Culinary Confections
The world of edibles is no longer just about medicating or catching a buzz. Many companies aim to create the most visually appealing, delicious confections that offer the most powerful, highest quality infused olive oil or butter. It’s not about hiding the cannabis taste or the fact that the product is infused—it’s about highlighting the flavor profiles that cannabis offers crafting infused chocolates that are stunningly beautiful. CULTURE connected with a few of the chocolate companies that have taken this mantra to heart to create truly beautiful, delicious cannabis-infused treats.
“We are very particular about how we source our cannabis and ingredients—and even more so—dedicated to consistent dosing.”
To Whom It May
One of the sexiest, sweetest gifts you can give is the gift of chocolate, and To Whom It May seems to have the formula for a classy, gorgeous treat down to a science. Its truffles are subtle and small, but often completely coated with nuts or other tasty toppings. And the box that the treats come in is a masterpiece unto itself. What’s even better, To Whom It May prioritizes health and quality along with sugar and decadence.
“Our vision for the To Whom It May brand was to present a premium ingredient product that also reflected the spirit of living a sophisticated, active and productive cannabis lifestyle—one that could truly be called ‘medical edible,’” explained Tomer Grassiany, chocolatier for To Whom It May. “They contain only ingredients with medicinal or nutritional value. The brand is committed to showing the power of cannabis as a tool for engaging in the world around us, whether you use it for physical relief, or to help you work, play or create in the way you wish.”
Défoncé
Clearly known for its distinction and uniqueness, Défoncé take a new approach with its tasty chocolates. Rather than recreate the formulaic truffle-style candy piece that most artisan edible chocolatiers craft, this company makes chocolate bars with a unique twist. The bars are enhanced with raised, geometric shapes where normal bars have simple squares. They also come in an assortment of colors.
“I absolutely love chocolate and cannabis—and the love affair strengthened when I discovered that chocolate contains anandamide, which binds to cannabinoid receptors,” explained the company’s CEO, Eric Eslao. “Marriage made in heaven.”
Eslao prides himself on the unique design of his bars, as well as the delicious smell. But he doesn’t think that the high standard his products set should be anything unusual in this industry. “I don’t think our product is particularly special or important,” he admitted. “We are very particular about how we source our cannabis and ingredients—and even more so—dedicated to consistent dosing. I think this should be normal in our industry rather than something that makes us different.”
1906 Chocolates
Intelligently packaged to reflect the different moods of chocolate and cannabis consumers, 1906 offers up a chocolate for every occasion. This chocolate company offers a chocolate sleep aid, a chocolate for love and sex, one for energy and one for relaxation. Color-coded according to moods and encased in cute containers, these chocolates are artisan and infused with cannabis, but are also designed for the discerning consumer.
“All of our experiences are unique and each one has its own following but we are most proud of High Love,” explained Peter Barsoom, founder of the company. “Creating an aphrodisiac product is a significant challenge and humans have been working on it for millennia. Building on others’ successes, and failures, High Love has become an instant best-seller among men and women.”
Coda Signature
Perhaps the most intricate and artistic of the artisanal, infused chocolate world, Coda Signature chocolates are individually-designed truffles adorned with beautiful colors and designs. The company has cornered the market on recreational tasty treats as well as medicinal goodies.
“We were inspired by non-cannabis premium brands and were not able to find that quality of craftsmanship in the cannabis industry,” explained Mark Grindeland, co-founder and CEO of Coda Signature. “We believe that consumers of cannabis products deserve the very best. We created Coda Signature to fill this void. Since launching we have been recognized for the quality of our products, winning top honors in the industry.”
“I am especially proud of our Cream & Crumble 100mg chocolate bar,” he added. “I am not a lover of white chocolate on its own, but it is a beautiful blank canvas for flavor. Our single origin Ecuadorian white chocolate has such a decadent creaminess, it lends itself perfectly to the cheesecake-inspired chocolate bar. Tart lemon and sour cream are paired with a delicious spiced crumble, making it one of my favorite indulgences.”
