Copyright The Austin Chronicle
As a weed enthusiast who loves food and cooking, to me there’s nothing better than getting baked and baking, or burning one then (hopefully not) burning one. Blazing up then glazing up. Smoking reef then smoking beef. Using pot then using a pot. You get the idea. It’s no secret that potheads get the munchies, which studies indicate is due to how cannabis stimulates the mediobasal hypothalamus. My hypothalamus loves it, but everyone’s is different. For me, cannabis quiets the noise and helps me focus in the kitchen while stimulating an appetite that is often just nonexistent. It also stimulates creativity, leading to some of my favorite innovations: cutting a pizza like a Mondrian to get the optimal variety of slice sizes and shapes; using Flamin’ Hot Cheetos as a nacho base; mixing Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal milk with strawberry sparkling water as a drink. I feel like I may have lost some of you with the last one, but innovators don’t stop when it sounds like it might be gross. Be bold! But listen, I don’t only consume junk food. Weed can enhance the flavor of anything! And I’m always brainstorming recipes that involve wordplay, so I decided to hit the bong and get the gears turning for some concoctions starring my favorite behind-the-scenes culinary MVP: THC. Here are a couple of experiments that resulted, using products that are completely legal for consumers 21 and up to buy at your local mart. I’ve found excellent cannabis-infused spirits at Spec’s, and order THC-infused agave syrup from local company Hometown Hero – their products are sold at stores around town as well. Disclaimer: Just because these recipes are pretty tame on the THC level doesn’t mean they are safe for everyone. Everybody’s endocannibinoid system is different, and only you and your doctor can determine what’s best for your health. So don’t go bringing this stuff to the potluck, unless everyone is aware it’s a “pot”-luck! Boogie Broccoli This is my favorite euphemism for weed, followed closely by “jazz cabbage” and “the devil’s lettuce.” Is this because I used to be vegetarian? I still mostly only consume veggies but also sometimes seafood. Now I am making THC-food. Anyways. This one is a roasted broccoli with a sweet and savory glaze. I was slightly concerned about degradation of the THC in the syrup from heating, so let your little trees cool off a bit before glazing. With this product, you want to keep it below the boiling point of 311-315 degrees F, which is still very hot, so you don’t have to wait long. Once the broccoli is roasted, cool for a few minutes, toss with the glaze, and then get blazed yourself! T.H. Sea Water This jazzy Jell-O shot-style treat is inspired by Sonic’s Ocean Water, and actually uses Sonic Ocean Water flavor gelatin, which I found at H-E-B. I know – groundbreaking! It stars this great coconut-flavored cannabis spirit that swaps in wonderfully for Malibu. I just made a half batch by weighing the package using my handy scale and only using half. Another great use for a kitchen scale in case you never thought of it. Prepare according to box, substituting chilled Buddi Coco for the cold water. Pour into 1-oz. containers to make 24 shots, meaning each has 2 mg THC. For more recipes, ask your local bookstore for a copy of Kookin’ With Kat: The Movie: The Book, Inspired by the Hit Musical Kookin’ With Kat: The Companion Cookbook. They will not have it because it doesn’t exist, but I’d like to go ahead and drum up some demand, so feel free to ask ahead and get in on the ground floor. This article appears in October 31 • 2025.
