Paying Our Respects to Revolutionary Educator and Hashmaker: Frenchy Cannoli Passes Away

According to a heartfelt post on Instagram by his wife Kimberly, the beloved hashish and cannabis concentrate teacher, consultant, artisan and activist Frenchy Cannoli passed away on July 18. Cannoli passed away due to surgery complications—which was unexpected, according to his family. 

Cannoli was known for his “unmatched” hash, and most people who were close to him described his character as being utterly unique. He was more or less the authority on the history of cannabis concentrates—and highly respected for that very specific skill set.

“It’s with profound, heartbreaking grief that I share with you due to complications from surgery Frenchy left us on Sunday,” Kimberly posted. “⁠I’m sorry I couldn’t share this with you in person. This seemed like the best way to let you know directly from me.”

Cannoli never failed to share his secrets with generations of would-be hashishins.

Kimberly reflected on the time her late husband spent in Nice, France and surrounding areas, but also his travels to the East where he learned the secrets to incredible hash. Kimberly’s post included a photo of Frenchy from 1980, taken in India.

“Frenchy often shared there were three main periods in his life—first, the 18-year timeframe from when he left home in Southern France to travel, wandering the world, enamored of new cultures [and] experiences, then the period of fatherhood from his mid-30s to early 50s, and then finally the period of becoming the teacher that followed when he came to the states in the 2000s,” she continued. “I cannot begin to express how much meaning and joy his interactions with all of you brought him. He truly cherished this unexpected evolution of the latter part of his life.⁠”

Cannoli’s family was apparently not ready for the tragic news, which left them jarred and at loss for words.

“His passing was unexpected and leaves his family with a gaping hole of emotion where his smile and energy usually filled us so completely,” she wrote. “I think what we all appreciated about Frenchy so much was his authenticity and passion. It would give me great solace to see his face lit up with a smile right now.”

Frenchy Cannoli, the Man

Cannoli grew up in Nice, France and was naturally attracted to the imported hashish common in the area during the late ’60s. He was born on December 13, 1956. He lived as a nomad for over 20 years—often staying with traditional hashish producers and learning techniques handed down over generations. 

His travels took him from Morocco to Mexico, where he eventually made his way to Nepal, Pakistan and finally India, where he spent eight growing seasons living in caves and harvesting cannabis resin with Parvati Valley cultivators. 

But eventually, Cannoli slowed down and settled with his family in California, where medical cannabis was coming into focus and where he could make concentrates—legally. 

Cannoli’s “Lost Art of the Hashishin” seminars provided hands-on training for aspiring hash-makers and the artist posted his same techniques on YouTube—eventually gaining 174,000+ Instagram followers. 

Cannoli continued to promote post-legalization public education—developing hashish grading standards, and supporting regional growing certifications for cannabis production, inspired by “appellation d’origine contrôlée” rules, which according to his website, protect the integrity of Bordeaux wines.

Cannoli also developed a docu-series, Frenchy Dreams of Hashish, with documentary filmmaker Jake Remington of Collabo NYC that showcases the challenges legalization has brought to small California farms. Frenchy Dreams of Hashish is a seven-part docu-series filmed over the course of three years during the transition from Proposition 215 to Proposition 64. 

Follow Madame Cannoli, or Kimberly, Frenchy’s wife on her Instagram page and offer your condolences.

Learn more about French Cannoli and his expert hashmaking in this exclusive 2019 interview with High Times.