Today’s blog will be all about Portland’s popular #cannabis scene and everything I learned about edibles. I will also explain how I was inspired to apply to a baking competition. Blogging is my all time favorite past time, but my first love has always been baking. That’s why I include some of my favorite recipes here. Just last week I saw a post on Paul Hollywood’s Instagram about an amateur baking show looking for someone who can bake exceptional cakes and perfect pastries. That’s me! Included is a #Buckwheat Pancake Recipe which I know you will love.
My son Andrew’s version of BCP Banana Cream Pie and here is him singing at his Taekwondo School
So I put my priorities in place, and applied to the #GreatAmericanBakingShow. I’m so excited, even though I haven’t been contacted yet. The possibility of being on TV and baking in front of judges blows my mind. I decided it was time to extend myself and try something a little out of reach. Why not do what scares you most?
Everyone who knows me has tried convincing me to bake professionally, yet I’ve never listened. I’ve always enjoyed baking as a hobby. Well, now I’ve gone and put myself out there. Who knows what will happen next?
In the meantime, I will write about my surprise visit a few weeks ago to Electric Lettuce Recreational Dispensary in Portland Oregon.
Here’s the story-
After I parked my rental car, I walked towards Woodblock Chocolate where my Nines Hotel concierge directed me too. I had every intention of walking into the chocolate factory, but this other attractive building caught my eye. The outside sign said “Electric Lettuce,” and as an avid gardener I had to check it out.
Colorful Artsy building attractive to newcomers
You can imagine my surprise when I found a cannabis dispensary inside. It couldn’t hurt to look around, take a few photos and see what all the hoopla is all about. I had to show my license before I stepped in to make sure I was over 18 I guess. The employees were welcoming and helpful answering any questions I had. Looking back, my siblings and I were always surrounded by second hand smoke, especially on long car rides to visit our grand parents. So I never took up smoking as a teenager. And I still can’t stand being around some one who is smoking.
Electric lettuce sold everything from T Shirts and hats, to tinctures and tonics. They sold a probiotic soda called Gold Dragon Ginger Ale, a sparkling beverage called Legal Hybrid made with cannabis-infused Rainier Cherry or a Lemon Ginger, Magic Number Ginger Beer and Gentle Giant– a type of weed that you drink. Or you could buy edibles such as Titan’s Kind Chocolate Chunk Sandwich Cookies, or Wyld edible gummies in raspberry, huckleberry, marionberry, pomegranate and strawberry flavors. They sold tart cherry, lemon ginger, strawberry basil, triple berry, or spicy passion fruit Gumdrops made by Serra that were infused in cannabis. Each variety had a description of how many milligrams of THC and CBD were in each candy. They also offered easy, groovy, cosmic or mellow as descriptions as to how each candy would make you feel after consuming it. There were so many tempting options to choose from.
I could have tried their bean to bar Chocolate bar made exclusively with Woodblock Chocolate, CBD and THC but I didn’t feel adventurous enough. If chocolate wasn’t your thing, you could buy cannabis filled Caramels. The Stumptown Coffee Caramel candy had 50mg THC and was made by Serra. Woodblock Chocolate Caramels had 50mg CBD and 25mg THC and another variety was even stronger and sprinkled with Jacobsen Sea Salt another local Portland Company.
This is what I learned from one of the flyers on display:
CBD (Cannabidiol) is known as a non-psychoactive cannabinoid. It helps balance the psychoactive effects of THC, offers antioxidant properties, helps ease inflammation, reduces anxiety, can promote cardiovascular health and can comfort effects from neurological disorders.
THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) is responsible for the psychoactive or “high” feeling a person gets from using cannabis. The most common effects felt will be euphoria and relaxation. The benefits of THC include relief from chronic pain, inflammation, insomnia and migraines. This drug suppresses nausea yet encourages appetite. Some suggest it helps patients with their mental health. People that suffer from depression and PTSD Post Traumatic Stress Disorder might benefit from this drug.
The Entourage Effect is a synergistic reaction in the body when a person consumes THC and CBD. Even though it isn’t clinically proven this combination can help people experiencing anxiety.
The Cannabis plant consumption can be dated back to 2700 BC in China and India. They believed this plant could be used for its anti inflammation properties and to treat disorders such as nausea, seizures, pain and spasms.
I kept taking pictures of my surroundings while plenty of customers made purchases and knew exactly what they wanted. I was still trying to figure out what everything was. Avitas and PRUF Cultivar make cartridges filled with extracts like Lemon Meringue, Oregon pinot, Orange Thai, and one named ACDC. I also saw varieties called Timberline Haze, Tangie Biscotti, Blue Dream and G Krush all made with different percentages of CBD with or without THC. It’s all a mystery to me, but it sure sounds like dessert. These guys are marketing geniuses!
I have to admit it was tempting to bring some home to gift my mom who has cancer, but it wasn’t worth the risk getting thrown in jail trying to get on a plane back to California.
A few more interesting pot company names worth mentioning are Geek Farms, White Label Extracts, and Willamette Valley Alchemy but I think I’m just scratching the surface.
