s most well-respected authors and covering a wide variety of interests. The bookstore sold copies of nearly every title on offer this year, a sign of the continuing success of the partnership between Tales and Octavia Books. Not only were guests able to browse through the selection of books on offer, they also had the opportunity to meet the authors and get their book copies signed at the week-long “Shots of Inspiration” popup. Bitter makers were also present to discuss and offer tastings of their products.

“We were happy to to present nearly 200 cocktail titles – many fabulous new ones alongside some old favorites. And, they nearly all sold. The strong and continuing interest in the books – so many authors attending and the readers who purchased them in numbers – demonstrates a true commitment by mixologists and other Tales participants to understanding the art they practice.” – Tom Lowenburg of Octavia Books

The Top 10 Best-Sellers at the Books Market:

  1. Mezcal: The History, Craft, and Cocktails of the World’s Ultimate Artisanal Spirit – Emma Janzen
  2. Distilled Knowledge: The Science Behind Drinking’s Greatest Myths, Legends, and Unanswered Questions – Brian Hoefling
  3. Regarding Cocktails – Sasha Petraske
  4. Mr. Boston 75th Anniversary Official Bartenders Guide
  5. Imbibe!: From Absinthe Cocktail to Whiskey Smash, a Salute in Stories and Drinks to “Professor” Jerry Thomas, Pioneer of the American Bar Featuring the Original Formulae – David Wondrich
  6. Bitterman’s Field Guide to Bitters – Mark Bitterman
  7. Baijiu: The Essential Guide to Chinese Spirits – Derek Sandhaus
  8. Zen & Tonic – Jules Aron
  9. The Craft Cocktail Compendium: Contemporary Interpretations and Inspired Twists on Time-Honored Classics – Warren Bobrow
  10. Smuggler’s Cove: Exotic Cocktails, Rum, and the Cult of Tiki – Martin & Rebecca Cate