cooking with CANNABIS
by Chef Sebastian Carosi
As the calendar flips past the colder months , those with an “ R ” in them transition to the warmer summer months of May , June , July , and August , when oyster eaters will more than likely be slurpin ’ on triploids , not diploids . Have no fear , verbally and intellectually , most don ’ t move past bivalves and mollusks , let alone diploids , triploids , and even tetraploids . For me , it is vitally important to know about my regional wild edibles and harvest them seasonally and in a sustainable manner . Just to be clear , there is nothing wrong with eating oysters in the summer months , although there will be a noticeable difference in the taste , texture , and milkiness of triploid oysters harvested in the warm summer months . Years ago , it was exposure to hot weather in the summer months that made shipping and handling the perishable bivalves a huge risk . Ice-lined boxcars , refrigerated cargo vans , and next-day shipping has changed all of that . In no way could I fly seafood in from an area outside of my current location , especially if I lived in a coastal state ( which I just happen to do ). First , I want to support the people in my community ; the aquaculture farmers , the fishermen and women , the cheesemakers , my local abattoir , apiaries , breweries , and wineries . Secondly , I want to personally see and feel the direct impact my food purchases have on the community I live in , not a community 1,000 kilometres away ( although I do care about those communities as well ). Keeping in mind that when the opportunity may arise for you to gather your oysters , or any of your provisions for that matter , in the wild , be sure to get out there and taste the land you call home . I was raised to believe that food and community were one in the same . For me , this is really the most meaningful and impact-driven way I know how to show my community and neighbours ’ support . With purchasing power , I was able to use more than just local oysters , I was able to use local Asian pears and garden-grown cilantro in this flavour-packed mignonette . Having been raised around coastal waterways , bays , estuaries , and inlets the majority of my life , I ’ ve been extremely blessed to have choices and options when contemplating local oysters . My personal choice when it comes to location is gathering wild oysters from the Hood Canal in
Washington State . America ’ s only fjord , it is cold water-fed by numerous tributary rivers and produces some of the finest oysters in the country . As a cannabis enthusiast and lifelong professional chef ,
I cherish the memories of the outlaw days of cannabis here in the Pacific Northwest along the Hood Canal . Camping on the canal , high as hell , slurping wild oysters , and enjoying every unexpected aspect of life !
SC
Chef Sebastian Carosi is an award-winning chef , avid forager , and wild crafter . Carosi , also known as the short-order cannabis revolutionary , has been cooking with full-spectrum cannabis and eating the devil ’ s lettuce since the early 90s . Trained at Portland , Oregon ’ s Western Culinary Institute , he apprenticed under renowned chefs in Italy , and went on to lead the Farm-to-Fork movement across the United States . Find him on Instagram at @ chef _ sebastian _ carosi .
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