February 20, 2025 • 27 mins
Unlock the secrets of cannabis-infused culinary arts with Willie and Annie Nelson's captivating new cookbook! Join me as I dive into the heartwarming stories behind this unique collection, gifted to our show by devoted listeners, Steve and Terry from Minnesota. Discover how Willie credits cannabis for his vitality at 91, alongside his wife Annie's dedication to organic, sustainable living. Together, they embody the harmonious blend of food, family, and the healing power of cannabis, with personal tales from their extraordinary journey.
You'll find yourself inspired by Annie's evolution from crafting cannabis chocolates for Willie to launching Willie's Reserve, all while advocating for responsible dosing and creativity in the kitchen. With insights from guest Chef Andrea Drummer, who adds her culinary prowess to the cookbook, we explore how cannabis has brought balance and joy to the Nelsons' lives. Immerse yourself in the shared values of health and love as we present standout recipes that promise not just nourishment, but a lifestyle infused with passion and purpose.
Let’s celebrate the magic of organic farming and thoughtful cookbook creation as we explore the textured world of regenerative agriculture and community markets. While we long for vibrant winter recipes from this cookbook, we also invite you to share your favourite cannabis-infused creations, fostering a sense of community and connection. Whether you're a culinary enthusiast or a Willie Nelson fan, join us in honouring this intersection of culture, music, and the art of cooking with cannabis.
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Visit the website for full show notes, free dosing calculator, recipes and more.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Welcome back, friends , to episode 287, where I'm
doing a review of Willie andAnnie Nelson's cannabis cookbook
.
Welcome to Bite Me, the showabout edibles, where I help you
take control of your high life.
I'm your host and certifiedganger, margaret, and I love
helping cooks make safe andeffective edibles at home.
(00:25):
I'm so glad you're here, allright, and welcome back my
friends to another excitingepisode of Bite Me.
I am so glad you're here.
I am your host, margaret, andthank you for tuning in and
sharing your time with me.
It really means a lot and ifyou're just tuning in for the
first time, I'm so glad youfound me.
Let me know how you discoveredthe show and if you've been
around for a while, my heartfeltappreciation goes out to you.
(00:46):
And this is particularlyrelevant today because I am
going to be doing a review ofWillie and Annie Nelson's
Cannabis Cookbook that wasgifted to me by Steve and Terry
out of Minnesota.
They have been longtimelisteners and supporters.
This was a delightful surprisenot that long ago and I really
(01:10):
appreciate it when listeners goout of their way to do kind
things for me, because it reallymeans a lot and I'm so grateful
to have wonderful people likeTerry and Steve listening, and
there are many others out there.
You know who you are.
So all this love and support,it really does mean a lot to a
small, independent podcasterlike myself.
I am independent.
I sometimes make choices forthis podcast because I don't
(01:31):
want the podcast to startsounding a certain way.
I listen to a lot of podcastsmyself.
I mean that probably doesn'tsurprise anybody.
That's why I got intopodcasting, because it's the
medium itself that I really loveand the one that I consume most
when I am not recording my own.
But I have found that a lot ofpodcasts now sort of join these
(01:52):
podcast networks and of coursethere can be power networks, but
a lot of the times what you doend up giving up is the ability
to control what types of adsplay on your podcast.
For the most part I don't do aton of ads, except things that
are advertising my own stuff, ifyou will like.
The Bite Me Cannabis Club issomething that I founded or
(02:13):
perhaps affiliate partners thatI have for products that I've
been using a long time in my ownkitchen.
And sometimes, when you jointhese networks, you might have
access to higher revenue.
But what are you giving up forthat?
And I listened to a lot ofgreat podcasts that are doing
gambling ads and ads for thingsthat I don't necessarily
personally align with, and soit's a real creative decision to
(02:36):
sort of go the route that I'mgoing to remain independent.
I digress this was not I doknow where I was going with this
.
It was just it's listeners likeyou that really go a long way
to making this show wonderfuland keeping me on track and
delivering something that Iwould also want to listen to,
and that's often not a bunch ofads from big companies that I
have no personal experience with, just so I can make a few extra
(02:59):
.
Today we are doing a review ofthe cookbook Willie and Annie
Nelson's Cannabis Cookbook.
Now, I am somebody that hasquite a number of cookbook
cannabis cookbooks specificallyon my shelf.
I had a quick peek before Icame to do this recording this
(03:22):
morning.
I do tend to record in themornings.
I have about a dozen cannabiscookbooks on my shelf and I feel
like each one of the ones thatI have sort of has a different
angle, introduces something newto the reader.
Some of them have been booksthat I've purchased from podcast
guests because I had them onthe show, because I was really
impressed with their work andliked the direction and what
(03:44):
they were doing in the world.
So I am kind of selective,though, about the cannabis
cookbooks that I buy.
However, this gift was a verynice surprise.
I wasn't really aware that theyhad come out with a cookbook or
maybe I've heard about it alittle bit somewhere online but
when I received it I wasimmediately excited to dive in,
and there is something reallycool about the fact that Willie
(04:07):
and Annie Nelson came out withthis cookbook.
It is truly a celebration offood, family and the healing
power of cannabis.
Whether you are familiar withthe work of Willie Nelson or not
, it's pretty clear that he is ahuge advocate for cannabis.
Once I got this book, I have toadmit I'm not a big country fan
listener and I haven't listenedto a lot of Willie Nelson's
(04:28):
work.
But as someone who is such atireless advocate for cannabis
and breaking stigma because youcan't really argue with the lazy
stoner stereotype when you havea man of his vintage still
actively producing work I meanit's incredible.
So today we're going to bediscussing some of the
cookbook's origins, some of thestandout recipes and how it
(04:50):
reflects on Willie and Annie'spersonal journey with cannabis
Buckle in.
It's going to be a fun littleride.
So to start out with WillieNelson, as I already mentioned,
has been a longstanding advocatefor cannabis legalization and,
of course, as his role as acultural icon in the cannabis
(05:11):
community.