Remember pop rocks? Well now Leif Goods makes a product called Junk Dynamites which is a watermelon flavor exploding candy that sizzles in your mouth. Yuck! I can’t stand watermelon candy. I ate a ton of watermelon gum at a baseball game when I was little and now feel sick to my stomach whenever someone is chewing that flavor of gum around me. Leif Goods also makes a vegan friendly confection called Junk Marshmallow Bon-Bons. Anything with marshmallow in it sounds like the perfect treat. They have thought of everything!
Portland has seen a huge revival in small craft distilleries as well as taking the lead into bringing cannabis into plain sight. I was surprised to see Blue Star Donuts proudly displaying weed in their breakfast treats.
I’m thinking. Should I eat a donut with CBD in it? Yes I should
My first time experiencing a Blue Star CBD chocolate hazelnut custard donut was the next morning when I went to visit the Multnomah Village in Portland. I made sure that I didn’t drive right away after I ate it just in case I was feeling different. To be honest, I didn’t feel remarkably different which was a good thing. The flavor was outstanding and the crumbly crunchy outside was so good, you wanted another. Good thing I bought three more (without CBD) which included an orange olive oil one, an apple cider fritter and a lemon poppy buttermilk donut. And believe me, I wanted to eat all of them, but I saved a few tastes for my husband when he came back from work.
Even Prosperity Pie Shop advertised adding 10mg of CBD to any drink for $3.00. You could try their peanut butter chocolate, banana chocolate, key lime, chocolate cream or the gluten free vegan, nut free chocolate bliss pie. I had my fill of sweets for the day, but it was a nice place to hang out.
Let me conclude by neither condemning or condoning the consumption of cannabis. It’s a personal choice just like drinking alcohol is. I can’t say I’m a huge fan since my experience is limited, but either way I got an education on the subject for sure and I hope I’ve entertained you a little at least.
So if you are ever planning a trip to Portland, make sure to check out all of these interesting places. Whether you decide to try an edible at Electric Lettuce, or eat a CBD filled donut at Blue Star, or hang out at one of the 50 craft distilleries, I know you will have a good time. Or go visit Powell’s City of books megastore. The kids will be entertained at Finnegan’s Toy Store where you can buy anything from kites to nerdy science kits. They have it all.
Be sure to check out my next post which will be all about ice cream in Portland. Yes, I tasted those too and I can share the scoop on the best boozy ice cream cocktails like cherry bourbon at Fifty Licks.
I need to get this blog posted, so I will add the recipe for banana cream pie a little later. Hope you enjoy and thanks for reading. Please follow me by subscribing to my blog. You will get an email when I post my next write up. And hopefully you will see me on The Great American Baking Show. Keep your fingers crossed.
Here’s a new Buckwheat Blueberry Pancake recipe I made last week for my family. It was a huge hit and I will be making them again soon. Love trying new recipes and making healthy breakfasts. You will want to make it too! Buckwheat flour was found at Berkeley Bowl Grocery Store in their bin section. Now that I have purchased a grain mill from #Mocksmill I will be making more baked goods.
Buckwheat Blueberry Pancakes with butter and maple syrup
Buckwheat Blueberry Pancakes
Ingredients:
1 C Buckwheat Flour
1 C All Purpose Unbleached Flour
1/4 teas Baking Soda
1 teas Baking Powder
1 teas Kosher Salt
⅓ C Granulated Sugar
1 T Molasses
3/4 C warm Milk
3 T Plain Yogurt
1 t Active Dry Yeast
1 t Honey
½ C warm water
4 T Melted Unsalted Butter
2 Whole Eggs
1 C Fresh Blueberries
½ C Sourdough Starter
1 teas Vanilla
Canola Oil for frying
Extra butter for Serving
Maple syrup
Directions:
In a medium size bowl, mix buckwheat flour, all purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt,and sugar.
In a small bowl, mix warm water, dry yeast and honey and let sit on the counter until bubbly.
In a small pot on the stove, warm milk and melt butter together. Cool. Add molasses and yogurt to the pot and set aside.
Crack eggs into a small bowl and stir.
Place dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, pour cooled milk and butter into the bowl. Add eggs, add bowl of bubbly yeast, sourdough starter and mix until combined, being careful to not over mix. Fold in blueberries.
Heat a large non stick skillet on medium heat. Pour a tablespoon of canola oil into the pan. Using a measuring cup, scoop batter and pour onto a hot pan. Flip when bubbles disappear and the pancakes are light brown.
Buckwheat Pancakes with blueberries. They are sweet and nutty
Heat oven to 200 degrees. Place a sheet pan in the oven with a wire rack on top. Put cooked pancakes into the oven as they are ready. Serve with butter and maple syrup. Makes enough for 3-4 people.
Thanks again for reading my blog. Hope you get a chance to comment below and share this blog with your friends and family. Maybe you will run across buckwheat at the store and be inspired to make pancakes. Love to you all.
Teri:)
Let's Make Mud Pies 