Is that love I smell in the air, or just some dank?
Valentine’s Day is, above all, about showing your loved ones you care. Some people prefer grand gestures, but more probably prefer gifts, and something sweet to go with it.
A new year beckons a new wave of creativity when it comes to dispensary staples like pre-rolls, edibles, and now drinkables, so we spoke to some of the California cannabis industry’s biggest dreamers and doers to find out how to turn the Valentine’s lemons into lemonade; even without that special someone.
For beginners
Tip #1: Start with a low-dose bevvie
Everyone has an edible horror story, and these stories almost always come down to overdosing. Homemade edibles can be impossible to dose.
Skip that, and hack your hangover with a low-dose beverage. In California, we got Viv and Oak’s 2:1:1 Shimmering Scarlett.
Viv and Oak founder Alana Burstein always loved wine, but it didn’t love her back. She had been experimenting with making cannabis edibles, but it wasn’t until she came to California and its plethora of cannabis scientists that it clicked: take the alcohol out of the wine and add cannabis.
Working with the likes of Oakland-based infusion manufacturer Vertosa, Burstein created five different Rosé and Zinfandel-based wines. Each libation has weed’s main active ingredients, THC and CBD, dosed at no more than 10 mg total per glass, per 750ml bottle. Like the first glass of champagne, you’ll feel at ease, without slurring your words or knocking out on the couch. They also contain less sugar than alcoholic wine, and the “cannabis taste” goes undetected.
rosé. (Courtesy Viv & Oak)
One of the Zinfandels contains the lesser-known but invaluable cannabinoid THC-V; pitched as providing a clear, energetic mood-lift, without the munchies.
“It’s an elevated social experience, whether you’re relaxing, reading, taking the edge off at the end of the day,” says Burstein. “We’re trying to take that stigma away. The 1:1 is my favorite.”
See also—Sip on a low-dose beverage of your choice no matter what your legalization state:
- Spherex’s Phyx infused and flavored seltzers in Colorado
- Fruity mocktails by Major in Washington
- And live resin sodas from Magic Number in Oregon.
Medium skill-level
Tip #2: Just melt down dispensary-bought chocolate
California market leader Satori chocolates, known for decadent infused treats like strawberries in milk chocolate, have recently launched their Satori Singles, 10mg-dosed milk or dark chocolate squares that can be eaten as is, or added to existing recipes.
“It fits the moment, without having to worry about the dosing of using flower or hash. [The Singles] cut out several steps and make it easier for people to do the math,” says Elise McDonough, Brand Manager for confections at CannaCraft, which owns Satori. “My favorite way to use it is to melt it down and put it into cupcake frosting.”
Satori ethically sources their cacao from co-ops in Latin America. A process called nano-emulsion may cut the wait time for the edibles to kick in, as well; down from an hour to just 15 minutes. If melting the chocolate down and using it as a fondue for fruit is too tame for your taste, Satori has also partnered with experienced cannabis chefs to produce recipes, like this chocolate molten lava cake, to make at home.
See also—If you can’t get your hands on Satori products or live out of state, we recommend supplementing with:
- Wave Edible’s infused truffles in Washington state
- Easily-dosed chocolate bars by Coda Signature in Colorado
- And innovative cannabinoid ratios from Grön Chocolate in Oregon
Advanced
Tip #3: Give them better flowers
Prefer to light up? These artisanal joints look good and burn better.
Cannabis and red roses are both flowers of love, so why choose how you give them to that special someone? Rather than scramble to find red roses from a florist, swing by your local MedMen location and pick up one of CaliGreenGold’s La Rosé cannabis blunt. Each tobacco-free “blunt” contains two grams of hybrid flower with a pinch of crumble, hand-wrapped in rose petals and finished with a wooden tip. They’re also working on pre-rolled rose cones for a more tailored experience.
See also—Save yourself the rolling time with other date-night-approved pre-rolls like:
- Green Crack by Juniper
- A “Night Sky” indica from A Golden State
- And a pack of rosin-infused minis from Clsics
Probably too advanced
Tip #4: Love … Sauce?
California brand Kiva’s timely Love Sauce body chocolate takes infused weed chocolate to some other level, and we have questions. What we know for sure is that it is not a lube!
Their newest offering is 4 ounces of dark chocolate ‘body butter,’ containing a relatively low dose of 10 mg. This is not a transdermal topical, so you will have to eat it off of someone to catch a micro-buzz. Pour with intention.
Available beginning, Feb. 9 in select dispensaries where Kiva products are sold. Call around!