And there is a podcast that Ilisten to periodically and that
is Great Moments in Weed Historywith David Biedenstock, who has
been a podcast guest.
A few years ago I'll link tothat in the show notes, but he
has done I'm certain I'velistened to it an episode on
Willie Nelson smoking a joint onthe roof of the White House.
(05:33):
So this man is brazen, but invery smart ways.
He also has founded Willie'sReserve, which is a cannabis
brand, and he's been outspokenin his support for hemp farming.
And at the age of 91, he iscurrently 91 years old I looked
up his birth date, it is 1933,which makes him two years
(05:56):
younger than my own father andthis man has done 102 studio
albums 102.
That's wild to me, like acareer.
And of course that doesn't eveninclude live albums and
collaborations and all the otherthings that you can do that he
has done with his music careerJust outstanding.
(06:16):
And if you weren't aware,willie Nelson is on tour in 2025
.
So, at the age of 91, this manis still on tour, and I love how
he starts out the book becausehe dedicates the book.
So they dedicate the book,excuse me, they dedicate the
book to all the family farmerswho cultivate the food, fiber
and fuel necessary to keep theworld fed, clothed and moving
(06:39):
forward in a wholesome way, andto all those who make sure the
hungry have access to thesustenance they require.
I thought I would start out withthe intro that Willie Nelson
himself wrote for the bookEating and eating well.
Another matter altogether.
How do you define well?
Well, everyone would define itdifferently.
(07:01):
I'd say well means healthy andhearty, eating with gusto,
eating food that hasn't beentainted with chemicals,
farm-to-table food that tastesreal and right.
Cannabis is food, it's medicine, it's energy, it's health.
Without this special herb weaffectionately call weed, I'd
never be offering up a cookbookat the age of 91.
(07:22):
Without weed and my wife, annie, I'd probably be dead decades
ago.
With weed, I'm still strivingand thriving and creating new
music, not to mention havingcool chefs like Andrea Drummer
and Annie to cook upcannabis-flavored meals that
provide nourishment for body andsoul.
(07:44):
Before pot, I was one of thosefools who, throwing back bourbon
and beer, thought I could takeon the world.
That meant picking on guysbigger than me.
Those other stories I'm happyto forget.
The pot stories are the onesI'm glad to remember.
That's because they'regood-hearted stories, mostly
with happy endings.
I say mostly because there were, in truth, a couple of
(08:05):
decidedly unpleasant busts.
Overall, though, cannabisturned my mean to mellow.
It helped me find the groove inthe grind of a hectic but
beautiful life, creating music.
Now I want us to help youcreate something, some beautiful
food.
I love the idea of incorporatingcannabis into a wholesome diet.
I've been a champion of itslegalization since the stone
(08:28):
ages.
I couldn't be happier that thearguments advocating the many
uses of the plant have finallyprevailed.
Over a lifetime of study, Ilearned that pot is more than
pleasure.
Its positive properties arelimitless.
It's a blessing and a blast.
It's good fuel.
Together with Chef Drummer, oneof the most celebrated cannabis
(08:49):
chefs, and my wife Annie, themost celebrated chef in our home
, I'm excited to help you cookup a whole mess of wholesome
meals.
There's an abundance ofinformation here.
Abundance is the key.
An abundance of care about thefood we eat, an abundance of
creativity in preparing the food, an abundance of love in
sharing the food with others and, because I'm a storyteller by
(09:13):
trade, an abundance of storiesthat carry the fragrance of the
precious plant is, after all,the centerpiece of this book.
Be patient and get to know thedosage that suits you the best.
Willie Nelson, of course hementions Annie, and she is a
contributor to this book as welland she has a passion for
organic, sustainable living, andthey have shared values around
(09:36):
health and wellness, which inlarge part inspired this
cookbook, and I'll just take asecond to read her introduction.
Start low, go slow.
I've always said that aboutcannabis.
Well, actually I say that aboutlife in general.
If you believe in the manybenefits of cannabis, you'll
want to bring folks tounderstand it instead of scaring
(09:57):
them off with a bad experience,especially when it can help so
many when dosed properly.
I started making edibles for myhusband when he had a bad bout
of pneumonia and couldn't smoke.
For him, it was medicine,because he needed to leave his
lungs alone.
I have a bit of a scientificmind and a pretty good working
(10:17):
knowledge of the human body, soI began my mission to create an
edible he would like.
Concentrating anything meansyou concentrate good or bad,
always choose good.
I found the best and cleanestcannabis to create my chocolates
.
I'm not a smoker, so creatingan edible to bypass the smoke
was a steep learning curve forme and very much had its ups and
(10:38):
downs.
I haven't smoked pot since the70s.
Back then I would take a hit,laugh my ass off and binge
munchies.
My only reference at the timeto current pot strains was
Willie offering me a hit and methinking it was going to be a
fun afternoon.
I spent it asleep because bedwas the only place safe enough
for me while it wore off.
Yes, I'm a supreme lightweight.
(11:01):
So when I started developingedibles for him, I focused on a
dose that would find a happymedium, knowing he had a sweet
tooth and would likely eat morethan one.
The experience was hystericalat times.
One night, after having finallygotten the five simple
ingredients perfected, I slippedinto bed, maybe a little too
high, not wanting to wake himbecause sleep is so good.
(11:24):
I lay there vacillating betweenoh my God, I'm way too high to
laughing so hard and trying notto wake him.
In the end I'd found a greatdose and he became my guinea pig
from then on.
Turns out.
Everyone loved the ones Willietaste tested for me.
A friend was going to traveland had anxiety so asked for
(11:45):
some chocolate to help throughthe flight.
Willie gave him some.
Turns out this friend had anedible company and wanted mine.
We didn't agree on ingredientsbut it started people coming to
us with business proposals.
That's the genesis of usgetting into the cannabis
business.
We named the company Willie'sReserve.
I've used my base and made otherbases in many recipes and
(12:07):
always enjoy Andrea Drummers.
