Arcana Delights

As we move towards a more accepting culture with cannabis, misconceptions of what it means to be a “stoner” and “in the industry” are being broken down and remolded. For Julie Robbins, she never thought she would be mixing and infusing edible desserts when she moved to Arcata, California. with her husband back in 2005. Now, Robbin’s Arcana Delights are breaking the cookie cutter mold of how we see edibles by offering a classy way to medicate.

Originally named Arcane, Arcana Delights began as an idea, thanks to her husband, shortly after their arrival more than 10 years ago.

“We stared cultivating so we had all this leftover stuff and he said ‘well let’s start making ganja food,’” said Robbins. So, she began experimenting with infused butter with the help of her friends.

“She always loved baking. It began with her making stuff for her friends and family,” said Danielle McCabe , a longtime friend and associate.

Though she knew how to bake some sweet pastries, Robbins was not so hot in the kitchen when it came to chocolates. Thanks to the Internet, she taught herself how to create rich and delicious desserts.

“I used to hand paint the peanut butter cups (the little paper cups) with a paint brush with chocolate,” joked Robbins.

After having her second son, Robbins took time off to raise her children and focus on cultivation. For a while, she kept quiet about her desserts because of the stigma behind the cannabis industry. “A lot of people see cannabis as ‘oh just a bunch of lazy stoners’ or were greedy,” said Robbins.

However, her involvement in the region has introduced to her people that are breaking barriers to show the business community that they too are just normal, hardworking, family people.

“There’s always going to be bad players in everything,” said Robbins.

Now, with the help of Danielle McCabe and Katherine Powell, Robbins is creating edibles like you have never seen before. From decadent chocolate truffles to sour apple ranchers, these artisanal treats are changing the way we look at edibles as a whole.

Each handcrafted, delightful dessert is made mostly from local products that come from our backyard. “We aren’t 100% local but we are as close to it as we possibly can be,” said McCabe.

Robbins’ own cultivated plants are used in Arcana Delights as well as local dairy products. The chocolate is imported from Europe, but that’s only because of years of trial and error, and of course taste.

A big part of creating these delights comes from being able to see people happy with their products, especially when it really helps somebody.

“[A patient’s] father had just died and he had some of my treats. I guess he’s the kind of guy that would typically go to the bar and get trashed to deal with it, but [instead] he didn’t. He ended up eating the food and he just had this emotional moment — he let go and he coped. His whole family was amazed, it was incredible,” said Robbins. “It’s really what keeps us going”

Next time you feel an ache or are just having a stressful day, why not check out Arcana Delights, they might have all the indulgence you’ll ever need.