This year, Colorado has a lot to be Dankful for.  Just ask Leona St. Louis.

Through the biting cold of a November day in Colorado, Leona and her boyfriend started up their car and drove five hours to their destination, a friendly-looking Victorian home.  Not really knowing what to expect when she walked in, Leona took a deep breath, turned the handle, and stepped through the doorway with her boyfriend.  The toasty air inside instantly warmed her bones and melted away any anxiety she may have had.  A few steps further in and she was hit with the intoxicating aroma of dank weed and the familiar, warm smell of a well-loved and cooked-in kitchen.

In the main gathering room, they were greeted by a grand piano and a beautiful display of buds, bongs, pipes and papers.  Just down the hall was an elegantly set table, ready for a night of smiling, conversing, laughing and cannabis consumption.  This was Danksgiving.

What is Danksgiving?  Well, it’s a holiday typically celebrated the weekend after Thanksgiving, and honestly, the two holidays have a lot in common.  Both have food, drink, loved ones and merry times all around. Pretty standard, except on Danksgiving, as you may have guessed, there is one major difference.  You may want to leave Grandma home for this holiday (unless you have an exceptionally chill Grandma) because Danksgiving is the day when you get together with friends, light up the Mary Jane, and sit down for a THC-infused feast.

If this is your Grandma, bring her for sure.

Last Tuesday, Whaxy, the cannabis news resource and creators of the app that can tell you what strains are currently in stock at what legal dispensaries…

…teamed up with Seattle based Cannabis Chef Ricky Flickenger, The Bud+Breakfast at The Adagio in Denver and Cannabis Dispensary Denver Relief to hold an exclusive Danksgiving dinner, the likes of which Colorado has never seen before.

Marie Veksler, General Manager at Whaxy said she wanted to gather fellow marijuana enthusiasts to “celebrate the natural pairing of weed and food” and what better way than by hosting a world-class cannabis-infused Danksgiving dinner!  The feast was open only to Whaxy’s contest winners.  Leona St. Louis, photographer, artist and author of a new blog; 101onWeed, was just one of the sixteen lucky winners.  For all of those who couldn’t be there, here’s a recap of the night.

THE CANNABIS:  The evening began with some flower and concentrates purchased from Denver Relief.  Guests were invited to smoke before and during the infused meal.  An on-site budtender served as a sommelier.

The strains offered for smoking included: Outer Space, Bio Jesus, Ultimate 91 Chemdawg and Bio Diesel.  The DRx concentrates used to cook the meal were: Outer Space, Bio Diesel and Lemon Durban.

THE VENUE:  The Bud + Breakfast at The Adagio is housed in a cozy Victorian home in Denver, Colorado.  A premiere cannabis-friendly lodging and hospitality company, they feature a “wake and bake breakfast,” “4:20 Happy Hour” and cannabis-infused massage therapy.  While they are in the business of hosting bridal showers and rehearsal dinners, last Tuesday they proved to also be the perfect venue to host a Danksgiving feast.

THE HOSTESS: A fun and creative departure from breaking cannabis news and creating apps that revolutionize the way cannabis consumers connect with dispensaries (see more info on Whaxy at the bottom of the article), Marie, with full support of the Whaxy team, flew in renowned Cannabis Chef Ricky Flickenger from Seattle to execute the epic meal.  “I got a phone call from Marie asking if I’d be willing to travel to Denver to prepare a Danksgiving feast.” said Ricky.  “Minutes later there were in flight tickets in my inbox and the event was on!”

THE CHEF: Chef Ricky was formerly the head pasty chef for Seattle’s Trophy Cupcakes.  Six years ago, Ricky created Bourgeoisie Brunches to share his passion for cooking with the community around him.  A long time user of cannabis to manage his anxiety, when Washington legalized recreational marijuana, Ricky saw an opportunity.  Now, every Saturday Chef Ricky teaches small groups how to cook their own cannabis-infused food.  Bored with marijuana sweet treats, he teaches people how to use cannabis oil to cook everything from tapas to entrees to desserts.  His unique expertise made him the unequivocal best choice to prepare the unprecedented Danksgiving.

All that, plus he has a dope beard!

If you’re already a bit sad that you missed out on this glorious event, you may not want to read further because the food lineup for this dinner was absolutely amazing.  The menu included:

YUM!!

Chef Ricky infused the meal in its entirety with 10mg of cannabis, thus allowing people to eat their fill without getting absurdly high.  The meal he was most proud of?  The Puff Pastry Flowers filled with all the great things about Danksgiving; Tender Slow Roasted Turkey and Veggies in THC Infused Cream Sauce.

The highlight for Marie was watching sixteen strangers become friends bonding over their common love of cannabis.  Like a proper Danksgiving celebration, the pipe was passed around the table throughout the night.

Leona’s favorite course?  The Sweet Potatoes.  “They were to die for!  The sweetness of the maple in conjunction with the texture of the pecan created a delightfully intriguing flavor.”

After a wholly wonderful time, Leona and her boyfriend left happy, full, and pretty damn high.  On the drive home the next day, they reflected on the magnificent meal and the fantastic friends they had made.  Leona’s boyfriend turned to her. “You know,” he said, “it’s not about Danksgiving, it’s what Danksgiving is all about.”

Happy Holidays everyone!