Frenchy Cannoli: A Master Hashishin Who Left the World a Better Place

Frenchy Cannoli is a name that will live on throughout time. He was a husband, a father, and a compassionate human being who always took time for others, according to friends, family, and those who had the pleasure of meeting him. As a master hashishin, his name is highly revered throughout the cannabis community, culture, and even within the budding business sector of the legal cannabis industry.

If you know who Frenchy Cannoli is, chances are you love hashish. Hashish, more commonly known as hash, is a concentrated form of cannabis that has been around for quite some time. Cannoli was not only a master of making hashish, but he also educated others on the traditional ways of the craft. By sharing his knowledge and love for the art of making hashish with others, he made many friends and was admired globally by the cannabis culture and community.

Let’s take a look at Frenchy Cannoli, hashish, and the legacy that Frenchy Cannoli left behind.

The Story of Frenchy Cannoli

According to Cannoli’s website, he was “a California-based teacher, consultant, artisan, and activist dedicated to the production and appreciation of traditional cannabis concentrates.” Although Cannoli spent the last couple of decades of his life in California with his wife, Kimberly Hooks, the hash expert grew up in France.

Born under the name Didier Camilleri in 1956, Cannoli was raised in Nice, France before setting off for grand adventures around the world at the age of 18. According to The New York Times, Cannoli’s first experience with hashish at the age of 17 inspired him to set out on “an 18-year pilgrimage to smoke the best hashish he could find and to learn how to cultivate it from those who knew the best traditional techniques.” Up until the early 1990s, he lived a nomadic life among many different master hashishins.

During his travels, Cannoli was embraced by those he met. The art of making hash was handed down to him through hands-on experience. His travels took him to many destinations, including Mexico, Nepal, Morocco, Pakistan, and India, each place bringing new knowledge about hashish. While in the Parvati Valley of northern India, Cannoli lived in caves and harvested cannabis resin, which he called “by far the most engaging and extraordinary experience of my life.”

Cannoli himself would be the first to tell you that these travels fueled his passion for the widely misunderstood plant and helped shape him into the legend he would become. He told Marijuana Venture in 2016,

“My years of travel in producing countries are the source of many adventures that made me the person I am, and they are the reason for my dedication to the plant and to producing a quality product, and my passion for understanding the science that validates traditional methodology.”

A believer in sharing information openly, Cannoli left behind an insurmountable amount of knowledge regarding the art of making quality hashish. He facilitated education about hashish-making through YouTube videos, articles in cannabis publications, and seminars so that others could learn the craft. Those who attended his seminars, read his content, and watched his videos say they are saturated with a wealth of knowledge.

Sadly, Cannoli passed away unexpectedly on July 18, 2021 due to surgery complications. His sudden passing at the age of 64 tugged at the hearts of family and a global community of friends. Shortly after his death, Cannoli’s wife posted on Instagram, “His passing was unexpected and leaves his family with a gaping hole of emotion where his smile and energy usually filled us so completely.”

Hashish, the OG Cannabis Concentrate

Hashish goes way back into history. Since about 4000 BCE, when the medicinal attributes of the cannabis plant are said to have first been embraced, hashish has been very popular in European and Arab countries around the world. Persia, Arabia, Northern India, and Nepal are just a few regions where hashish flourished. Today, hash is still widely used.

Hash is the OG cannabis concentrate. It comes directly from the cannabis plant—just like the cannabis flower that is more widely consumed in the U.S.—but can be made in a few different ways. Different from concentrates used for dabbing, hash is commonly made by removing and processing the trichomes (the resin glands) of a cannabis plant into a concentrated brick or ball. This is done with a combination of pressure and heat before curing it per specific requirements.

Similar to hashish is charas. Unlike hashish, charas isn’t made from dried cured cannabis. Instead, it is produced by collecting resin fresh from the plant. It is often collected by rubbing the hand against fresh growing buds. The resin sticks to the skin and then is removed using a warm knife.

As for the consumption of hash, it is generally smoked in a small bowl, pipe, or hookah. It can also be added to a joint or mixed with cannabis flower in a bowl or bong. Good hashish is super “stoney,” meaning it induces a fairly strong and heavy high. Interested in dabbling in hashish? Check out Frenchy Cannoli’s website for everything you need to know about this buzzy little product right from the legend himself.