“Sweet-hASSh-butter”

I love medicated edibles, so much so things were getting a little out of hand last month with my consumption of so many sweet medicated treats. Since I have a major sweet tooth, it was very easy to get carried away with over medicating!

For those of you who find smoking too harsh, edibles are a great alternative. When you ingesting cannabis the body processes THC (the active compound in cannabis) in the liver into a compound called “11-Hydroxy-THC”. Since the body processes the parent compound THC into “11-Hyroxy-THC” it can prove to be more psychoactive than smoking cannabis and the THC levels can increase 4-5 times stronger when ingested. When baking with cannabis, or a product thereof, to activate the THC it needs to clings to a lipid/fat cell. That is the reason why it works so great in butter or oil. Without that lipid THC has nothing to attach to. Often, the effects of a quality medicated edible can last 2-8 hours and are ideal for evening medicating, or for those who have insomnia – an edible will do the trick!

For those of you who want to experiment with making your own canna-butter try the below recipe. I used hashish instead of flower, because it’s less of a mess/process then with dried flower. Also, I prefer the heavy medication of hashish.  The cool thing about making your own butter is you can control how much flower, or hashish you use, thus controlling the potency. Storing your butter in an airtight container is best and can be stored for up to two months…and now, FINALLY – I bring you my recipe for “Sweet-hASSh Butter”…

The grass is always greener in my kitchen,

SweetBee x

 SweetBees’s Sweet-hASSh Butter

*makes 1 cup of butter

What you will need:

• Medium pot or heavy sauce pan
• Whisk or wooden spoon
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter *using a good quality butter with a high-fat content is best. I prefer organic butter, but Danish Creamery makes a great quality high-fat European butter
• 4 cups of water (2 cups per stick of butter)
• Hash* – 2-3 grams per stick (mild), 3-5 grams per stick (moderate),  6+ grams per stick (Heavy medicating) * I prefer to use 9 grams of hashish per stick, but like I mentioned I have a VERY high tolerance 🙂
• Heat resistant container with a lid for storing your butter
• Paper towels or kitchen towels

*Make sure your hash is completely dry. Any excess moisture in your hash will cause the butter and water to get soupy and it won’t solidify properly. If this happens and you decide to use the butter anyway, know the butter will cause your cake or cookie batter to be gummy and spongy. The texture will be a little funky, but still edible.

Step 1: Start heating a pot of water (2 cups) on medium heat… get your butter and hash ready. On the side in a small dish or on a napkin start crumbling your hash into tiny bits, so it will dissolve easily. Unwrap your butter.

Step 2: Drop the two sticks of butter into the hot water and lower the heat to a very, very low flame. It’s important NOT to burn the butter and you don’t want the butter and water mixture to boil. Burned butter is not a good thing! Use your whisk or wooden spook and lightly agitate the water butter mixture until the butter is dissolved.

Step 3: Now that the butter is melted into the water take the hashish you crumbled in step 1 and add it to the water butter mixture. Again, make sure the entire mixture is simmering and not boiling! Whisk a bit. You will notice the mixture will turn a brownish green color. Simmer for a minimum of 30 minutes. Basic rule of thumb is the longer you simmer (very low heat) the more potent your butter will be. 1-4 hours is a nice “simmer sesh”. Remember to set a timer!

*The hash method is much simpler then using dry cannabis flower because with hash you eliminate having to strains the entire mixture because the hash dissolves.

Step 4: After your time is up, pour the mixture into a heat proof container like Tupperware. Place a lid on it and place in the refridgerator for a least two hours. I always leave mine over night.

Step 5: You will notice the water and butter have separated! Pour the water carefully down the sink and use a towel to hold the hash-butter, so as not to loose any butter while dumping the water out.

Step 6: Pat dry your butter with a paper towel, to get the excess moisture off….tada! You now have homemade “Sweet hASSh-Butter”!!! Place your butter in a dry airtight container. It can be stored up to 2 months.

1974

After the Thanksgiving holiday I found myself in the Coachella Valley where I stumbled upon a near mint, vintage issue of High Times, from 1974. It was quite fascinating to have come across this vintage relic and during Harvest Season at that! Some of the highlights of the article (with pictures below) was an article on JFK’s Pot Dealer and Hash making it’s way into the USSR – wow, haven’t heard that acronym in a while, what a throw back! What was so awesome to see were the pictures of various flowers from Mexico, Columbia and Thailand. Seeing how different our flowers look now was pretty mind blowing. I’m sure to everyone in the 1970’s the flower they were smoking on was possibly the best, however, from the looks of it compared to current Marijuana standards, well honestly there is no comparison. I am so thankful for the invention of hydroponics!

