High Times For 2015 Hot Pot Cuisine

Some Americans will be adding more greens to their diet in the new year., No it's not about adding kale and Brussels sprouts  as suggested yesterday but marijuana. Yup, there's gonna be some pretty high times at the dinner or dessert table.As it's becoming legal and acceptable , it's also becoming an interesting ingredient at some restaurants and chef's tables,

The New York Times reported on this the other day. According to Food section reporter and chef, Kim Severson, two states, Washington State and Colorado have already legalized  recreational pot and now high end restaurants are following suit. These are not those hash brownies your college roomie made.This is haute high cuisine. Ganga Gourmet in Denver whips up a garlic bread that is not only tasty but will leave you wanting more.There's also a marijuana infused tomato sauce and a cannabis infused wing sauce. Prices aren't cheap. A pizza can cost $86 dollars, while a serving of cooked veggies is 12 dollars, which is about the price of a non pot side in some Manhattan eateries Diners must have medical marijuana cards in some cases.  Even though it's finely ground into a flour , it still can give eaters a mellow buzz and it can also boost appetites as we all well know.

Does marijuana have any nutritional value? Some dietitians do see it as a vegetable..Hemp is 100 per cent protein, and it is high (seriously no pun intended here) in Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids, similar to what's found in salmon.It is more valuable nutritionwise if it's heated where it releases what its known as cannabinoids. These act as cleaners and removed damaged cells from the body, while the raw state can improve the efficiency of body cells.Ground up raw buds can be added to salads, soups ,stews and even oatmeal. Cannabis butter can be made too  by adding 1/4 ounce buds to 1/2 stick salted butter (and it must be salted since that has a higher smoke point).Melt the butter in a saucepan over a low heat. Add the ground buds, a little at a time, to the melted butter.Stir occasionally and simmer for forty five minutes. Shut off when you see bubbles forming and then strain into a glass container. Press a spoon against the buds to release all the cannabutter.It will either be a chocolate brown color  (not unlike fudge) or green (like pesto) in color.Use at your discretion.

As marijuana becomes more and more legalized , there will be an expansion of high cuisine. Marijuana may be the next super food, thanks to its' composition. It just has to be widely accepted  to be truly considered a culinary treasure.