Frenchy Cannoli would not be considered an innovator, but do not be fooled by his humble nature.
Hashish master and creator of the Very Special Olde Press of the Frenchy Cannoli brand has been dedicated to the ancient art of hand-pressing cannabis resin for decades, playing a key role in placing quality at the forefront and center of the California cannabis industry.
Whether it’s keeping the old-fashioned hashish tradition alive through its multitude of classes and talks or its tireless work to designate the Emerald Triangle as the first true cannabis terroir, Frenchy is committed to ensure craftsmanship and compassion for consumer stay in the lead.
“Hashish has been a source of comfort and happiness throughout my adult life, a vital part of my well-being,” she said. Cannabis and technology today.
But how did Frenchy Cannoli become one of the most revered names in cannabis?
And how does hashish fit in with a modern school of smokers obsessed with the “new new?”
Everything goes back to the inheritance.
The nomadic life leads to the lifelong passion for hash
To understand Frenchy’s devotion to cannabis, it’s important to go back to the beginning.
After being introduced to hashish at the age of 17 by a friend in his native France, a moment he has described as a true revelation, he immediately put his head in the culture.
The friend’s family had been secretly producing the rich and tasty substance, and he grabbed the young but anxious new student under his wing.
Shortly afterwards, Frenchy embarked on an 18-year adventure around the world, immersing himself in various hashish-producing regions, such as Morocco, Nepal, and Thailand, observing how the trichomes of the cannabis plant were carefully removed, with the resin heads left intact. handle in a sticky, malleable putty suitable for smoking.
Rarely did I spend more than three months in one place, just the manual press resin to see him on his journey to his next place.
His exposure to techniques used for millennia performed by families who had been pressing hashish for generations invoked intense worship and respect. From the Himalayan mountains to the jungles of Cambodia, Frenchy had witnessed a variety of communities, but one thing was always clear: this is the plant.
“Hashish is a very special and unique cannabis concentrate and hashish is a very old craft with methodologies that have stood the test of time and must be approached with respect and study to learn the science behind d ‘those old techniques,’ Frenchy said.
It is rapidly advancing two decades into northern California, where the hashish maker settled in the early 2000s. Despite years of intensive study learning all there is to know about hashish production worldwide, moved to the United States and a new understanding of medical marijuana that elevated Frenchy’s passion for the plant to new heights.
“It took on another dimension when I learned in the mid-1940s, when I arrived in the United States, that the cannabis plant was medicinal”He admits.
“Until that moment in my life, I had gone to extreme physical challenges to be able to do the best xara or hashish possible. For most of my life, my passion for hashish had focused on quality. Knowing the medicinal side of cannabis resin gave me a deeper thirst to learn all I could about the cannabis plant and the science behind traditional hashish. “
Emerald Triangle: The Cannabis Bordeaux
After consuming cannabis all over the world, Frenchy claims that some of the best comes from the Emerald Triangle.
He has been a vocal supporter of the need for quality standards in cannabis, specifically the designation of so-called “terroirs”.
The concept is borrowed from the wine industry, where French regions such as Champagne are exclusively recognized for their environmental characteristics in relation to the quality of the grapes they produce.
Frenchy and others believe that the famous cannabis country of Northern California should be the first to achieve a similar classification due to the recognized growing conditions in the region.
“The word‘ terroir ’expresses the uniqueness of a region, the delicate symbiosis between the land, the climate, the vegetable kingdom and the farmers who nurture and improve the characteristics of the land,” Frenchy explained.
“’When the French take a bite of cheese or a sip of wine, they taste the land: rock, grass, slope, valley, plateau. They ingest nature, and this taste means pleasure, a desirable good. Taste pleasure and taste-evocative possibilities are intertwined in French fidelity to the taste of the place. ‘ This quote from the book by Amy B. Trubek, The Taste of the Place, was a nod to my own cultural heritage, but also to all the ethnic diversity I’ve experienced during my travels. The concept is universal, and the planet is an abundance of terroirs that have been largely lost due to agricultural industrialization and the globalization of the food industry, ”he said.
California lawmakers agreed, passing a law declaring the establishment of cannabis “designation of origin” regions.
SB 67 states that products from these sectors must be derived from “cannabis plants grown on land, and grown without the use of a structure, and without the use of artificial lighting in the area. from the deck “.
Frenchy believes the bill is a good start to safeguarding not only the producers of the Emerald Triangle, but also the rich history of cannabis that has existed for decades.
“The Mendocino, Humboldt and Trinity region, also known as the Emerald Triangle, is known around the world for the quality of its cannabis. The cannabis growing community and the genetics that brought this recognition must be nurtured and protected.” .
The old school meets the new school
While hashish remains a dominant force worldwide, many cannabis users in America’s booming legal markets are constantly looking for the next big trend.
The last decade has seen an increase in R&D in the production of concentrates both on a large scale and in an artisanal way, from the increase in hashish butane oil in the early 2010s to the growing popularity of the rosin at present.
The classic hashish is a small fraction of the modern concentrate market, which begs the question: will the next generation of smokers be able to really appreciate a product that doesn’t fit into the “popular herb?”
Frenchy argues that hand-rolled hashish will always be in a league of its own, explaining that the compound is similar to wine in its production as opposed to the process of other types of extracts, which would be more comparable to liquors such as alcohol. of grain.
“A cannabis extract is like the juice extracted from a fruit, a true expression of the fruit but it is not the same as the whole fruit in its entirety nutritious and beneficial characteristics.”
Frenchy noted that the fruit in this case is the matrix that creates the juice and sugar, as the head of the cannabis trichome that biosynthesizes unique psychoactive and medicinal compounds.
“Rejecting the matrix in search of purity is like extracting grape juice to make alcohol instead of crushing and fermenting the whole grape to produce wine,” he continued. “This is the fundamental difference between hand – rolled [charas] or sifted trichome glands [hashish] and all other types of extracted resin. While hashish uses heat and pressure, the cell matrix of the resin head remains within the final product and, for this reason, cannot be considered an extraction in the same sense that wine is not considered. a hard liquor “.
Frenchy added that although he will always be a defender traditional hashish, welcomes all forms of extraction, as it only serves to push the proverbial needle forward, extending the appeal of cannabis to more people than ever before.
“I am just fascinated by the pure diversity of extracts today. I have the utmost respect for the craftsmanship, dedication and love that created so much diversity and literally revolutionized the world of cannabis concentrates. “
Multiple books, feature film on the horizon
Despite a global pandemic that slowed down his travels and demonstrations, Frenchy has worked hard. Master Hashish spent his squirrel confinement at his home in Richmond, writing two books (one on the history of hashish, the second on the art of making hashish) while simultaneously collaborating on a third with his counterpart, Madame. Cannoli, dedicated to the evolution of food.
He also put the finishing touches on his feature-length documentary, French hashish dreams, which will be published soon.
“I’ve lived the life of a hermit for the last year and a half, exactly what I needed to focus completely on writing and studying,” he said. “While the experience has been rewarding beyond my wildest dreams, it has nevertheless been a challenge, so I hope 2022 is a year full of travel and workshops around the world, quite the opposite of what have been in 2020 and 2021 “.
And while grateful for the time spent on projects to educate the masses about all the wonders of hashish, Frenchy is looking forward to returning to face-to-face events where he can continue to share the rich history of his craft, securing the life of ancient art. even in a time of hype.
“Innovation is born of a deep knowledge of traditions. We are the sum of our past. We have been given the tools to do better, but we must recognize the importance of our traditions in doing so. “
