THE CONCENTRATES ISSUE leafmagazines.com
52
PROFILE
HERITAGE-MENDOCINO.COM FRENCHYCANNOLI.COM
SPREADING THE GOSPEL OF HASHISH Cherry Blossom Belle @cherryblossom_belle holds the teachings of Frenchy Cannoli and she isn’t keeping them to herself. endary Cannabis grower and breeder, sugof Manufacturing at Heritage Hash Co. dispensary gested that he preserve his art by taking in Ukiah, Calif. It’s the first micro-business in the on an apprentice. He agreed and asked state that dubs itself a “hashery.” Belle compares Belle – who was a farmhand on Leo’s it to a brewery or roastery because visitors to the Cannabis farm at the time – if she’d take dispensary can watch professionals press hash and on the role. So why did Frenchy choose extracts right in front of them. Eventually, Heritage her? True, Belle had previously dabbled in Hash Co. will also have an on-site consumption hash-making as a teen, but according to lounge attached to its facility, giving people a her, his reasons were based place to taste the elegant flavor more on personal connection notes of the craft Cannabis extracts than experience. produced there. “I think [Frenchy] saw me The Heritage team recently won as someone who was young first place in this year’s Emerald Cup’s and motivated and wasn’t set Solventless category for its Whitethorn in their ways yet,” says Belle. Rose live ice water bubble hash. The “We also both had a culinary team also earned a second-place background that we really trophy for Whitethorn Rose live rosin. connected on and had many “Whitethorn Rose will be the flavor similar cultural values and of the decade,” Belle predicts. “People ways of doing things.” are going to remember it for a hot Remarkably, Frenchy and minute. It made a huge impact, and BELLE & HASHMAKING ICON Belle had both lived in Japan it’s all because of the quality of HuckFRENCHY CANNOLI at the same time before they leberry Hill Farms’ genetics.” knew each other: That’s where Belle grew Since Frenchy’s untimely passing last summer, up during the first 10 years of her life, Belle has begun co-hosting workshops with Mawhile Frenchy was a fashion designer dame Cannoli. She is also doing a series of collabthere making designer stingray purses. orative classes on the road with Byrd Extracts (most HASHISH MAKING is a form of ancient alchemy. After leaving Japan, Belle lived in Southeast Asia for recently in St. Louis, Missouri). Belle believes that The people who study this fine art are knowledge the following eight years. Frenchy also spent several part of her role here on Earth is keeping the art of keepers of a proud tradition that’s sadly fading years of his life in Southeast Asia. Living abroad hashish making alive by passing on the knowledge away in the United States. An extraordinary young impacted how they both approached their work – Frenchy bestowed upon her to others. woman who goes by the name Cherry from cleanliness to dedication to the style of “Frenchy gave me the skills to become a great Blossom Belle is one of these rare wisdom apprenticeship – which she says resembled hash maker,” she says. “But teaching me was to keepers, and she’s helping Heritage Hash traditional Japanese culture. ensure that there will be other great hash makers Co. produce some of the best concentrates Belle studied under Frenchy, honing the in the future. He always said, ‘You can either be on the market. art of hashish for nearly a decade, four known as the person who shared [this information] Belle was the apprentice of late master years of which she lived with him and his wife to the world, or you can be known as the person hashishin Frenchy Cannoli. She first met Kimberly (who goes by Madame Cannoli). who hoarded it. Who do you want to be?’” Frenchy in 2012 through her brother, Leo “I started backing him in his workshops, Based on the number of workshops Belle has Stone of Aficionado Mendocino, who had and I instantly assumed the position,” she already taught and her desire to spread the gospel connected with him after Aficionado won says. “It was this unsaid thing between us, of hash to the world, it’s clear how she wants to first place in the flower category at the Em- BELLE AT THIS YEAR’S and that’s where we vibed. We didn’t have be remembered: as a teacher. In the future, she’s EMERALD CUP erald Cup – a victory that would ultimately to talk to each other – of course, we did, hoping to dabble in international markets and focus AWARDS. change both siblings’ lives forever. Frenchy about all kinds of things in life – but we more on pressed hashish. and Leo initially bonded over the importance of didn’t need to talk in terms of him telling me what “My art and my love will always be pressed branding and aesthetic presentation. he needed. For instance, he didn’t have to tell me hash,” she confesses. “I won’t have to fight the “Frenchy and my brother were like long-lost he needed ice – I already knew. And it was just like market as hard for pressed hash on the internationfriends from a past life,” Belle recalls fondly. “They that between us.” al level. Here, I feel like I keep trying and trying and were spiritually so connected and were instant Belle’s infatuation with the plant and its array of trying. But the market already exists in Europe and friends as soon as they met.” expressions is the force driving her to deepen her Brazil. They want pressed hash there. So why not Frenchy quickly became the resident hash maker practice as a hash master. Belle is now applying play in the markets that welcome you, instead of the at Aficionado. That’s when Subcool, the late legher years of training with Frenchy as the Director one that makes you fight for it?”
JULY 2022
STORY by MARY CARREON @MARYYYSTARDUST for LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by MIKE ROSATI @ROSATIPHOTOS & COURTESY CHERRY BLOSSOM BELLE
