Pairing Wine and Canabis in Napa Valley

I often describe myself as a "Cannabis Sommelier", because I talk about the flavors, smells and lineage of Marijuana strains the way most people talk about wine.

In February I hosted #HighOnTheVine in #Napa, where I merged my experience behind the bar with my Cannabis knowledge, to pair the flavors in locally made wines with the Terpenes of locally grown cannabis.

This event in Napa was a fun way to showcase my knowledge, serve some delicious vegan food, and talk about cannabis in a way that I haven't really seen before.

Pictured is a photo taken by @AlexKnowbody of ☆Elyse Wineries C'est si Bon

This medium bodied Red is well balanced with soft tannins and low acidity. The flavor depth of this wine paired so well with a Napa grown Purple Urkle, which has berry, grape and musky Myrcene notes.

When Sommeliers describe wine flavor you will often hear terms like "Mossy", or "Forest Floor", which would be how I describe the terpene Myrcene.

C'est Si Bon is a blend of varietals that are found in the south of France and in the Sierra foothills of Northern California, the perfect accompaniment to a Napa grown #PurpleUrkle, a phenotype (or varietal) of a locally hybridized Mendocino Purp.

Notes of herbes de provence, clove, berry, earth and spice of this wine, paired so well with the sweet and spicy Strain flavor. Both really shined when served with the basil, oregano and herbaceous notes of our main course, a Vegan pasta and fresh roasted tomato sauce with an Oyster Mushroom Parmesan, and fresh cracked cannabis flower on top.

Making comparisons like this, and using food as a learning tool helps make Cannabis more comprehensive for my guests.

If you learn best over dinner and cocktails, I offer a variety of pairing and educational packages where I create an entire immersive learning and dining experience.

If you want to hire me for private catering and education, email me for pricing and availability.

Livviesmallsevents@gmail.com  

 

 

Liv in Willamette Week!

"Liv Vasquez is on a mission to redefine stoner culture through food.

The chef—who started culinary school at 16 and owned two restaurants in New York by 22—makes a living catering high-end soirees and pop-ups which consist solely of cannabis-infused dishes. She's been flown to Napa Valley, Los Angeles and New York for events that range from weed-and-wine pairings to cannabis fashion shows..."

- Read the entire Wilamette Week Article 

Here -https://www.wweek.com/culture/2018/09/25/liv-vasquez-wants-her-highbrow-edibles-to-show-the-world-that-stoner-culture-isnt-just-brownies-and-basements/

Press

"I had the pleasure of interviewing Liv Vasquez, a traveling Cannabis Chef and Educator based in Portland Oregon. Liv brings her experience as a chef, recipe writer, and restaurateur to the Cannabis space, focusing on plant based food and plant medicine. She creates beautiful events and exciting pop up experiences that she labels “adventure dining” where her clients are taken to exciting venues like a rooftop garden in Los Angeles or Green house in Portland, creating a new kind of experience and dialogue around Marijuana edibles."

Check out the full interview for Authority Mag here...

https://medium.com/authority-magazine/cannabis-extractions-infused-in-different-types-of-foods-all-had-different-highs-with-chef-liv-5db4d6e5f274

 

Photos by Ali Limon