Cooking with Cannabis: CBD-Infused Summer Pudding and Syllabub

As a child I felt lucky to be born in June when strawberries and raspberries came into season. Instead of a birthday cake I would ask for a Summer Pudding, a traditional English dessert dish, which necessitated a trip to the local fruit farm to pick the berries and sample plenty of them for sweetness! Syllabub is another traditional English sweet, and one not served to children as it contains alcohol. Both these delicacies work well with CBD alcohol tincture which adds an ambient note of wellbeing to an extravagant treat. I love these two desserts served together but both are excellent and satisfying stand alone desserts.

Summer Pudding Ingredients

300g/10.5 oz strawberries

250g/ 8.5 oz blackberries

500g/ 1lb 1oz raspberries

100g/ 3.5 oz red currants, blackcurrants or blueberries

Or 1.25/2lbs 4oz mixed berries of your choice.

60 drops Synergy CBD-rich alcohol tincture

175g/6oz caster sugar

3 tablespoons water

7 slices of day-old white bread ( store bought sliced works best)

Equipment

A pudding basin or high sided mixing bowl - 1.25 litre/ 42 floz capacity.

Clingfilm, a side plate and something to use as a weight; a can or two of beans!

Instructions

1) Wash the berries and gently dry with kitchen towels, keep the strawberries separate & remove the leaf tops. Set aside.

2) In a small saucepan add the caster sugar and the 3 tablespoons of water, heat gently, stirring a little until the sugar is completely dissolved.

3) Turn up the heat and bring the sugar water to a boil for 1 minute.

4) Add the fruit (except the strawberries) and cook for 3 minutes over a low heat, stirring occasionally. The berries will soften but won’t completely lose shape.

5) Drain the fruit in a sieve and catch the dark red berry juice in a bowl. Take 2 cups of the berry juice and set aside, add 60 drops of Synergy CBD-rich alcohol tincture into the juice and stir. Pour into a shallow bowl and set aside.

6) Take two lengths of clingfilm and lay them overlapping at the bottom of the bowl, let the clingfilm hang over the brim to make a generous fold over the top of the basin when the pudding has been made. This makes the final turning out of the pudding much less nerve-wracking!

7) Take the 7 slices of bread and cut all the crusts off. Then cut 4 slices in half, making eight rectangles, take 2 slices and cut out four triangles out of each slice. Leave one slice whole.

8) Now to assemble the pudding: start with the 1 whole slice, dip it into the CBD berry juice so lightly coat and lay the slice to cover the bottom of the bowl. Build up the sides of the bowl by dipping the rectangular half-slices in the juice one at a time and press them into the bowl, make sure every edge fits neatly together and don’t be afraid to cut down the size of the bread pieces to make everything fit nicely. The triangles are for creating a lid for the filled pudding but you may have to use a couple to finish the sides, don’t worry, there will be enough or simply add more pieces as you need.

9) Once the basin is lined with the juice-coated bread, start to spoon in the berries, adding a few strawberries with every spoonful. When the pudding is filled, make a mosaic lid with the bread triangles and then pour over the remaining CBD berry juice. Fold the ends of the clingfilm over the pudding and loosely seal. Then place a side plate on top and add something like a can or two of beans to weigh the plate down. Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

10) To serve the pudding, take off the side plate and open out the cling film, then take a large plate and put it upside-down on top of the pudding basin. Flip the plate over, holding the pudding basin steady on top, then remove the basin and the cling film, serve with syllabub, cream or ice-cream!

Enjoy!

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CBD Syllabub

Syllabub is a quick and easy dessert to make, Synergy CBD alcohol tincture pairs well with the white wine and adds a relaxing dimension to this exquisitely delicate traditional English recipe.

Ingredients

290 ml/ ¼ pint double cream or heavy whipping cream

55 gr/ 2 oz caster sugar

½ lemon in finely zested

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

40 drops Synergy CBD-rich alcohol tincture

150 ml/ 5 fl oz white wine

Mint leaves, or berries to garnish

Equipment

A whisk, a zester or grater, 6 ramekins or other small dessert dishes or glasses.

Instructions

1) Warm the sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest until the sugar is dissolved, remove from heat and set aside.

