Hosting an Infused Dinner Party
Host a safe and fun infused dinner that would make Martha Stewart proud.
By: Crystal Gooding
Photos: Ambedo Agency
Of course, you can spend hours infusing your own oils or butters, but oil is an easy hack to easily dose a large party and enable a customized cannabis dining experience. Ingestible oils are available in a variety of potency ranges, making it easy to efficiently incorporate into food. Ingestible oils are the real deal because any regular food item can become an edible simply by adding the oil. This has inspired people to incorporate cannabis into their daily menu planning, and furthermore, hosting infused dinner parties to spark the lives of others.
If that sounds like fun to you, here are a few tips to make your infused dinner party a success.
You don’t have to infuse everything
Make sure that if you have any snacks or appetizers out prior to dinner that they are not infused in case people end up eating more than they should. I had infused nuts and bolts out once before a dinner party, and Mom knew they were infused and how much she was allowed to eat. The next time I turned around she had eaten enough for three people and her only defense was, “I wanted to stop but they just tasted so good”. Let’s just say that Mom missed the party and certain highly munchable items should be left “as is”.
2. Know Your Crowd
The type of crowd you are hosting will help determine the amount to serve. Are they beginners or are they experienced enthusiasts that consume frequently? We suggest that edible beginners start with a low amount between 2.5 - 5mg/ml. More experienced edible admirers may enjoy between 5 -10mg/ml or more. Using oil can give you precise control even if you want to dial it down to 1 mg per dishes and can allow for customization for your varied guests. But remember, even for the most experienced, always go low and slow, especially if you plan on infusing more than one course.
3. Decide on the desired experience
Now that you have decided on the amount to serve per person, decide how would you like to incorporate it into the food and the experience you’d like to curate for your guests. A few things to consider are the number of courses and when you would like the infusion to start taking effect. If you are only serving one course, that makes it easy! If you will be serving multiple courses, are you wanting your guests to ingest the full amount in the first course, so they are well on their way by the end of dinner, or slowly infuse throughout the entire meal for a slower release of effects? So many options! Remember, CBD is a great way to balance your high, so you can totally incorporate CBD specific dishes and a means of creating a well-balanced, well-developed high without putting your guest over the top!
4. Try Dry
Go easy on the booze or just eliminate it all together so your guests remain comfortable. When both alcohol and cannabis are consumed together, it can create adverse effects that most people find overwhelming and not enjoyable. Make sure that water glasses are always topped up and your guests are staying well-hydrated while partaking in your dinner adventure. Even better, craft up a tasty mocktail that plays off the food while providing hydration!
5. Be a responsible host
When the end of the night arrives and people need to get home, ensure everyone has a safe way of getting there. Having planned this in advance will give you peace of mind that everyone will arrive home safely after spending a splendid evening together that was full of conversation, giggles and infused food.
