Who knew hemp foods could taste so good? Thanks to Chef Jeremy Ashby at Azur Restaurant, now we do!
Award-winning, inventive chef Jeremy Ashby of AZUR Restaurant & Patio and his Food News and Chews radio show co-host Sylvia Lovely presented a hemp foods dinner on Wednesday, Sept. 21 that highlighted the innovative and savory ways to enjoy one of Kentucky’s signature crops. Chef Jeremy prepared the five-course hemp-infused dinner we hosted for Hemp History Week at the Henry Clay Estate in June. As a result, he became passionate about promoting hemp's rich culinary potential!
Ashby described hemp as “mystical” to some people and said he’s excited to be a part of the movement that can potentially reinvigorate Kentucky’s family farms, introduce the public to an incredible superfood, and teach others about its countless applications and the economic impact it can generate.
Hemp is not a fully commercialized crop and can only be grown in the United States for research purposes. But Kentucky’s lawmakers are confident this will change and lobbyists are working hard to educate members of the United States Congress about this versatile crop’s health and economic benefits.
Guests also had opportunity to learn from some of the state’s most innovative entrepreneurs and activists at the forefront of the industrial hemp industry, including our co-founders Alyssa Erickson and Kirstin Bohnert. Dinner included hemp-laced tuna poke, hoe cakes, chicken “pot” pie, hemp crusted duck breast, and hemp brownies. Check out some of the delicious plates below!