Unveiling Culinary Delights: Exploring Msu Denver’s Gastronomic Journey Through Cooking With Cannabis

By Author: Sativa Bliss Canabis
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Embracing an Epicurean Adventure: Step into MSU Denver’s Cooking with Cannabis course for a singular culinary experience. Shannon Donelley, MSU Denver’s affiliate professor—affectionately known as "the professor of cannabis" in the School of Hospitality—cordially welcomed The Metropolitan to an insider's view of her intriguing Cannabis in the Kitchen class.

While Colorado's cannabis industry isn't new, it's continually blossoming. Donelley believes it's the gateway for students to reimagine the plant and have candid discussions about cannabis without any stigma.

Industry growth speaks volumes: Since 2014, retail cannabis sales in Colorado surged from $23.8 million to a staggering $72.6 million in 2021, marking the highest annual revenue, as per the 2023 City and County of Denver report.

In the class, Donelley focuses solely on the non-psychoactive part of cannabis—CBD—eschewing the psychoactive compound THC. She clarifies that it's not about getting high; instead, CBD offers pain relief, eases anxiety, and stress.

Venturing into her lectures, Donelley presented a YouTube video on her CBD ...
... Lavender Lemonade recipe. Practical work followed suit, starting with making a CBD simple syrup for mocktails.

In a hands-on session, students carefully prepared a CBD isolate, crafted a simple syrup, and garnished their mocktails with terpenes to create distinctive flavors. The aromas infused in the beverages included Linalool, Nerolidol, Eucalyptol, D-Limonene, Cymene, and Terpinolene, delivering an array of tantalizing taste experiences.

For student Alexis Fedner, a mock-margarita with a rosesalt-lined rim, CBD simple syrup, Nerolidol, and lime juice became her innovative creation. Studying anthropology, she chose this elective to learn simple recipes that could be recreated at home.

Reflecting on the classes, Fedner mentioned making CBD oil for personal use, utilizing it for a zesty CBD jalapeno aioli, bringing a newfound culinary adventure into her everyday routine.

Donelley, with 16 years in the cannabis industry, envisions tremendous possibilities for her students. Starting with Introduction to Cannabis 101 and the recent Cannabis in the Kitchen course, she aims to bridge the gap between students and the booming cannabis industry.

The growing hospitality licenses in Colorado have sparked a new wave of opportunities where one can indulge in cannabis, leading to exciting cooking classes and potential partnerships between MSU Denver students and cannabis companies.