Always I'm celiac and havefriends with glucose issues, so
my edibles needed to begluten-free, with an even
glycemic level.
Cooking gluten-free is notdifficult.
Ingredients can be substitutedeasy enough in all recipes
without compromising theintegrity of a dish, including
flours, sauces and condiments.
(12:29):
I hope you find adventure andalways remember the basics.
Have fun and remember to neverdose anyone.
It's unkind, turns them offunnecessarily and breaks our
Nelson family rule of don't bean asshole, don't be an asshole,
don't be a goddamn asshole.
It sounds like Annie Wilson isalso a big fan of edibles, so I
(12:50):
applaud that.
This cookbook of course doesaim to destigmatize cannabis use
and promote its benefits forhealth, relaxation and
creativity, and it does talkabout responsible dosing and
education for beginners.
And with that I am going toread the note from Chef Andrea,
who was the creator of many ofthe recipes in this cookbook.
(13:14):
My career as a cannabis chefbegan out of sheer necessity.
If you're at all familiar withthe grueling work of cooks the
world over, you understand thetoll it can take on one's body.
Oblivious to this truth, myreality check came after one
year in the kitchen in the formof sciatica.
After several prescriptions ofopiates literally flushed down
(13:34):
the toilet, I beganexperimenting with infusing food
with cannabis as an alternativeto living with chronic pain.
My intention for myself was thesame as I share in these
recipes to make cannabis cuisinesafe, accessible and easy.
While consuming too much THCwill do no harm to the body, the
ramifications can proveunpleasant.
(13:56):
To that end, brands arecreating safely packaged
products with easy dosingdirections.
In addition, trained chefs areintroducing recipes suitable for
regular use and that integrateeasily into your lifestyle.
On average, the legal singledose of THC equates to 10
milligrams per serving.
This book contains recipes thatmake it easy to tailor the
(14:20):
dosage to the individual.
Using simple mathematics, theTHC component can also be
eliminated altogether for afamily-friendly meal.
That's just as appetizing.
Dosages in the recipes rangefrom 8% THC to 46% THC per
serving.
The intent is to present thepossibilities and to acknowledge
(14:41):
the varied tolerances.
The number of milligrams oneshould consume is contingent
upon a number of factors bodyweight, metabolism, tolerance,
dosage, type of edibles.
Other factors to consider arethe strains of cannabis used,
the maturation process of theplant and your overall
experience with edibles, sincethe body metabolizes THC
(15:04):
differently through the liverwhen you're eating than it does
through lungs when you'resmoking.
The experience can vary fromperson to person.
For most, the effects lastlonger.
For some, they are more intense.
To simplify edible THCconsumption, the standard
recommendation is as followed 1to 2.5 milligrams is considered
(15:27):
a microdose.
3 to 5 milligrams is low dosage.
10 to 15 milligrams is moderate.
20 to 30 milligrams is high.
50 to 100 milligrams is acute.
100 to 500 milligrams isconsidered macro dosing.
My recommendation would be thesame as I adhered to when first
(15:49):
using edibles for medicinalapplication Start low and exert
patience, and you can easilyadjust these dosages in the
recipes in the book and, mostimportant, enjoy.
I love how she breaks down thedifferent factors that can
affect the number of milligramsone should consume, because a
lot of people often erroneouslythink that if you have a monster
(16:09):
tolerance to smoking cannabis,that that will translate into
edibles, and I've seen time andtime again over the course of
personal experience andanecdotally through people I've
interviewed on this podcast, ofwhich there are probably close
to 60 by now.
That is just untrue.
As she mentions, there's awhole bunch of factors that go
into how you might process themilligrams in an edible, and
(16:31):
none of it has to do with yourtolerance to smoking.
There's something good to keepin mind and I also like how she
breaks down the doses and ifanybody is just starting out
with edibles for the first time,start with the microdose,
because I've also met peoplethat find two milligrams to be
just enough.
If you start with a fivemilligram dose, I know people
who are five milligrams is a lot, so always start with that
(16:54):
microdose and work your way upfrom there.
According to her chart, I havea high tolerance when I'm in and
around 20 to 25 milligrams.
I can tolerate that and oftenconsume that in the evenings,
but sometimes, depending on whatI'm doing, I'm going to aim for
a 15 milligram dose and I dofind that the cannabis beverages
(17:15):
on the legal market anyway,with their nano emulsion can hit
me at 10 milligrams and on anempty stomach at five.
These are all sort of fun thingsthat you learn about yourself
as you begin to experiment,which is another reason why it's
good to write this stuff downor to keep a log.
The Bite Me Edibles Journal isa great resource, but you can
put a note on your phone or ablank notebook, whatever suits
(17:37):
you best.
Now, the one thing I also likeis, of course, they show you how
to do the base infusions, andthey focus on some that often
don't get covered in a lot ofcannabis cookbooks.
They start out with cannabisghee, they next do vegan
cannabis butter, cannabisavocado oil, cannabis coconut
oil and cannabis grapeseed oil.
So they show you how to infuseall of these different base
(18:00):
infusions so you can use themthroughout the book, and a lot
of these ones will also have arelatively decent shelf life and
are stable when used in cooking.
So that's another wonderfulthing about the particular
infusions that they chose.
They didn't do butter, theydidn't do olive oil, they didn't
do alcohol some of thoseclassics that you see in a lot
(18:20):
of cookbooks.
They're doing somethingdifferent there as well, and, of
course, they start out by howto do the THC dosing for the
recipes, which is alwaysimportant.
And, again, like any recipe, asshe says, you can change the
infusion level and you don'thave to infuse it at all.
The variety of recipes in thisbook is really what sets it
apart, in my opinion, from a lotof other books that I have on
my shelf, because the number ofsavory dishes is remarkable.
(18:45):
A lot of the times when I getcannabis cookbooks, the focus is
probably more largely on thesweet side.
That's what we tend to thinkabout.
