Cannabis Chocolate Covered Strawberries: A Special Valentine's Day Recipe

Cannabis has a long history of use as an aphrodisiac according to ancient texts from India, China and Japan dating back 3,000 years. (The plant's aphrodisiac properties were even mentioned in the U.S. Pharmacopoeia as early as 1851!)

Chocolate also has a centuries-old reputation as an aphrodisiac, prized by the Mayans and Aztecs. Did you know "Cacao" is a Mayan word that translates to "God Food?!"

Strawberries, reminiscent of Valentine hearts, have been touted as an aphrodisiac fruit since the time of Ancient Rome and are associated with Venus, the Goddess of Love.

• 1 pound (about 20) large strawberries (if they have stems, they're easier to dip)
• 6oz total of cannabis-infused dark chocolate + unmedicated dark chocolate

Look for cannabis chocolate bars at your favorite local dispensary. Medicated chocolate bars are portioned so you'll know how much THC is in each piece; keeping in mind that you and your partner will likely devour the whole batch, combine your desired amount of cannabis chocolate with unmedicated dark chocolate (in bar or chip form) for a total of 6oz of chocolate. (Remember: you don't want to get so high that you fall asleep before enjoying the aphrodisiac benefits of this treat.)

If you can't find a cannabis chocolate bar, or would just rather make your own version with a strain that you already know you love, here's a recipe for cannabis butter. (Again, adjust the strength accordingly.)

• double boiler or
  • medium sauce pan
  • heat-proof bowl (glass or stainless steel) that's a couple inches bigger than your sauce pan
• parchment paper or wax paper
• wooden spatula or rubber scraper

• Wash the strawberries and dry them thoroughly. (If they're wet, the chocolate won't stick.)
• Chop the chocolate so it will melt more smoothly. Tip: buy semi-sweet (or dark) chips and you'll only have to chop the medicated chocolate.
• Bring a couple inches of water to a boil in your medium sauce pan
• Turn off the heat
• Put your combination of chopped chocolates into your heat-proof bowl
• Set your bowl of chocolate on top of the sauce pan and stir until the chocolate is completely smooth
• Move the bowl of melted chocolate to the counter
• Dip each strawberry into the chocolate, twisting as you remove it, and set on the parchment paper
• Let cool

If you have leftover melted chocolate, sprinkle in some crispy rice cereal (or pretty much any cereal you have on hand, I mean, it's chocolate!) stir until it's well-coated, spread the mixture onto a parchment paper covered cookie sheet and pop it in the fridge for an hour or two... Voila! You just made delicious crispy-crunchy medicated chocolate candy! Bonus treat.

Impress your partner with any of these super easy additions to the basic recipe:

• Melt white chocolate chips and use a fork to drizzle decadent stripes on your dipped strawberries. (Or, you can scoop the melted white chocolate into a plastic sandwich bag and snip off the corner for a make-shift icing bag.)
• Turn that chocolate into ganache! Ganache is a rich chocolate that won't crack off of the strawberry when you bite into it. Just add 4.5 tablespoons of heavy cream to the chopped chocolate and stir together while melting.
• After dipping your strawberry, roll it in (or sprinkle it with) chopped nuts, mini chocolate chips, toasted coconut, or crushed pretzels.

1. Remember that the effects of cannabis vary from person to person; it's best to use previous personal experience as a guide for selecting the strain and dosage for this recipe.
2. In general, anecdotal reports on using cannabis as an aphrodisiac suggest that sativa-dominant hybrid strains are preferable because you get the best of both worlds: relaxation from the indica paired with the energy and euphoria of the sativa, (without the potential "couch-lock" of pure indica or potential paranoia of pure sativa.)
3. Set the mood. Light some candles... play a Marvin Gaye song... initiate a sensual massage... cannabis can stoke the fire but it's up to you and your partner to create the sparks.
4. Drink lots of water. Lots. Ingesting cannabis can dry you out and, since you're reading a recipe for an aphrodisiac treat, I'm guessing you're going to want to be well-hydrated tonight.
5. Consider targeting the sweet spot with cannabis-infused lube; the all-natural, lab-tested, coconut oil based product made by the California company Foria was created to enhance a woman's sexual experience. (NOTE: do not use this product with latex condoms, the coconut oil may cause the condom to break -- talk about a mood killer -- choose a non-latex option instead.)
6. Enjoy yourself! Whether your selected strain enhances the sensation of touch, stimulates deep conversation, or makes you want to cuddle up on the couch with a romantic comedy (or all off the above!) go with it. It's all good.

Happy Valentine's Day from Hopegrown!