2) Add the 40 drops of Synergy CBD-rich alcohol tincture to the wine and add this mixture to the sugar lemon mixture, stir together lightly.

3) In a separate bowl whisk the cream to soft peaks and then fold in the wine/sugar/lemon mixture. Mix well and then pour into the ramekins or other little dishes. Refrigerate for 2 hours and then garnish with a mint leaf or berries.

CBDA & CBGA: Lesser-Known Cannabinoids in the Spotlight

by Billee Sharp

Research into medical cannabis is increasing our understanding of cannabinoids exponentially. The most recent scientific studies estimate at least 113 identified cannabinoids with many more still to be formally recognized. Many of these cannabinoids have not yet been studied in isolation and as such, must be considered as forming part of the entourage effect of full spectrum cannabis products. Of the cannabinoids that are currently being researched the perceived benefits continue to grow. In this article I’ll be focussing on just two of the cannabinoids that have recently come to the fore: CBDa and CBGa.

The “a '' at the end of CBDa and CBGa stands for acid, These acid cannabinoids are the precursors to CBD and CBG respectively. CBDa, (Cannabidiolic acid) and CBGa (Cannabigerolic acid) are the forms in which the cannabinoids naturally exist in the plant. When either cannabinoid is exposed to temperatures of 250 degrees F during processing, they convert to CBD and CBG respectively, through a process known as decarboxylation.

In Jan 2022 Oregon State University published results of research on the combined effect of CBDa and CBGa on inhibiting the Sars-Covid -19 coronavirus. The two cannabinoids appeared to bind to the coronavirus spike protein and prevent the virus from entering human cells. While the research was conducted in laboratory conditions and not on human subjects the positive evidence was significant and consequently further research is underway.

How the acid form of cannabinoids differs from the cannabinoid form is not entirely known. What we do know is that cannabinoids in acid form are highly bioavailable as they are consumed in their raw state. Both CBDa and CBGa exhibit the properties of CBD and CBG but in acid form, the cannabinoid appears to have a heightened effect on certain conditions.

CBDa is particularly indicated for its influence on serotonin production, the rapid onset of effect is extremely useful to those with mood issues.

CBDa like CBD is highly indicated for its anti-inflammatory properties and is proving to be a significant inhibitor of nausea.

In the world of medical cannabis research CBGa it is known as “the mother of all cannabinoids”. Quite literally all the other cannabinoids first appear as the CBGa cannabinoid, which later converts to CBG, CBDa, THCa, etc. Early research into CBGa has shown that it activates PPAR receptors which control levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, both of which make it particularly useful for both prevention of diabetic conditions and for systematic treatment for diabetes and its comorbidities.

CBGa research is ongoing into cancer treatment, with a recent study suggesting CBDa targets colon cancer cells. CBGa also shows promising results with bladder dysfunctions, neurodegenerative diseases and cardiovascular issues.

The interaction of CBDa and CBGa on our endocannabinoid system enables the ECS to maintain our homeostatic balance and for our immune system to function at full capacity. As neither CBGa or CBGa have psychoactive effects, these cannabinoids are accessible to all as an immune boosting supplement.

NB. Synergy Wellness “Super Immune” capsules, 30 x 25mg (17mg CBDa 8mg CBGa) #241 $75.00

Sources:

“What are CBDa and CBGa?” Eleanor Thompson, Jan 2022, Green Life Remedies

“Effects of low-dose CBGa as nausea inhibitor” E M Rock L A Parker

June 2013, National Library of Medicine

Gardeners: On your mark, get set, go!

by Elana Dusse

Here in Northern California, we were recently blessed with some late-season rains in a very dry winter. They extended our natural green season but now it seems the last of the rains have come and gone and any green that is forthcoming will have to be coaxed and cultivated by human hands.

Now is the time to get those stiff garden gloves and hand-tools out of the shed; to get those seedlings in the dirt; to set up your automatic drip systems if you have them. Now is the time to turn your soil, maybe add in some compost or nutrients to fortify it, to give the little plants their best chance at surviving and eventually thriving.