This one, I would say, moreheavily focuses the savory
dishes.
There are, of course, dessertsand beverages, but they do focus
on the savory side, spicy foodsand, of course, the gluten-free
and vegan options as well.
So here are some of the recipesthat make this book stand out
(19:09):
to me the vegan crab cakes withmango jalapeno butter.
If you're looking for somethingvegan, this.
I love crab cakes and mydaughter used to make crab cakes
as a special in her restaurantand of course, they were vegan,
and the jalapeno butter is witha vegan butter.
They were so delicious.
I'm excited to try these out.
There was a number of othervegan recipes.
(19:30):
Again, like I mentioned, Ithink there's some vegan ice
cream options just so manythings that if you are trying to
issue dairy and animal products, then you're going to have a
lot of options in this book.
Now they also have classiccomfort foods like the truffle
mac and cheese, the herb crustedgrilled cheese and a curry
ketchup.
And I mentioned those twobecause I have tried those
(19:51):
recipes the herb crusted grilledcheese and the curry ketchup
and they turned out beautifully,and sometimes you just want
that comfort food.
Grilled cheese and mac andcheese are two of those things.
So they have a beautifulselection of comfort foods.
There's also condiments anddressings like miso, caesar
salad dressing, infusedmayonnaise, kalamata, olive
(20:13):
butter, sriracha, ranch sauceall kinds of beautiful
condiments and dressings.
Now, of course, there's creativemains.
These mains are meat-based, butyou have your grilled pork
chops with pineapple, pico degallo, cacao, coq au vin, which
I bring up specifically becauseI did a couple of episodes
recently on chocolate, a 50-50burger.
(20:33):
There's steak recipes in therewith beautiful sauces to go with
it.
Those are the standouts to me.
And then there were beveragesto serve yourself or to friends,
hot and cold.
The one that I'm probably goingto be trying first is the
emboldened Bloody Mary.
I don't necessarily do a lot ofBloody Marys In Canada.
We tend to do Caesars, whichare a little bit different.
(20:54):
I love them both, and anythingwith a little bit of heat or
spice is welcome in my home orin my hand.
And then, of course, you haveyour expected sweets that any
book should have.
But the ones that I have my eyeon are the fried apple pies,
and these are like little handpies and the photograph of them
looks so good that I have to trythem.
(21:15):
And then the next one SouthernHoe Cakes with Calabrian Honey
Butter.
Now, I'm not really sure what ahoe cake is.
I've never had something likethat.
It looks like a stack ofpancakes and I love pancakes.
I don't make them too oftenbecause there's something about
the combination of all the carbsin the pancakes and then the
maple syrup on top Canadianmaple syrup, of course, I don't
(21:36):
know, it's just so carby anddelicious, but every so often
it's such a lovely treat on aslow Sunday morning and the
picture of these looks so good.
Honestly, the food photographyis second to none.
The other fun thing about thisbook is interspersed with quotes
from Mr Nelson himself and sortof his philosophy of living.
It's interspersed with stories,but I did find one that I
(22:00):
really liked.
That, I think, reallyexemplifies his feeling about
food.
Vegetables as well as meat canbe tainted with pesticides and
poisons.
Organic and regenerativefarmers are a gift and we should
recognize and support them.
Farming, like music, is magical.
Songs and soil are rooted inmystery.
Both require loving cultivation.
(22:20):
I've lived the farm life.
I love the tastes and smells.
I've been shaped by the farmlife as a kid.
That's all I knew.
It grounded me.
I learned the satisfaction ofcultivating the land in a way
that the land allows you to live.
I learned the satisfaction ofcultivating the land in a way
that the land allows you to live, picking food in the fields,
picking on my guitar, gettingthe right rhythms, the natural
(22:41):
rhythms, staying in tune withthe mystical forces that feed
our souls.
It's beautiful and a littlepoetic, and he is correct that
the organic and regenerativefarmers are a gift and we need
to support them.
And that's one reason why Ilove to shop at my local
farmer's markets markets becausea lot of those farmers are
making the choices that willallow them to farm the land that
they're on for centuries tocome, hopefully.
(23:01):
So this book is a lovelystandout amongst other cannabis
books and I'm really excited todig more into this book.
I have to admit that I'mrecording this in February.
My cooking habits change a lotin the wintertime.
I tend to do a lot of likeroasted food in the oven,
roasted stuff in the oven, andmaybe that's because I haven't
actually even been making thatmany stews or chilies this year.
(23:23):
But sometimes maybe it's just alittle bit of more lazier
cooking.
I'm hibernating, I'm notfocusing on that as much.
There are so many dishes inthis book that I will definitely
be getting into, especially asthe bounty of the local farmer's
market starts to wake up again,because I do try and buy
locally as much as possible,which means I'm eating a lot of
root vegetables right now, whichI love.
But you know, after a winterfull of squash potatoes and
(23:46):
carrots and parsnips and squashpotatoes and carrots and
parsnips and squash potato, andsometimes you throw in a nod
rutabaga, it can get to be maybea little bit boring.
And these recipes are bright andfun and exciting and I would
love to have Chef Andrea Drummeron the show.
So if any of you have contacts,let me know.
(24:06):
I mean it'd be cool to haveWillie and Annie Nelson.
But honestly, willie Nelson'sgoing to be touring all this
summer.
I think it would be a lot offun to get her on the show, but
she has a huge following, sothat might prove difficult, but
I'm not up to the task.
Of course, I'd be remiss if Isay that this book was perfect.
There is one thing and I findthis with a lot of cookbooks,
not just cannabis cookbooks butmy one critique not the stories,
(24:29):
not the excellent selection ofrecipes, not the beautiful
photography, not the fact thatit's hardcover, but the fact
that these books are never boundin such a way that they lie
flat when you're cooking.
So I mean, it depends on whereyou are in the book, but if you
have like a recipe that you'redoing at the end of the book
you're going to have, it's notgoing to lie open.
Why do they make cookbooks likethat?
