The Official High Times Cannabis Cookbook

Veteran High Times writer McDonough offers this sampler of 50 mind-fogging munchies. There is probably no correlation between the known effects of marijuana and the fact that it has taken this classic counterculture magazine 38 years to get around to publishing a cookbook. Still, when an acknowledgement page credits folks with names like Evan Budman and Easy Bake Dave, one can almost smell the laid-back vibe emanating from this collection of “stoner-style cuisine.” The 12-page introduction includes a brief paragraph on what to do should one’s meal consumption result in a “total freak-out,” but, more importantly, brings home the point that weed’s active ingredients are fat-soluble and at their potent peak when in an oily blend. Thus, before launching into the creation of some ganja guacamole, Texas cannabis chili, or Pineapple Express upside-down cake one should whip up one of the spreads presented in the first chapter, such as cannabutter or cannabis-infused mayonnaise. Proper respect is paid to the classic pot brownie, with a page devoted to its history and a recipe involving a double boiler and much stirring. A section on cocktails gilds the lily with offerings like the Jamaican me crazy, which calls for cannabis-infused dark rum. But the book’s highlight is its chapter of holiday fare, featuring a THC turkey injected with a “magic marinade” that, in conjunction with tryptophan, could mellow out the harshest of family Thanksgivings. Agent: Alex Glass. (May)