Currently, Utah’s medical cannabis patients will only find cannabis flower, tinctures, balms, gel caps and creams at local pharmacies. On the sweeter side of things, there’s little more beyond lozenges and gelatinous cubes. Neither are we yet seeing savory items to tempt our taste buds.
“This limits many opportunities for introducing medical cannabis into people’s diets. We’re going to see more and more flavors develop as the market speaks back.”
Julian Hensarling, Confectioner at the Boojum Group in Heber, Utah
Julian Hensarling described this as a huge opportunity to develop highly nuanced edible flavors that we’ve not seen before, which is very exciting. For example, he suggested adding a bit more citrol to an already citrol-heavy Orange Skittlez strain of cannabis edibles is kind of fun and what’s more, it tastes like something from cannabis. “It’s a natural thing.”
When asked how terpenes factor into flavor Hensarling replied, terpenes don’t just exist in cannabis, they’ve been used in human recipes for thousands of years. “It’s the idea that clove flavor has benefits. Cinnamon can calm you down; cloves will chill you out.” He went on to say that Boojum edibles are prepared in small batches to ensure each one has a specific dose of medical cannabis.
He’s energized at the prospect of using Utah’s excellent produce like finishing oils to manage dosing. And, he’s also keen to incorporate Utah’s superb chocolate in this upcoming menu of medical cannabis edibles.
Hensarling mentioned that Cannabis being much like an herb also makes it perfect for savory foods. Maybe we’ll see a cannabis cake pop, or an infused coffee in the near future. If that doesn’t whet your appetite, soon, he predicts, Utah residents won’t have any reason for leaving the state to find the very best cannabis products. “Eventually, the products here will be as good as anywhere else.”
Working toward developing recipes for a one lozenge is enough kind of edible is where you’ll find Hensarling turning cannabis flower into real medicine on the daily. He’s worked on all kinds of food with broad experience as a private chef, and being closely involved in things like shooting gourmet burger ads. “I find consistency and ability to control experience to be very interesting,” said Hensarling. “It’s not just candy; this is medicine.”
Eventually, he landed in New York as a food stylist helping develop recipes for food magazines. After Covid-19 began, he and his family returned to Utah where he spent lots of time growing up.
Some flavors simply don’t play well together, said Hensarling. But when it comes to the primary process for developing edibles, or anything consumed orally, the main concerns are going to be taste and dosage. “We always start there.”
“I think dosage ends up being the most important aspect of an edible recipe because it needs to be consistent. It’s a little trial and error, and a lot of math,” said Hensarling. “Everything here is very scientific. It’s more about making sure all of the synergistic properties are working together and that we have everything dialed in when it comes to the production and development of it.”
Watch our interview with Julian Hensarling, a food expert well-travelled on the culinary map, and now, Confectioner at the Boojum Group in Heber, Utah
Published in Salt Baked City Print Magazine – Spring 2021