Why don't they make them sothey can just lie open properly?
(24:51):
That would be my one complaintabout this book, which is also a
complaint that extends to a lotof cannabis cookbooks, because
they don't lie flat.
Now I turn the table to you whatis your favorite cannabis
cookbook?
Do you have one you go back totime and time again, or a
favorite recipe from one of yourcannabis cookbooks on your
shelf, and have you tried theWillie and Annie Nelson cannabis
(25:11):
cookbook?
I would love to hear you shareyour thoughts with me and I can
always shout them out on afuture episode.
If you have any friends orfamily that are Willie Nelson
fans, maybe you'll considersharing this episode with them.
That's it for this week, myfriends.
I am your host, margaret, anduntil next time, stay high.
Welcome back, friends , to episode 287, where I'm
doing a review of Willie andAnnie Nelson's cannabis cookbook
.
Welcome to Bite Me, the showabout edibles, where I help you
take control of your high life.
I'm your host and certifiedganger, margaret, and I love
helping cooks make safe andeffective edibles at home.
(00:25):
I'm so glad you're here, allright, and welcome back my
friends to another excitingepisode of Bite Me.
I am so glad you're here.
I am your host, margaret, andthank you for tuning in and
sharing your time with me.
It really means a lot and ifyou're just tuning in for the
first time, I'm so glad youfound me.
Let me know how you discoveredthe show and if you've been
around for a while, my heartfeltappreciation goes out to you.
(00:46):
And this is particularlyrelevant today because I am
going to be doing a review ofWillie and Annie Nelson's
Cannabis Cookbook that wasgifted to me by Steve and Terry
out of Minnesota.
They have been longtimelisteners and supporters.
This was a delightful surprisenot that long ago and I really
(01:10):
appreciate it when listeners goout of their way to do kind
things for me, because it reallymeans a lot and I'm so grateful
to have wonderful people likeTerry and Steve listening, and
there are many others out there.
You know who you are.
So all this love and support,it really does mean a lot to a
small, independent podcasterlike myself.
I am independent.
I sometimes make choices forthis podcast because I don't
(01:31):
want the podcast to startsounding a certain way.
I listen to a lot of podcastsmyself.
I mean that probably doesn'tsurprise anybody.
That's why I got intopodcasting, because it's the
medium itself that I really loveand the one that I consume most
when I am not recording my own.
But I have found that a lot ofpodcasts now sort of join these
(01:52):
podcast networks and of coursethere can be power networks, but
a lot of the times what you doend up giving up is the ability
to control what types of adsplay on your podcast.
For the most part I don't do aton of ads, except things that
are advertising my own stuff, ifyou will like.
The Bite Me Cannabis Club issomething that I founded or
(02:13):
perhaps affiliate partners thatI have for products that I've
been using a long time in my ownkitchen.
And sometimes, when you jointhese networks, you might have
access to higher revenue.
But what are you giving up forthat?
And I listened to a lot ofgreat podcasts that are doing
gambling ads and ads for thingsthat I don't necessarily
personally align with, and soit's a real creative decision to
(02:36):
sort of go the route that I'mgoing to remain independent.
I digress this was not I doknow where I was going with this
.
It was just it's listeners likeyou that really go a long way
to making this show wonderfuland keeping me on track and
delivering something that Iwould also want to listen to,
and that's often not a bunch ofads from big companies that I
have no personal experience with, just so I can make a few extra
(02:59):
.
Today we are doing a review ofthe cookbook Willie and Annie
Nelson's Cannabis Cookbook.
Now, I am somebody that hasquite a number of cookbook
cannabis cookbooks specificallyon my shelf.
I had a quick peek before Icame to do this recording this
(03:22):
morning.
I do tend to record in themornings.
I have about a dozen cannabiscookbooks on my shelf and I feel
like each one of the ones thatI have sort of has a different
angle, introduces something newto the reader.
Some of them have been booksthat I've purchased from podcast
guests because I had them onthe show, because I was really
impressed with their work andliked the direction and what
(03:44):
they were doing in the world.
So I am kind of selective,though, about the cannabis
cookbooks that I buy.
However, this gift was a verynice surprise.
I wasn't really aware that theyhad come out with a cookbook or
maybe I've heard about it alittle bit somewhere online but
when I received it I wasimmediately excited to dive in,
and there is something reallycool about the fact that Willie
(04:07):
and Annie Nelson came out withthis cookbook.
It is truly a celebration offood, family and the healing
power of cannabis.
Whether you are familiar withthe work of Willie Nelson or not
, it's pretty clear that he is ahuge advocate for cannabis.
Once I got this book, I have toadmit I'm not a big country fan
listener and I haven't listenedto a lot of Willie Nelson's
(04:28):
work.
But as someone who is such atireless advocate for cannabis
and breaking stigma because youcan't really argue with the lazy
stoner stereotype when you havea man of his vintage still
actively producing work I meanit's incredible.
So today we're going to bediscussing some of the
cookbook's origins, some of thestandout recipes and how it
(04:50):
reflects on Willie and Annie'spersonal journey with cannabis
Buckle in.
It's going to be a fun littleride.
So to start out with WillieNelson, as I already mentioned,
has been a longstanding advocatefor cannabis legalization and,
of course, as his role as acultural icon in the cannabis
(05:11):
community.
And there is a podcast that Ilisten to periodically and that
is Great Moments in Weed Historywith David Biedenstock, who has
been a podcast guest.
A few years ago I'll link tothat in the show notes, but he
has done I'm certain I'velistened to it an episode on
Willie Nelson smoking a joint onthe roof of the White House.
(05:33):
So this man is brazen, but invery smart ways.
He also has founded Willie'sReserve, which is a cannabis
brand, and he's been outspokenin his support for hemp farming.
And at the age of 91, he iscurrently 91 years old I looked
up his birth date, it is 1933,which makes him two years
(05:56):
younger than my own father andthis man has done 102 studio
albums 102.
That's wild to me, like acareer.
