It’s 2019 — having a dope ‘cannabis dinner’ is about to become the new fancy ‘wine dinner.’

Remember the moment you realized Friendsgiving was a more relaxed, delicious and creative version of Thanksgiving? That’s what’s going on here.

Both Friendsgiving and Thanksgiving are celebrated in the same window of time every year. The throughline of both is that you share food with the people you love — but the periphery, the soul, the fun, is an entirely different beast.

Food at a traditional Thanksgiving often comes from a singular source, preferably your mom’s lauded recipes from generations past, while Friendsgiving is more akin to a gourmand’s potluck. Picture a hodgepodge of stolen Whole Foods hot plates, your boy’s fresh baked slider casserole, and fighting over whoever made the best Korean BBQ-inspired turkey stuffing (real talk).

But we’re not talking Thanksgiving, nor Friendsgiving here — instead, we’re talking about throwing a dinner where weed is your wine. Where the green is your red. Where the buzz can make your head feel like a balloon instead of a bowling ball.

If you’re indulging in edibles, your limbs might have a certain feathery je ne sais quoi (yeah we’re saying that now). Your hangover will be hazy, and not pounding. Regardless of your buzz, I’ve put together a few core ingredients for you to throw your own cannabis dinner at home.

Sure, some of my friends reading might be thinking, “Weed dinner? Bruh, you rip the bong, fire up some Taco Bell on Postmates, keep it pushing.” But truly, cannabis dinners are anything but the sort.

You might as well be having more of these nights so you can say you’ve been doing it before you read about it in Home & Gardening. And frankly, I was so inspired by Blüm Cannabazaar Dinner that Blüm dispensaries curated a few weeks back that I had to show off a little of what makes a proper cannabis dinner work!

MAKE IT LEGIT

It goes without saying, but we’re talking about legal activity here. So, make sure you throw your dinner party in a state where it is legal to purchase and consume cannabis, and that you and all your guests are at least 21 years old. Check out the cannabis regulations in your state (and local jurisdiction – because you might need a permit under certain circumstances), and follow the rules of the road. And, of course, purchase all “product” from a licensed dispensary, like Blüm dispensaries.

GET YOUR GUEST LIST RIGHT

If we’re still thinking Friendsgiving tropes, the party’s only as fun as the mix of friends that show up. It doesn’t mean you have to invite just your closest friends, sometimes you want to find the perfect mix of people who know each other, the friends who are good at welcoming newcomers, and those who either want to get a little giggly, or are open to being around those who are.

At the Blüm Cannabazaar dinner, for every face that I knew, there was one that I didn’t. Where I sat at dinner happened to be around two friends of mine, and three people I had never met before. Two hits of a floating pre-roll going around the room, and I was fast friends with these folks. A few giggles and an ice breaker of, “You ever been to a dinner like this?” was all it took.

ONE PIECE OF DIY DECOR CAN REALLY ELEVATE THE MOOD

You don’t need to be a Pinterest slueth to have some fun with the look of your home — and while this step is totally optional (the guest list is not optional… we all know how quick vibes can turn when Keith from accounting refuses to interact with the group; don’t invite Keith), I highly recommend it.

At the Blüm Cannabazaar dinner (which I will shorten to BC from here on out), they built this awesome chandelier entirely of loose branches and good smells:

PROVIDE INFUSED AND NON-INFUSED MENU ITEMS, FIND A UNIQUE BUT CLEAR WAY TO LABEL THEM!

Not everyone wants to eat their weed, even when they’re properly dosed (I’ll talk about that next!). Some guests will just want to drag a pre-roll, and enjoy a high that might come and go a bit faster than the edible experience. Serving infused items on different colored plates is a solid way to explain to your guests how things are coming out, and one they can remember easily, even as the night progresses. If you’re not feeling creative, green plates for infused, white plates for the virgin dishes is an easy way to go!

LOW DOSES FOR INFUSED FOODS ARE KEY. DON’T BE A HERO!

Cooking with cannabis is getting easier and easier. With infused olive oils, pre-packaged and professionally labeled edibles, we’re in an era where you can know exactly how much more altitude each course will give you. And it wouldn’t hurt to consult with the bud-tenders at Blüm Dispensaries about how much might be too much.

For example, say you want your dessert course to have 2.5 mg of THC. That’s a nice little entry level dose, even for the timid. Next, say you want individual fondue cups for each guest (baller move, so much fun). Well, grab one of these Individual Fondue Mugs off Amazon, drop a 2.5 mg THC KIVA chocolate into the mug with whatever other non-infused melting chocolate you like, stir, and voila!

Regardless of how much in the mug you eat, the most your dosage from that course will be is 2.5mg THC.

For example, at the BC, two of the courses put out by chef Luke Reyes had a max infusion of 5mg of THC. So even if you put down every bite of each dish, you know you’re only gonna get max 10mg of THC.

My favorite dish was his Infused Pesto Pasta. By using infused olive oil, it allowed chef a lot of flexibility and streamlined his ability to make one dish, but plate one as infused, the other as virgin. Go ahead, melt your taste buds a bit:

BRING OUT SOME NEW “PRODUCT” FOR THE GUESTS

Whether it’s a dope new pre-roll brand, a glass piece shaped like a donut, or a new cannabis-infused beer, even a couple items you think even your high tolerance friends might not  know about is always a cool vibe. Kind of like pulling out that random bottle of wine you picked up from an Orlando liquor store on your last trip to the Florida Keys, it’s something new to try together.

HAVE FUN, IT’S NOT THAT SERIOUS

At the end of it all, you’re getting a little lifted and enjoying delicious food with your friends.

There’s something magical that happens about 2 - 3 hours in to one of these dinners, where you might be on your 3rd course, look at your table mate who’s telling a story and wonder if they’re as high as you are. Do you say something? Do you keep nodding in appreciation of their fine storytelling? Do I look high? I sneak a laugh. They stop talking. Their story wasn’t a funny story. They laugh anyways.

This is one of those dinners neither of you has ever done before — and that’s now something you guys have in common.

MAJOR KEY: Don’t forget to arrange for a ride home for all your guests, or perhaps work in an apres-dinner period where everyone can “level out” before heading home. Dinner should be lit, but as a host, always take seriously the health and safety of your guests, including getting home safely.

Enjoy your next cannabis dinner!

Created in partnership with Blüm

• The statements in this article are for informational and educational purposes only. This does not constitute an advertisement, promotion or offer to sell any marijuana or other cannabis-derived products. It is intended for persons over the age of 21. It is illegal to sell or advertise cannabis-derived products to anyone under the age of 21 or in locations where persons under 21 are expected to be found in significant proportion. Marijuana should never be consumed by, or provided to, anyone under the age of 21 under any circumstances.

• Although Marijuana is recreationally legal in California, Nevada and several other states, it is illegal to purchase or sell marijuana in many states without a prescription, and under any circumstances in other states. Know what the law is in your state and follow it. Even in states where marijuana may be legally purchased, sold and consumed, you must be at least 21 years of age to buy, possess or consume marijuana products of any kind.

• These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.