Want to make the dopest cheese plate? Take some advice from a pro. Chicago-based monger, Cheesemonger Invitational champion, and cannabis aficionado Jordan Edwards describes four perfect weed-and-cheese pairings to get you started.
Jasper Hill Farm Winnimere and + Gorilla Glue Cold Water Hash
“One of my best friends made this hash—it’s a way of taking trim and turning it into a value-added product. Kind of like milk to cheese, but with a bucket of ice and water instead of curds and whey.
This hash was made from a flower strain called Gorilla Glue, which is a hybrid that’s pretty evenly split between Sativa and Indica. It’s grown more for its high THC content, giving it a heady large cold-brew-coffee-meets-sitting-in-a-whirlpool-high. When hot knifed, it fills the room with an earthy, dusty records and old chocolate, slightly woodsy aroma. Like what I imagine a stoner’s basement in Vermont smells like. Winnimere’s hearty raw milk really shines in this pairing—it’s smoky and rich, cleaned up with a mustardy bite.”
Jasper Hill Farm Little Hosmer + Cheese Shatter
“Shatter is over my head as far as weed science goes, but basically it’s the weed of the future. It’s super concentrated and has a much higher percentage of THC; to use a milk metaphor, it’s like sheep’s milk vs. goat’s milk when comparing fat in dry matter. The strain this shatter is made from couldn’t be more fitting: It’s called Cheese. It has a fruity, jammy aroma with an herbal and strangely cheesy finish.
Little Hosmer is an American brie style made in a perfectly seshable size. Like the shatter, the cheese has a very balanced arch of flavor that ends on a pleasing mushroomy, buttery finish. For shatter and other concentrates, I recommend visiting a smoke shop and asking about what kind of electric “rigs” they carry and ask what they use personally. I use the “This thing rips model four 2.0.”
Vermont Creamery St Albans + Purple Kush Honey Oil
“This little self-contained hot tub of cow’s milk love is made by Vermont Creamery and is their first all cow’s milk cheese. When briefly warmed in the oven it has a delicate custard texture. I paired it with a pre-filled honey oil cartridge. Both the cheese and this format of marijuana are super easy going; the Purple Kush strain is pure Indica and has a floral, sweet taste and aroma. That really turns this pairing into a dessert. It will send you into couch lock, so make sure the cheese is nearby or you’ll just stare at it not wanting to get up.”
Uplands Cheese Pleasant Ridge Reserve + Sour Banana
“I think Pleasant Ridge has this really amazing pineapple and glazed-ham vibe that gets brought to the frontline when paired with Sour Banana, a Sour Diesel and Banana Sherbet hybrid that leans toward Sativa. The flower has this citrus pith, zippy flavor that reminds me of off-dry white wines from Alsace, or crisp farmhouse ciders—both of which also pair well with Pleasant Ridge. (I recommend Virtue Ciders Percheron farmhouse cider from Michigan.)
I enjoy smoking raw papers classic cones. I think the mouthfeel and the body of the smoke when you pull off a joint is part of the sensory experience. Pleasant Ridge is big-flavored and has a lot of depth, with subtle flavors that mirror this strain.”
For more on pairing cheese with cannabis (and more!), check out our Great 28 pairings issue on newsstands now.
Jordan Edwards
Jordan grew up in Chicago and until he began working in restaurants at the age of fourteen had only experienced cheese as it came from the welfare food bank. He worked his way up from dishwasher to executive chef and was on a culinary path until the restaurant he worked at abruptly shut down when the owner pawned the stove and frier to pay off gambling debts. Understandably discouraged, he found a job with Pastoral delivering cheese to restaurants. With every delivery he made a point to learn about the cheeses he was dropping off. After six months in delivery, Jordan’s car was stolen! Fortunately, Pastoral’s owners had become impressed with him and offered him a position behind the cheese counter, and now he can’t imagine doing anything else.