And of course that doesn't eveninclude live albums and
collaborations and all the otherthings that you can do that he
has done with his music careerJust outstanding.
(06:16):
And if you weren't aware,willie Nelson is on tour in 2025
.
So, at the age of 91, this manis still on tour, and I love how
he starts out the book becausehe dedicates the book.
So they dedicate the book,excuse me, they dedicate the
book to all the family farmerswho cultivate the food, fiber
and fuel necessary to keep theworld fed, clothed and moving
(06:39):
forward in a wholesome way, andto all those who make sure the
hungry have access to thesustenance they require.
I thought I would start out withthe intro that Willie Nelson
himself wrote for the bookEating and eating well.
Another matter altogether.
How do you define well?
Well, everyone would define itdifferently.
(07:01):
I'd say well means healthy andhearty, eating with gusto,
eating food that hasn't beentainted with chemicals,
farm-to-table food that tastesreal and right.
Cannabis is food, it's medicine, it's energy, it's health.
Without this special herb weaffectionately call weed, I'd
never be offering up a cookbookat the age of 91.
(07:22):
Without weed and my wife, annie, I'd probably be dead decades
ago.
With weed, I'm still strivingand thriving and creating new
music, not to mention havingcool chefs like Andrea Drummer
and Annie to cook upcannabis-flavored meals that
provide nourishment for body andsoul.
(07:44):
Before pot, I was one of thosefools who, throwing back bourbon
and beer, thought I could takeon the world.
That meant picking on guysbigger than me.
Those other stories I'm happyto forget.
The pot stories are the onesI'm glad to remember.
That's because they'regood-hearted stories, mostly
with happy endings.
I say mostly because there were, in truth, a couple of
(08:05):
decidedly unpleasant busts.
Overall, though, cannabisturned my mean to mellow.
It helped me find the groove inthe grind of a hectic but
beautiful life, creating music.
Now I want us to help youcreate something, some beautiful
food.
I love the idea of incorporatingcannabis into a wholesome diet.
I've been a champion of itslegalization since the stone
(08:28):
ages.
I couldn't be happier that thearguments advocating the many
uses of the plant have finallyprevailed.
Over a lifetime of study, Ilearned that pot is more than
pleasure.
Its positive properties arelimitless.
It's a blessing and a blast.
It's good fuel.
Together with Chef Drummer, oneof the most celebrated cannabis
(08:49):
chefs, and my wife Annie, themost celebrated chef in our home
, I'm excited to help you cookup a whole mess of wholesome
meals.
There's an abundance ofinformation here.
Abundance is the key.
An abundance of care about thefood we eat, an abundance of
creativity in preparing the food, an abundance of love in
sharing the food with others and, because I'm a storyteller by
(09:13):
trade, an abundance of storiesthat carry the fragrance of the
precious plant is, after all,the centerpiece of this book.
Be patient and get to know thedosage that suits you the best.
Willie Nelson, of course hementions Annie, and she is a
contributor to this book as welland she has a passion for
organic, sustainable living, andthey have shared values around
(09:36):
health and wellness, which inlarge part inspired this
cookbook, and I'll just take asecond to read her introduction.
Start low, go slow.
I've always said that aboutcannabis.
Well, actually I say that aboutlife in general.
If you believe in the manybenefits of cannabis, you'll
want to bring folks tounderstand it instead of scaring
(09:57):
them off with a bad experience,especially when it can help so
many when dosed properly.
I started making edibles for myhusband when he had a bad bout
of pneumonia and couldn't smoke.
For him, it was medicine,because he needed to leave his
lungs alone.
I have a bit of a scientificmind and a pretty good working
(10:17):
knowledge of the human body, soI began my mission to create an
edible he would like.
Concentrating anything meansyou concentrate good or bad,
always choose good.
I found the best and cleanestcannabis to create my chocolates
.
I'm not a smoker, so creatingan edible to bypass the smoke
was a steep learning curve forme and very much had its ups and
(10:38):
downs.
I haven't smoked pot since the70s.
Back then I would take a hit,laugh my ass off and binge
munchies.
My only reference at the timeto current pot strains was
Willie offering me a hit and methinking it was going to be a
fun afternoon.
I spent it asleep because bedwas the only place safe enough
for me while it wore off.
Yes, I'm a supreme lightweight.
(11:01):
So when I started developingedibles for him, I focused on a
dose that would find a happymedium, knowing he had a sweet
tooth and would likely eat morethan one.
The experience was hystericalat times.
One night, after having finallygotten the five simple
ingredients perfected, I slippedinto bed, maybe a little too
high, not wanting to wake himbecause sleep is so good.
(11:24):
I lay there vacillating betweenoh my God, I'm way too high to
laughing so hard and trying notto wake him.
In the end I'd found a greatdose and he became my guinea pig
from then on.
Turns out.
Everyone loved the ones Willietaste tested for me.
A friend was going to traveland had anxiety so asked for
(11:45):
some chocolate to help throughthe flight.
Willie gave him some.
Turns out this friend had anedible company and wanted mine.
We didn't agree on ingredientsbut it started people coming to
us with business proposals.
That's the genesis of usgetting into the cannabis
business.
We named the company Willie'sReserve.
I've used my base and made otherbases in many recipes and
(12:07):
always enjoy Andrea Drummers.
Always I'm celiac and havefriends with glucose issues, so
my edibles needed to begluten-free, with an even
glycemic level.
Cooking gluten-free is notdifficult.
Ingredients can be substitutedeasy enough in all recipes
without compromising theintegrity of a dish, including
flours, sauces and condiments.
(12:29):
I hope you find adventure andalways remember the basics.
Have fun and remember to neverdose anyone.
It's unkind, turns them offunnecessarily and breaks our
Nelson family rule of don't bean asshole, don't be an asshole,
don't be a goddamn asshole.
It sounds like Annie Wilson isalso a big fan of edibles, so I
(12:50):
applaud that.
