Cannabis fits into many facets of culinary culture. The plants grow well on the same terroir as grape vines. Some strains even pair with fine foods. Chefs have noticed. A few have released weed collaborations playing into these subtle connections over the years.
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Bacanora, a Sonoran restaurant in Phoenix backed by Rene Chito, put out a limited edition pre-roll pack with Tumble a few years ago. The Arizona brand has since released another culinary collaboration with CC’s on Central in homage to the holy trinity of flavors seen in most New Orleans fare. Now SF Standard reports that California chefs are entering collab territory–specifically with two-Michelin-starred restaurant Lazy Bear.
Sonoma Hills Farm brought the new strain to life, with some help from Humboldt Seed Company. The companies meticulously sorted through phenotypes with the Lazy Bear team at the helm. Chef David Barzelay and partner Colleen Booth went through thousands of options over the last three years before finding the perfect one. They sought a finisher who would inspire patrons to engage more deeply with their dishes.
“The right strain of cannabis is like the salt in your food,” Booth said to SF Standard. “It elevates it.”
Lazy Bear Reserve hits San Francisco
The fine dining restaurant sought out a weed that smelled of Northern California when they opened a jar of Lazy Bear Reserve. To them, that means wafting Meyer lemons and loamy Redwood trees that translate into the flavor. They outsourced to Humboldt Seed Company to find the inevitable winner, a cross of Orange Cream Pop, Hella Jelly, and Orange Creamsicle Bx3.
While finding the right plant was a journey, Barzelay had no doubts about partnering with sun-and-soil-grown flower from Sonoma Hills.
“It’s a farm that treats their weed the way our favorite farms treat the other ingredients that we use at Lazy Bear,” Barzelay says. “We wouldn’t have done this with anybody else.”
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Lazy Bear Reserve is reported as a social, uplifting variety with a well-rounded body high. It is described as sensory, meant to uplift the classic American flavors featured at the restaurant. Flower and pre-rolls are available at select Bay Area dispensaries, including San Pancho Cannabis Club by OFL across the street.
The restaurant is not saying to go get Lazy Bear Reserve and light up before coming in for a reservation–but they are also not not saying that. Perhaps a puff of a curated flavor could be akin to a welcome glass of champagne in the future of fine dining. Weed nerds, foodies, and everyone in between should check out this phenotype while supplies last.
