Maybe it’s the awnings that catch the eye first: brightly red-and-white candy striped, like an old-fashioned ice cream shop, angling out over busy Forest Avenue at Woodfords Corner in Portland. Or maybe it’s the assortment of brightly colored cookbooks, tea towels, and baking pans in the window, beckoning in the kitchen hobbyist. Inside, the space is welcoming, with gentle music playing and friendly staff asking if they can help. Behind the sparkling counter, the sweet treats are for those 21 and older only: each contains a carefully measured amount of THC, the main active ingredient in cannabis. “We all know about having a glass of wine or celebrating a special occasion with a bottle of champagne. But there are alternatives, and we just happen to offer them,” says Dunia Khudairi, CEO and creative director of Pot and Pan Kitchen. “We’re doing a lot of things differently.”

Along with her business partner Keri-Jon Wilson, Khudairi is determined to change what people think of when they think of cannabis stores. “We’re the only ones doing this across the country. This is completely unique to us and to Maine,” she says. “In addition to my role as CEO, I also act as creative director. Much of the refinement around what fits with the brand and what’s not appropriate for the brand comes through me. I didn’t want our space to have that feeling of utility. I try to compare it to other categories. If I need milk, I don’t just go to the milk store to buy my milk, right? I’d like to find other things while I’m there.”

“I think some people in the cannabis industry came from the illicit market and moved into the legal market, so I feel this industry can be a bit intimidating to the consumer,” she continues. “But the kitchen is somewhere that is very inviting. When you go to someone’s house, there’s this joy and connection that comes from being in their kitchen. I think there’s something about this kitchen-focused space that really allows us to invite people in.” With the help of designer Wendy Polstein of Quill Design and Tom Gagne of Evergreen Building Company, who built the cabinets, caned doors, and that eye-catching awning, they set out to make a space totally unlike other cannabis purveyors.

Wilson and Khudairi engaged classically trained chef Tara Cannaday to head up Pot and Pan’s actual kitchen. Cannaday attended culinary school in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and ran a French macaron food cart when she first came to Maine. “She brings all of this knowledge and expertise specifically about baking, and she has been driving all of the innovation that you’re seeing in the actual food itself,” explains Khudairi. “Our edibles focus on the food experience first and the ingredients second.” They also offer micro-dosed options, which again sets them apart from many other cannabis purveyors. “We get a lot of people coming in here saying, ‘I don’t even know what I should be starting with.’ And we always say, ‘I’m so glad you came in here! Because we’re going start you off with something that’s really low-dosed, which means that the worst thing that happens is that you had an amazing dessert, and you want more!’”

What are these desserts? “We have white chocolate bars that taste like strawberry ice cream cones,” enthuses Khudairi. “We have a mini lemon Bundt cake that’s perfect for two people to split after dinner. We have one gummy called a sunset slush that tastes like you’re eating a yummy fruit punch. You’re able to have this lovely food experience and also have the experience of the infusion of the THC in it as well.”

Looking around, it’s easy to see that the shop is all about facilitating lovely food experiences. In addition to the tempting cakes behind the counter, there’s a wide selection of the hottest new cookbooks stacked around the shop. Cake decorating tools spill out of apothecary jars, and edible glitter and sprinkles fill baker’s shelves. Bread baking kits share space with colorful lasagna pans. There are locally made hot sauces stacked on a shelf just above fancy imported pasta and olive oil from Italy. It’s a delightful, welcoming mixture of items, just like the best home kitchens.

“That’s really what I wanted us to be. This store should be accessible to anyone. You should be able to come in here and shop even if you’re not interested in edibles,” says Khudairi. “We actually end up having many hilarious interactions with customers who are here to buy cake boards or olive oil or a spatula. Then they say, ‘What’s all this over here?’ And we say, ‘Oh, we also sell edibles.’ And they’re like, ‘WHAT?!’” she says, laughing. “But we get so many positive responses. There are so many people who are eating edibles but not talking about the fact that they are. We’re out here saying, it’s okay; it can be a part of your lifestyle. As we like to say, we’re all about tossing the taboo around cannabis. And we’re having so much fun.”

Bake It Easy

 “We’ve discovered over the past six months that three things that our customers regularly ask for are kitchen tools, gadgets, and ingredients,” says Khudairi. Chef Tara oversees Pot and Pan Kitchen’s selection of cooking tools, so everything in the shop comes with her stamp of approval. “I think once you build a rapport with a business that always brings quality things in, you don’t have to do all that extra research yourself,” Khudairi notes. Here are a few items that we were excited to find at Pot and Pan Kitchen. 

• Great baked goods start with quality flavors, and Pot and Pan has several unusual natural extracts like lemon and orange, as well as vanilla in different concentrations and forms, like vanilla paste and powder.
• Need to make that bake sale contribution shine? Try some striped or tulip-shaped cupcake liners, then top with sprinkles of every hue. There are also colorful muffin tins from Great Jones to brighten up the kitchen as you bake.
• If #caketok has enthralled you and you want to level up your cake decorating, Pot and Pan has a comprehensive selection of piping tips, pastry bags, and fondant smoothers.
• Is bread baking more your vibe? You’ll find powdered sourdough starter, a Danish bread whisk, and a perfect set of rising baskets for your projects.
• Finally, if you want to make your own signature chocolate chip cookie recipe but with that little something extra, Pot and Pan Kitchen sells their own baking bar. “It’s a 70 percent dark chocolate bar, and every square is 2.5 mg,” says Khudairi. “So if you make your batch of cookie dough, you can chop up your 2.5 mg chocolate, and you add it to that cookie, you know that cookie is 2.5 mg.” Happy baking!