This cookbook of course doesaim to destigmatize cannabis use
and promote its benefits forhealth, relaxation and
creativity, and it does talkabout responsible dosing and
education for beginners.
And with that I am going toread the note from Chef Andrea,
who was the creator of many ofthe recipes in this cookbook.
(13:14):
My career as a cannabis chefbegan out of sheer necessity.
If you're at all familiar withthe grueling work of cooks the
world over, you understand thetoll it can take on one's body.
Oblivious to this truth, myreality check came after one
year in the kitchen in the formof sciatica.
After several prescriptions ofopiates literally flushed down
(13:34):
the toilet, I beganexperimenting with infusing food
with cannabis as an alternativeto living with chronic pain.
My intention for myself was thesame as I share in these
recipes to make cannabis cuisinesafe, accessible and easy.
While consuming too much THCwill do no harm to the body, the
ramifications can proveunpleasant.
(13:56):
To that end, brands arecreating safely packaged
products with easy dosingdirections.
In addition, trained chefs areintroducing recipes suitable for
regular use and that integrateeasily into your lifestyle.
On average, the legal singledose of THC equates to 10
milligrams per serving.
This book contains recipes thatmake it easy to tailor the
(14:20):
dosage to the individual.
Using simple mathematics, theTHC component can also be
eliminated altogether for afamily-friendly meal.
That's just as appetizing.
Dosages in the recipes rangefrom 8% THC to 46% THC per
serving.
The intent is to present thepossibilities and to acknowledge
(14:41):
the varied tolerances.
The number of milligrams oneshould consume is contingent
upon a number of factors bodyweight, metabolism, tolerance,
dosage, type of edibles.
Other factors to consider arethe strains of cannabis used,
the maturation process of theplant and your overall
experience with edibles, sincethe body metabolizes THC
(15:04):
differently through the liverwhen you're eating than it does
through lungs when you'resmoking.
The experience can vary fromperson to person.
For most, the effects lastlonger.
For some, they are more intense.
To simplify edible THCconsumption, the standard
recommendation is as followed 1to 2.5 milligrams is considered
(15:27):
a microdose.
3 to 5 milligrams is low dosage.
10 to 15 milligrams is moderate.
20 to 30 milligrams is high.
50 to 100 milligrams is acute.
100 to 500 milligrams isconsidered macro dosing.
My recommendation would be thesame as I adhered to when first
(15:49):
using edibles for medicinalapplication Start low and exert
patience, and you can easilyadjust these dosages in the
recipes in the book and, mostimportant, enjoy.
I love how she breaks down thedifferent factors that can
affect the number of milligramsone should consume, because a
lot of people often erroneouslythink that if you have a monster
(16:09):
tolerance to smoking cannabis,that that will translate into
edibles, and I've seen time andtime again over the course of
personal experience andanecdotally through people I've
interviewed on this podcast, ofwhich there are probably close
to 60 by now.
That is just untrue.
As she mentions, there's awhole bunch of factors that go
into how you might process themilligrams in an edible, and
(16:31):
none of it has to do with yourtolerance to smoking.
There's something good to keepin mind and I also like how she
breaks down the doses and ifanybody is just starting out
with edibles for the first time,start with the microdose,
because I've also met peoplethat find two milligrams to be
just enough.
If you start with a fivemilligram dose, I know people
who are five milligrams is a lot, so always start with that
(16:54):
microdose and work your way upfrom there.
According to her chart, I havea high tolerance when I'm in and
around 20 to 25 milligrams.
I can tolerate that and oftenconsume that in the evenings,
but sometimes, depending on whatI'm doing, I'm going to aim for
a 15 milligram dose and I dofind that the cannabis beverages
(17:15):
on the legal market anyway,with their nano emulsion can hit
me at 10 milligrams and on anempty stomach at five.
These are all sort of fun thingsthat you learn about yourself
as you begin to experiment,which is another reason why it's
good to write this stuff downor to keep a log.
The Bite Me Edibles Journal isa great resource, but you can
put a note on your phone or ablank notebook, whatever suits
(17:37):
you best.
Now, the one thing I also likeis, of course, they show you how
to do the base infusions, andthey focus on some that often
don't get covered in a lot ofcannabis cookbooks.
They start out with cannabisghee, they next do vegan
cannabis butter, cannabisavocado oil, cannabis coconut
oil and cannabis grapeseed oil.
So they show you how to infuseall of these different base
(18:00):
infusions so you can use themthroughout the book, and a lot
of these ones will also have arelatively decent shelf life and
are stable when used in cooking.
So that's another wonderfulthing about the particular
infusions that they chose.
They didn't do butter, theydidn't do olive oil, they didn't
do alcohol some of thoseclassics that you see in a lot
(18:20):
of cookbooks.
They're doing somethingdifferent there as well, and, of
course, they start out by howto do the THC dosing for the
recipes, which is alwaysimportant.
And, again, like any recipe, asshe says, you can change the
infusion level and you don'thave to infuse it at all.
The variety of recipes in thisbook is really what sets it
apart, in my opinion, from a lotof other books that I have on
my shelf, because the number ofsavory dishes is remarkable.
(18:45):
A lot of the times when I getcannabis cookbooks, the focus is
probably more largely on thesweet side.
That's what we tend to thinkabout.
This one, I would say, moreheavily focuses the savory
dishes.
There are, of course, dessertsand beverages, but they do focus
on the savory side, spicy foodsand, of course, the gluten-free
and vegan options as well.
So here are some of the recipesthat make this book stand out
(19:09):
to me the vegan crab cakes withmango jalapeno butter.
If you're looking for somethingvegan, this.
I love crab cakes and mydaughter used to make crab cakes
as a special in her restaurantand of course, they were vegan,
and the jalapeno butter is witha vegan butter.
They were so delicious.
I'm excited to try these out.
There was a number of othervegan recipes.
(19:30):
Again, like I mentioned, Ithink there's some vegan ice
cream options just so manythings that if you are trying to
issue dairy and animal products, then you're going to have a
lot of options in this book.
