We’ve come a long, long way from your wacky Aunt Joan’s carelessly dosed pot brownies or rice crispy treats. Thanks to a growing acceptance around cannabis, both for medicinal use and social enjoyment, the way people interact with the plant is riding high on a wave of rapid evolution.

There’s no better place to witness this shift in perception than Serra, Portland’s cannabis lifestyle brand and premier producer of locally crafted, precisely dosed, high-end products for all occasions.

Serra's involvement with Feast Portland 2018, the ultimate homegrown celebration of food culture, further highlights this change in attitude and acceptance.

“This is the first time Feast will incorporate a cannabis brand into its line-up and Serra couldn’t be more thrilled to participate,” says Seneca Torres, Retail Marketing Manager for Serra. “At Serra, we focus on partnering with organizations within our community who share our values, which is why teaming up with Feast feels like a natural fit.” 

As a participating sponsor of the nationally renowned festival, Serra will debut three new chocolate bars (cannabis free versions) at the Grand Tasting. 

“For Feast, we fully embraced the spirit of craft, collaboration, and Portland with our Chef Series of bars,” says Holly Hukill, Serra’s Product Development Director. They asked three renowned Portland chefs to rework some of Serra’s acclaimed cannabis chocolates, produced with Woodblock Chocolate.

Doug Adams, of the hotly anticipated Bullard, transformed Serra’s THC dark chocolate bar, spicing it up with smoked jalapenos and sweet Jimmy Nardello peppers and finishing it with candied orange peel. Beast’s Naomi Pomeroy took on the THC dark milk bar, adding layers of passion fruit, cardamom, and vanilla bean. And Joshua McFadden, the master chef behind Ava Gene’s and Tusk, worked the CBD 2:1 dark bar with Jacobsen sea salt and crisp breadcrumbs before infusing the chocolate via enfleurage with Astral Works terpenes. If you missed out on snagging a ticket to sample the uninfused chocolates at the Grand Tasting, these distinct, limited-edition bars will be available in both Serra dispensaries beginning Sept. 13 (while supplies last).

In response to widespread demand for a cannabis cooking and education class at Feast, Serra and Hukill are also presenting “Sugar High” aka How to Make the Ultimate Pot Brownie with James Beard award-winning author and avid fan of the cannabis industry Martha Holmberg and Charley Wheelock of Woodblock Chocolate.

Keeping with the mindset of Feast, Serra obsesses over every product detail. “Ingredients are important to us, which is why we're excited about working with Woodblock Chocolate,” says Hukill. “They ethically source all of their beans and then make the chocolate right here in Portland. We’re also dedicated to using first-class cannabis in our products. In our edibles, we use single strain oil distilled from plants grown by our partners at Pruf Cultivar (located in NE Portland), ensuring quality ingredients every step of the way.”

After a lively lesson in chocolate making and baking, participants will leave with a killer-infused brownie recipe that they can tailor to their desired dosage. As Hukill says, “We're all about the experience, and being able to precisely measure out the dosage allows for ease of use and peace of mind, providing a worry-free, delicious experience.”

Cannabis-free samples will be provided throughout Feast’s two-day Grand Tasting event while those looking to enjoy the infused version can visit: Serra at 220 SW 1st Ave (971-279-5613) and 2519 SE Belmont St. (971-803-5580). Or shop their products online here.