This is not specific to cannabis cultivation but the same rules apply, except cannabis plants are especially delicate little fairies in the beginning of their lives and need to be carefully transitioned to the Great Outdoors in a process sometimes referred to as ‘hardening off’. Sounds kinky, no? But it’s pretty straightforward and I will attempt to explain it with the remainder of this article.

If you expose your little cannabis seedlings to too much cold, too much wind and too much direct sunlight too early, they may not make it through their vulnerable plant puberty and reach adulthood.

Many gardeners start their seedlings in a controlled environment, such as a greenhouse or even inside their home under a light to give them their best shot of making it through to adolescence. As the plants become accustomed to their warm, protected environment, the process of acclimating them to the outside world must be done with care. A small fan circulating the air around the seedlings will help them strengthen stems and better prepare for the potential windy days that Spring is known for, at least here in Northern California. You don’t want the fan blowing directly at the seedlings because it could dry them out too much but just enough to keep air circulating around the room and bring a little movement to their structure.

Consistent moisture for the seedlings is also very important for their early leaf development but again, they must not get saturated and risk getting root rot so a little spray bottle of pure water is a great way to evenly distribute moisture.

Although once they start growing, you will want to feed them a hearty brew of nutrients on the regular, resist the temptation to fertilize them before they are in their forever-home soil.

And as mentioned above, too much direct sunlight can also shock these little girls as the sun’s rays are so much more intense than any artificial lighting, so as you begin to transition them outside, you start with a shady area for several hours and after a couple days in shade, you can start introducing them to direct sunlight; start with an hour and then increase by an hour each day and after about a week (depending a bit on their variety) they should be adjusted enough to transition outside. If there are any signs of burning or wilting, than you might need to slow down the exposure time a little.

As mentioned above, California spring days can be wildly windy so it is also a good idea to give the seedlings a little wind block when you are hardening them off outside so they don’t get damaged by wind when their structure is still vulnerable.

With regard to temperature, nights in Springtime can also still be too cold for seedlings so it may be necessary to bring them back in each night until the overnight temperatures increase or the plants get a little bigger. It’s good for any type of gardening enthusiast to be aware of their ‘hardiness’ zone to know when they can expect average last frost dates to better protect their vulnerable young plants. Here is a link to one of the many online search engines to determine which hardiness zone you live in.

I usually transition my cannabis plants from a seedling pot to a larger 1 gallon pot (of a nutrient-rich soil mixture) for a couple weeks and then to their final container, which is ideally at least 20-25 gallon size. I used fabric pots, which are very popular, for the first few seasons (they have excellent drainage and are not as wasteful as plastic) but last year I grew them in old clawfoot tubs, two to a tub and they did nicely.

Some people prefer to stair-step up the pot size more gradually but I just did one transition and it worked well. Be very careful when you are transplanting to not damage the roots. Give the roots a little bit of a gentle ‘tease’ before transplanting. Make sure the soil is moist but not too dry and not saturated (aka, do not transplant directly after watering; rather water them in well just after transplanting them to their larger pot. Also, they will benefit from a ‘rooting tonic’ - a supplement that you dilute in water when you water them in to help them better root into their soil substrate. There are different rooting supplements out there, some are fungal-based to help them better establish mycelia, some are actual hormones to help the plants root better. If you are more of a hobby grower and don’t want to get too fancy, you could just use an epsom salts dilution to give the roots some support while they acclimate to their new substrate. Potassium and phosphorus are also nutrients that help to encourage roots to spread and strengthen.

And then, of course, there is the nutrition needs of the plants from transplant til harvest to consider, which are considerable. Cannabis, being the ‘weed’ that it is, can still thrive with just sunlight and water but it will be lanky and devoid of full foliage and its flowers will be minuscule and lackluster. To encourage these plants to pop out the voluptuous, crystal-caked flower buds that we worship them for, we must tend them and feed them well and keep them pest-free. That is way too much to get into in this article but there is no shortage of information online on what is the best way to feed your lovely green goddesses so that they produce high-quality flowers for you in roughly 4-5 months time. Let’s just say, it is a labor of love from start to finish to grow this beautiful plant if it is not for the purpose of financial gain but you will be rewarded if you put your time, love, and energy in, for as they say: you reap what you sow! Happy planting!