Walk into any fine dining establishment around the world and you’ll be presented with a list of wines to pair with the meal you’re about to devour. Each of those wines is hand-selected with extreme care to accentuate the flavors and textures of the food on your plate. For some people, the wine pairing IS the main attraction of a meal.
But wine isn’t the only thing that pairs well with food. Personally, there are few things I enjoy more than burning a massive joint before eating an amazing meal. When I’m high as hell with the munchies like a motherfucker, each bite is a new explosion of flavor, each sip of drink quenches my thirst more, each moment of the dining experience is… simply better.
The only problem? It’s not exactly acceptable to whip out a dab rig or spark up some sticky icky in the middle of a multi-course meal. That is, until I discovered the Cosmic Supper Club – a monthly pop-up dining experience in San Francisco that pairs gourmet food with gourmet solventless hash.
After attending another Cosmic Supper Club event last weekend, I decided it was finally time to share more about these amazing events. Read on below.
INGREDIENTS
The Curators
Launched in 2017 as the brain child of two culture creators in the Bay Area cannabis scene, @yungslabby + @yungspacedust, the Cosmic Supper Club was born from the idea of bridging the inevitable gap between fine dining, connoisseur cannabis and hospitality. They blend everything together in a beautiful, cohesive experience that, in my opinion, will serve as a blueprint for others across the country.
The Food
Fresh seasonal ingredients, gorgeous presentation of the dishes, thoughtful progression of the flavors… the cuisine is on the level you’d expect to see at many of San Francisco’s top restaurants. That’s no surprise when you learn the head chef, @doja.chris, brings techniques from his time working in award-winning kitchens, including San Francisco’s Three Michelin Star restaurant Quince. While the menu changes every Supper Club based on the season, the top shelf quality of each dish is impressively consistent.
The Rosin
Instead of fine wines, each course of a Cosmic Supper Club is expertly paired with rosin produced by some of the best extractors in the business. Flavors from Dr. Ladybug, Frosty, and Heads that Roll (just to name a few) are frequently featured on the menu – if you’re familiar with the California concentrate scene then you know these are some of the most sought after producers across the state. The buffet of flavors on the menu, along with all the flavors that other heads bring, is next fucking level.
The Art
The dishes aren’t the only museum-worthy creations at the Cosmic Supper Club. Each event serves as a platform for artists and collectors to showcase beautiful work spanning an array of mediums. At some events you may see a pop-up exhibit by @lotcomedy or a selection of vintage threads from @deadhead, and you’re guaran-fuckin-teed to see some face melting glass. Art is woven into the fabric of these events the same way it’s woven into the fabric of cannabis culture.
The Guests
The final crucial ingredient that makes these gatherings so special are the people who attend. At any given meal you may be sitting around some of the best cannabis producers in Northern California, glass artists who are pushing the boundaries of the craft, and fellow flavor chasers who are passionate about the plant and the culture that surrounds it. I feel like a mere mortal in the presence of gods when I attend these event, but regardless of where anyone comes from or how they fit into the community, they’re welcomed like family.
THE EXPERIENCE
When you walk into a Cosmic Supper Club – typically hosted at an upscale private home/event space – you can immediately sense this is a dining experience unlike any other. The smell of dank flowers and dab hits linger above communal tables setup with the typical place settings needed to enjoy a meal, along with all the essentials needed for a proper dab session (rigs, torches, timers, ISO stations, etc.).
Guests mingle around the dining room, sharing dabs from their head stash, showing off and admiring jaw-dropping rigs, and celebrating the plant that brings us all together. Before you know it, it’s time to take your seat as the meal gets started.
First to arrive with each course is the rosin. Each serving is about .25 grams – which adds up to about 1.5 grams throughout the entire meal – and is enough for a couple nice-sized dabs. Next, the delicious food drops in front of you.
They instruct you to first take a dab, then take a bite or two of your dish, then take another dab. That way you can experience the full intermingling of flavors and effects. It’s a beautiful sight to look down the table and see happy people openly and freely enjoying cannabis while eating dank food.
During the meal, a crew of awesome people take full care of your every need. Torch runs out of fuel? They’ll fill it up. Didn’t bring a rig? They’ll bring one over, heat it up, set a timer, then tell you when to dab for optimal flavor. Ran out of Q-tips? I think you get the point…
And have I mentioned the amount of ridiculous glass that shows up at these events? No matter where you’re sitting, there will be at least three absolutely insane rigs owned by the people sitting directly around you. Rigs from artists like Storman Norman, Eusheen, Quave and Contrabasso float around the room for anyone to hit (and sometimes the artists are there in the flesh). The amount of form and function in the room is off the charts.
After six courses of food and hash, I’m always properly baked and my appetite is completely satisfied. I usually smoke a joint outside with a few other diners before heading home with an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the cannabis community.
To me, the Cosmic Supper Clubs represent a beautiful future of possibilities where cannabis is openly integrated into other parts of culture where it naturally fits. I have so much respect and praise for the trailblazers that are creating these experiences for all to enjoy. If you ever get the chance, don’t sleep on the opportunity to experience one of these events for yourself.
Hope to see you at the next Supper Club. 🙏🏼
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