Now they also have classiccomfort foods like the truffle
mac and cheese, the herb crustedgrilled cheese and a curry
ketchup.
And I mentioned those twobecause I have tried those
(19:51):
recipes the herb crusted grilledcheese and the curry ketchup
and they turned out beautifully,and sometimes you just want
that comfort food.
Grilled cheese and mac andcheese are two of those things.
So they have a beautifulselection of comfort foods.
There's also condiments anddressings like miso, caesar
salad dressing, infusedmayonnaise, kalamata, olive
(20:13):
butter, sriracha, ranch sauceall kinds of beautiful
condiments and dressings.
Now, of course, there's creativemains.
These mains are meat-based, butyou have your grilled pork
chops with pineapple, pico degallo, cacao, coq au vin, which
I bring up specifically becauseI did a couple of episodes
recently on chocolate, a 50-50burger.
(20:33):
There's steak recipes in therewith beautiful sauces to go with
it.
Those are the standouts to me.
And then there were beveragesto serve yourself or to friends,
hot and cold.
The one that I'm probably goingto be trying first is the
emboldened Bloody Mary.
I don't necessarily do a lot ofBloody Marys In Canada.
We tend to do Caesars, whichare a little bit different.
(20:54):
I love them both, and anythingwith a little bit of heat or
spice is welcome in my home orin my hand.
And then, of course, you haveyour expected sweets that any
book should have.
But the ones that I have my eyeon are the fried apple pies,
and these are like little handpies and the photograph of them
looks so good that I have to trythem.
(21:15):
And then the next one SouthernHoe Cakes with Calabrian Honey
Butter.
Now, I'm not really sure what ahoe cake is.
I've never had something likethat.
It looks like a stack ofpancakes and I love pancakes.
I don't make them too oftenbecause there's something about
the combination of all the carbsin the pancakes and then the
maple syrup on top Canadianmaple syrup, of course, I don't
(21:36):
know, it's just so carby anddelicious, but every so often
it's such a lovely treat on aslow Sunday morning and the
picture of these looks so good.
Honestly, the food photographyis second to none.
The other fun thing about thisbook is interspersed with quotes
from Mr Nelson himself and sortof his philosophy of living.
It's interspersed with stories,but I did find one that I
(22:00):
really liked.
That, I think, reallyexemplifies his feeling about
food.
Vegetables as well as meat canbe tainted with pesticides and
poisons.
Organic and regenerativefarmers are a gift and we should
recognize and support them.
Farming, like music, is magical.
Songs and soil are rooted inmystery.
Both require loving cultivation.
(22:20):
I've lived the farm life.
I love the tastes and smells.
I've been shaped by the farmlife as a kid.
That's all I knew.
It grounded me.
I learned the satisfaction ofcultivating the land in a way
that the land allows you to live.
I learned the satisfaction ofcultivating the land in a way
that the land allows you to live, picking food in the fields,
picking on my guitar, gettingthe right rhythms, the natural
(22:41):
rhythms, staying in tune withthe mystical forces that feed
our souls.
It's beautiful and a littlepoetic, and he is correct that
the organic and regenerativefarmers are a gift and we need
to support them.
And that's one reason why Ilove to shop at my local
farmer's markets markets becausea lot of those farmers are
making the choices that willallow them to farm the land that
they're on for centuries tocome, hopefully.
(23:01):
So this book is a lovelystandout amongst other cannabis
books and I'm really excited todig more into this book.
I have to admit that I'mrecording this in February.
My cooking habits change a lotin the wintertime.
I tend to do a lot of likeroasted food in the oven,
roasted stuff in the oven, andmaybe that's because I haven't
actually even been making thatmany stews or chilies this year.
(23:23):
But sometimes maybe it's just alittle bit of more lazier
cooking.
I'm hibernating, I'm notfocusing on that as much.
There are so many dishes inthis book that I will definitely
be getting into, especially asthe bounty of the local farmer's
market starts to wake up again,because I do try and buy
locally as much as possible,which means I'm eating a lot of
root vegetables right now, whichI love.
But you know, after a winterfull of squash potatoes and
(23:46):
carrots and parsnips and squashpotatoes and carrots and
parsnips and squash potato, andsometimes you throw in a nod
rutabaga, it can get to be maybea little bit boring.
And these recipes are bright andfun and exciting and I would
love to have Chef Andrea Drummeron the show.
So if any of you have contacts,let me know.
(24:06):
I mean it'd be cool to haveWillie and Annie Nelson.
But honestly, willie Nelson'sgoing to be touring all this
summer.
I think it would be a lot offun to get her on the show, but
she has a huge following, sothat might prove difficult, but
I'm not up to the task.
Of course, I'd be remiss if Isay that this book was perfect.
There is one thing and I findthis with a lot of cookbooks,
not just cannabis cookbooks butmy one critique not the stories,
(24:29):
not the excellent selection ofrecipes, not the beautiful
photography, not the fact thatit's hardcover, but the fact
that these books are never boundin such a way that they lie
flat when you're cooking.
So I mean, it depends on whereyou are in the book, but if you
have like a recipe that you'redoing at the end of the book
you're going to have, it's notgoing to lie open.
Why do they make cookbooks likethat?
Why don't they make them sothey can just lie open properly?
(24:51):
That would be my one complaintabout this book, which is also a
complaint that extends to a lotof cannabis cookbooks, because
they don't lie flat.
Now I turn the table to you whatis your favorite cannabis
cookbook?
Do you have one you go back totime and time again, or a
favorite recipe from one of yourcannabis cookbooks on your
shelf, and have you tried theWillie and Annie Nelson cannabis
(25:11):
cookbook?
I would love to hear you shareyour thoughts with me and I can
always shout them out on afuture episode.
If you have any friends orfamily that are Willie Nelson
fans, maybe you'll considersharing this episode with them.
That's it for this week, myfriends.
I am your host, margaret, anduntil next time, stay high.
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