Since the beginning of his career in the early ’90s, when he arrived on the West Coast music scene as a smooth-talking gangsta-rap standout, Snoop Dogg has been more than open about how much he loves smoking weed.

From that “bubonic chronic” he bragged about on ‘Gin and Juice’ to his numerous successful forays into today’s legal cannabis industry, almost 25 years later, the D-O-double-G and marijuana are practically synonymous. That’s why we were initially a little disappointed when we found out Snoop’s first cookbook, “From Crook to Cook: Platinum Recipes from Tha Boss Dogg’s Kitchen,” wouldn’t include any recipes that incorporate cannabis.

It’s not as if cookbooks that combine marijuana and cooking are remotely taboo anymore — see “Bong Appetit” and “Edibles: Small Bites for the Modern Cannabis Kitchen” for two examples from late 2018 alone. And it seems unusual that one of the titular stars of “Mac & Devin Go to High School” would shy away from a chance to include pot in… anything. But, for whatever reason, “From Cook to Crook” declines to teach its readers how to dose their home-cooked munchies.

That’s not to say the plant is entirely absent in “From Crook to Cook,” either. The text is full of cheeky, wink-wink references to smoking pot. Snoop talks about “OG munchies” in three different sections interspersed throughout the book, where he ranks his favorite cereal, chips and candy. He tells readers to “go get baked!” in the introduction for a brownie sundae recipe. And one of the recipes, dubbed “The Lunch Briz-eak,” is literally just a plate of fruit with honey and peanut butter on it that you’re supposed to eat while you get high at work — though, for the record, it sounds tasty.

All we’re saying is, it’s kind of a weird branding choice to not even have a cannabutter recipe in the Snoop Dogg cookbook.

But enough about what “From Crook to Cook”doesn’t have, because at the end of the day, this cookbook is tons of fun, provided you’re a fan of Mr. Doggy Dogg and comprehensive recipes for some truly decadent home-cooked meals. It is undeniably engaging to read. Its pages are colorful, Snoop cracks jokes throughout the copy and there are beautiful photographs of many of the dishes described therein — plus, a great shot of Snoop smirking while he holds a lobster.

The whole thing starts off with a bite-sized opener from his TV co-host Martha Stewart, an introduction from Snoop and a visually delightful tour of Snoop’s cabinet and fridge, photographs absolutely included. From there, the book breaks down into chapters on breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, drinks (again, booze but not pot? C’mon!) and parties.

In total, this book boasts dozens of different recipes. You could conceivably cook Thanksgiving dinner using “From Crook to Cook” alone, which is genuinely impressive. And there are lots of extras tucked away among the recipes, too. The last chapter, for instance, includes playlists to listen to while cooking. Snoop’s “Game Day Playlist” includes “Eye of the Tiger” and “Black & Yellow,” which we simply cannot argue with.

Sure, these recipes are not for those among us looking to count calories or exclude goodies like meat, dairy or gluten from our dietary intake. Biscuits and gravy, cinnamon rolls, fried bologna sandwiches, chicken and waffles, lobster thermidor, chocolate chip cookies and s’mores pie all make appearances in Snoop’s cooking repertoire, for good reason — they’re all delicious. This is a cookbook for people who have tried putting chocolate on pizza at least once, just in case it’s actually really good. Even though this food doesn’t get you high, “From Crook to Cook” is tailor-made for indulging your cravings once you’ve done the hard work of getting yourself high without edible assistance.

In the spirit of accuracy, we tried one of Snoop’s dinner recipes, and overall, we approve. The Last Meal Shrimp Alfredo, apparently inspired by Snoop’s love of the Godfather (gangsta sh*t is another big motif in this cookbook), was intense and required a fair amount of prep and cleanup. But the recipe was easy to follow, the alfredo sauce was thick and creamy and it tasted even better a few hours later, eaten in bed while watching the newest season of the “Great British Baking Show,” if you catch our drift.

TELL US, what’s your favorite cannabis cookbook?

Originally published in the print edition of Cannabis Now. LEARN MORE

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For Michael Svensson, who prefers to go by Sven, making a functional piece of glass art is about much more than just aesthetics.

For him, it’s important that his glasswork embody his love for creativity, his respect for the artistic process and his unwavering commitment to personal growth. Especially since that’s what attracted him to the artform of glass blowing in the first place.

It was during his time as a successful skateboarder in his youth that he met Eusheen Goines, who was just getting into creating glass art, and saw glass being blown for the very first time. A decade later, Goines was still blowing glass and Sven was so inspired by his friend’s work that he packed up his life in San Francisco and moved to Oregon, where he began learning some of the techniques that would build the groundwork for his own creations in the future.

“I’ve been blowing glass for about eight years now, but I’ve always been interested in doing art of some kind,” he says. “At first, I started out just making little spoon pipes like most of us do. But I remember the first time I felt like I really knew what I was doing. It gave me this really awesome sensation that’s hard to describe, and from then on I was just totally hooked. I’ve been doing it ever since.”

His work has steadily evolved over time, from small pipes to immaculate, multicolored glass pieces with delicate, detailed designs. His recent work features a gorgeous collection of pieces, ranging from water pipes to dab rigs, that highlight one of his favorite things to replicate: flowers. Sven says he fell in love with their shape and elegance, especially when captured in a moment that can last forever with glass.

“When I first started out, I was searching for some direction, I was searching for my own voice and how I wanted to express it,” Sven says. “Early on, I met an artist named Ginger who really inspired me with her flowers. I was drawn to them and she gave me a lesson on how to be able to make my glass flow with that raw, natural beauty.”

The functionality of each piece is just as important as its appearance, he says. Though he finds personal and spiritual freedom in the creativity of the work that he does, he also finds special meaning in his creations being utilized.

“It’s important to me that my work can actually be used,” Sven says. “For me, people using these items is what puts meaning into it. Whether [it’s] someone who uses a pipe to treat an illness, for ceremonial purposes or just to relax, it’s an honor for me to know that something I’m creating using my heart and soul is being used for life-changing or life-improving things like that.”

His art has also contributed to improving his own life as well. Sven says that glass blowing has given him the opportunity to get in touch with imaginative and innovative parts of himself that otherwise might have remained dormant. For him, he couldn’t imagine anything better.

“I remember waking up one morning, realizing that it was my job to be as creative as I could be every single day,” he says. “It was a really liberating moment when it dawned on me. It’s been such a rewarding journey. I just love that there are really no boundaries when it comes to what I do. It’s become a really vital part of my life as far as personal growth and how I’m able to express myself.”

This was originally published in the print edition of Cannabis Now.

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