There were days prior to legalization where after getting baked with friends we’d sit around eating our chosen snacks and chatting about how cool it would be to have a Dorito… but with weed. Fast-forward a decade and adult-use laws have been established long enough for chefs and mainstream product manufacturers to start entering the market — and with them, the minds and tools to create those interesting edibles we used to only dream of.
These culinary delights intrigue me both as a long-time cannabis connoisseur and a person who is deeply enchanted by inventive and delicious approaches in the kitchen. Over the last months, I have been sampling edibles that venture past the highly coveted gummy candy into new territories, whether a product that is rarely spotted on shelves or ingredients that are mindfully chosen.
Grab your napkin and take a seat, I want to introduce you to some of my favorite morsels on the market.
TSUMo Snacks Salsa Verde Chips
10 mg in around 7 chips // $16 for 100 mg bag
Noteworthy Ingredients: Chips!
What makes it special: There aren’t many (if any other) evenly dosed corn chips on the market, and the salsa verde and zesty ranch flavors are novel, reminiscent of beloved non-infused snacks.
The novelty! Chips! The danger, chips. I sat with the back of Salsa verde chips open knowing full well that sometimes I house a family bag of chips without thinking. That feeling of imminent danger of not trusting my own fingers to stop bringing chips up to my mouth felt dangerous and exciting, and it dissipated once I counted out my 7 chips and safely tucked the bag away. The drama, right? Anyways, these chips are delicious and remind me of the Salsitas I used to get at the corner store and for me, delivered a classic edible high. The flavor is prominent but not overwhelming and the chips are fresh and crisp. After trying them myself I can see why they won second place in the Emerald Cup for Savory Edibles this year.
Cosmic View Suns Lollies
3.6 mg THC & 6.4 mg CBD // $9 per Lolly
Noteworthy Ingredients: Roasted meyer lemon, Dark Horse adaptogenic furikake, and madagascar vanilla bean
What makes it special: Mindful dosage, intentional & novel ingredients, good price point, intriguing mouthfeel
Input: Moon Made Farms Serpentine flower rosin is cross between Green Crack (Skunk #1 x California Orange) and an unknown CBD cultivar, creating an uplifting, playful sativa blend.
These lollies are just the right consistency, I’ve had some artisan lolly pops that are a bit chewy but Cosmic View’s recipe is just right for me. There is a texture in the lolly that reminded me that someone hand-picked these ingredients, a tactile quality that I found quite pleasant. I chose to enjoy the Suns lolly in the midst of a wicked bad headache, and as I usually find with hard candy, I had immediate relief. The mindful dosing created a mellow, comfy feeling for me, just what I needed. When I saw that the product retails for $9 in California dispensaries with fresh intentional ingredients I was sold that this is definitely one that everyone should try.
Hervé Macarons
10 mg per macaroon // $20 for a 3-pack
Noteworthy Ingredients: Raspberry
What makes it special: The macaron is wonderfully baked with a crisp shell surrounding a soft meringue complemented by rich vegan buttercream.
Input: High Valley Ridge Farms live resin from Costa (CA) & Aether gardens concentrates (NV)
I had a delightful experience eating these macarons. I tried both the birthday cake and raspberry flavors and enjoyed both. The profile of red, white and blue sprinkled Birthday cake is ideal for someone who loves to eat sweets. The Raspberry flavor, which are a soft red brushed in gold, is for the dessert eater who isn’t a fan of super sweet but likes dessert. The trio of cookies come packaged in a sturdy box with a pull tab that slides the tray of macarons out. While it may not be super sustainable packaging, it’s luxe and makes Hervé macarons a good choice to bring as a host gift or special treat for a night with friends.
Mesobis Mango con Chile Gomitas
10 mg per gomita // $15 for a 10-pack
Noteworthy Ingredients: Chile, mango
What makes it special: This is one of three Mesobis flavors inspired by beloved treats from the Mesoamerican region like chile mango, tamarind chamoy, and açaí.
This complex sweet and spicy flavor combination is beloved as a sweet treat in Mexico, and now everywhere. The Mesobis founders wanted to honor that beloved candy with this flavor of Gomita, it is meant to serve as a little taste of home for Mexican immigrants in California– where the infused candies are available. There are many gummies, and this one made the list because this flavor and the other flavors are perfectly balanced which took lots of testing. They are also shaped like a Mesoamerican pyramid and don’t melt out of shape, another feat to be celebrated. It’s simply a well-executed gummy in memory invoking flavors that delight and impress. If I was doing rankings I’d say ten out of ten.
Kiva x Yeastie Boys Everything Bagel Seasoning Munchies Bar
100 mg per bar // $15 each
Noteworthy Ingredients: Yeastie Boys Everything Bagel Seasoning
What makes it special: Effortlessly executed sweet and savory pairing with the help of a collab with an established food truck.
Now I’m an honest person, so you should know this is the only edible on the list that I haven’t personally tried. But I ate quite a few Kiva chocolate bars while working as a budtender back in the medical days in San Francisco. I enjoyed a bar of their delicate chocolate every payday. Back then, a decade ago mind you, the chocolate was rich and melted in your mouth. I can only assume it’s improved since then. A decade ago they were also playing with elevated flavor combinations, so I’m not surprised that they’ve continued evolving with complex pairings like everything bagel seasoning and dark chocolate. The limited edition bar dropped in Spring 2022, so interested Californians should look out for any left on shelves.
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