How to Host a 420-friendly Friendsgiving

Photo by Nicole Michalou : https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-pouring-wine-on-glass-5775055/

Since the legalization of cannabis, THC-infused dinner parties have seen a huge revival—so why not infuse your Friendsgiving meal?

Prior to legalization, infused dinners existed on almost a mythical level. You heard whispers of them in the underground scene and hoped you knew someone who knew someone that could snag you a coveted invite. Now, it’s not nearly as difficult to score a seat at one of these tables. Major chefs have started running their own cannabis-infused pop-ups with luxury ingredients, exclusive locations, and sometimes the major price tags to match. So what does it take to host one of these dinners on your own?

Whether you’re a classically trained chef or an at-home chef that loves cannabis, I’m here to show you how to host a 420-friendly Friendsgiving that’ll knock your pals socks off.

Decide on your guest list.

Food and cannabis are communal. Thoughtfully select your guests to create your community for the evening. You may also want to consider the experience level that your selected guests have with cannabis. Infused food can often be overwhelming for beginners if they’re not prepared for it. However, if your guests are open-minded and ready for anything, everyone will have a night they will surely never forget.

Make your dinner menu.

Sounds easy right? With proper planning, it will be.

First, think about the structure of your menu and how it will be executed. Do you want there to be multiple courses? Is everything served family-style? Will there be a smoke break in between courses? Who is doing the serving and resetting? There are plenty of options here, so choose what makes the most sense for you. 

Once you’ve decided on a style of service, plan out the specifics of each dish and how you plan to infuse your meal. This is a cannabis dinner after all! You have a couple of options here as well. You could choose to make your own infusions with raw cannabis flower or go to your local dispensary and buy a tincture or distillate to add to whatever you make. However, each option has its positives and negatives. Do your research beforehand to choose what is going to work best for you. 

Whatever your style of service, whatever infusion you decide on, your food is ultimately the star of the show.

If you’ve ever thought that edibles are best as sweets, you’ve been led astray, my friend. You can infuse nearly anything your mind can think of. From the apple cider to the mashed potatoes to the pumpkin pie—anything. Just be sure to make a batch of cannabis-infused oil or cannabutter and you can really make your culinary dreams come to life.

Really the only rule to keep in mind is that THC does start to degrade at high temperatures (I highly recommend staying beneath 350℉). But there are ways to get around that as well. For example, if you want to serve a fried dish or a sauteed dish that may require high heat, you could use an infused oil to finish the dish off after cooking. Other than that, let your mind run wild.

Develop your recipes until they’re just right. Maybe I’m high right now, but your food should talk to each other and complement each other, with flavors that seamlessly flow from one dish to the next. Food is a fully sentient experience, so don’t forget aroma, texture, sweetness, sour, salty, all of it.

Play, experiment, and cook with your heart. Your senses will thank you. 

Set the vibe.

Elevate your night by settling on a cozy, fall-ready vibe. High people love a moody vibe with comfy pillows, plenty of seating, candles, and a good playlist. Think about sprinkling some cannabis accessories in there too like funky ashtrays, pre-rolls, and matches to let people know exactly what time it is. If you have a fireplace, go ahead and get that thing going. Can’t go wrong with a fireplace.

Truly let your imagination run wild with this one (maybe smoke a joint to get the creative juices flowing). Make it an evening to remember with whatever special touches feel right to you.

Take care of your guests. 

Hosting a cannabis-infused dinner is a unique experience in that your guests are trusting you to not only entertain, delight, and dazzle them, but also to take care of them.

As I mentioned before, ingesting cannabis can be overwhelming if your diners aren’t ready for it. And oftentimes, people think their tolerance is higher than what it truly is or lie about it because they don’t want to feel like a newbie. Take your dosing seriously and do it responsibly.

If any of your guests are starting to get too high, CBD can help balance out that anxious and paranoid feeling. Make sure to keep some on hand. It may even be a good idea to make lightly dosed CBD mocktails that pair with your meal. It’s a fun way to make sure everyone is comfortable and tie everything together! 

Also take care of your guests, by making them physically comfortable. They’re going to be on this journey with you for a few hours, so choose comfy chairs or grab pillows for each seat. Maybe have a separate area, if your space permits, away from the action where they can chill, or melt away in a hammock or beanbag, or just take a little break.

If your guests are comfortable and at ease, you will be too. 

Enjoy yourself.

Approach your Friendsgiving festivities with an open mind and take any mishap in stride. You’re in control. You’ve prepped and prepared and dotted all the i’s and crossed all the t’s. This is the culinary story you’ve been waiting to share with your hand-selected guests and it's sure to be an evening for the books.

All that’s left to do is to spark one up and enjoy yourself! You’ve earned it.