Just the fact that I had an issue of High Times ’74 in my hand and then reflecting on what is currently going on in California’s fight to legalize Marijuana, it made me think about how silly it is Marijuana is a Class 1 felony. It is so strange, yet in 1974, a young man purchased a High Time Magazine and kept it around some 37 years later… that man was Leonard Crandall. An eccentric desert rad, originally from Wisconsin, and lifelong member of NORML.

Leonard Crandall was a brilliant man, eccentric, well educated, pharmacist extraordinaire.  I don’t know that he cherished anything more then his grandson. Leonard loved the warm sun of the Coachella Valley and was a resident of Palm Springs for over 25 years. I always thought he was cool because what man my father’s age would have a regular subscription to Juxtapose Magazine? Leonard – because he was cool like that! He had a large coffee canister of  flower “just in case” he needed a smoke, although I’m not sure the canister had been touched in over a decade! In the 1970’s he and his Lady had a small grow and his personal library consisted of some of the coolest books about marijuana that were written in the 1970’s, along side the anarchist cook book and his many pharmaceutical/medical books – But that was just the kind of guy Leonard was! A cool eccentric cat that really did know it all.

On Wednesday, Oct 26, 2011 Leonard passed away under the warm sun of the Coachella Valley. Today it’s with really sad hearts that his family and close friends gather to say their farewells in Milwaukee, where he grew up. Palm Springs won’t be the same without him. You know, if we get to choose where we go in the afterlife, I think it’s safe to say Leonard would go right back to Palm Springs…and I think today the sun shined a little brighter on the Coachella Valley  because of him…

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/jsonline/obituary.aspx?n=leonard-crandall&pid=154824327&fhid=11318

http://www.winorml.org/blog/

http://www.canorml.org/

 

~ SweetBee x

Happy Thanksgiving

Tonight I am very thankful to have had a yummy dinner with my family. This was the first year we had a kids table – so cool, our family is growing! My mom is an awesome cook and together she and I make a power team in the kitchen. What I am also grateful for is my job. I love my job. It’s awesome I have a job that doesn’t drug test, but instead promotes the usage of marijuana. I love that I am fighting for patient’s right to use “alternative” medicine in their daily lives. I love marijuana and am grateful to have it in my life.

In honor of Thanksgiving, marijuana, and the love of my life (who loves my cupcakes) I bring you…

Medicated Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Makes: 28-32 cupcakes

Equipment:
– Standard 12-cup muffin tin
– Paper muffin cup liners
– Stand mixer or hand mixer
– Offset spatula or pastry bag with decorating tips

For the Cupcakes:
4 cups cake flour (not self-rising), sifted
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 Tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup (2 sticks) Cannabutter, room temperature
2½ cups packed light-brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1½ cups canned pumpkin (not pie filling)

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 cup (2 sticks) Cannabutter, room temperature
12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 pound (4 cups) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

To Make the Cupcakes:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices.

2. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and brown sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and beating until just combined. Add pumpkin; beat until just combined.

3. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be refrigerated up to 3 days in airtight containers.

4. To finish, use an offset spatula or a pastry bag fitted with a decorated tip to top the cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.

To Make the Frosting:

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Add sugar, ½ cup at a time, and then vanilla, and mix until smooth and combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.

If not using immediately, frosting can be refrigerated up to 3 days in an airtight container; before using, bring to room temperature, and beat on low speed until smooth again.

Hashish…

Last night I was buzzing around town. Word on the street was there was a batch of Chewbacca hashish brewing up at one of my favorite Collectives. I knew I needed to get my hands on some, umm, yea!

I had only one thing on my mind – Butter and Baked Goods, ok technically that’s two things, but you catch my drift..
After buzzing around BMC for a while, watching the agitated brew and waiting, waiting, waiting for all that goodness to strain, low and behold there it was in all it’s burnt sienna glory, Chewbacca Hashish! My friends there were kind enough to share the fruits of their labor.

Now that I have a generous supply of Chewbacca Hashish I will create SweetBee’s famous “Sweet hASSh-butter”. Stay tuned for a recipe and pictures. In the meantime check out the brew picture from last night’s hash making session…I felt like I was in Mrs. Davidson’s chemistry class with this stuff brewing in the room…

Chewbacca Hash Brew

ta-da! Chewbacca Hashish

The grass is always greener,

SweetBee x

Hello Green Green World!

Hello and welcome to SweetBee’s blog!

SweetBee here…I felt it my duty, as a baker, to shed a bit of sweet, sweet happiness upon the MJ Community with delicious fool-proof canna-baking recipes and tips. With a little how-to and a bit of practice you will be a cannabis baker extraordinaire and you’ll get to meet a lot of great people and Co-ops along the way who are risking it all for that sweet, sweet biscuit…

The grass is always greener in my kitchen,

SweetBee x