Field Notes

Most infused menus are built backwards: dish first, cannabis last. A professional menu starts with the terpene profile. Limonene leans citrus and bright, and belongs next to acid and seafood. Myrcene runs earthy and herbal, and sits naturally with roasted vegetables, mushrooms, and braises. Caryophyllene carries spice and pepper, and can anchor a course the way a finishing oil does.

When the terpene profile is chosen first, the pairing stops being a gimmick and becomes the same discipline as pairing wine: you are matching aromatic compounds to food, and the guest tastes intention instead of novelty.

Cannabinoids are fat soluble. The fat you choose for an extraction is not a neutral carrier: it determines potency retention, mouthfeel, and where in the menu the infusion can live. Higher saturated fat content binds cannabinoids more efficiently, which is why clarified butter and coconut oil remain workhorses, while delicate oils demand lower temperatures and more patience.

Choose the fat for the dish first, then build the extraction method around that fat's tolerance. A chef who understands the fat understands the dose.

The standard approach activates the plant before extraction: decarboxylation at 190°F for 45 minutes, then extraction at 165°F for 60 minutes, with roughly 20 percent potency loss along the way. It is predictable, repeatable, and the right default for most kitchens.

The Cedeño Method, named for Chef Chris Cedeño of Twenty Past Four, skips the decarb entirely and activates through a sous vide extraction. It trades a little more potency loss, around 25 percent, for a cleaner aromatic profile. Two methods, two outcomes. The discipline is in knowing which one the dish calls for, and dosing accurately either way.