Bloom with clarity!
Brain Bloom • $34
Meet Brianne Doak: an architectural designer, maker of botanical edibles, and visionary behind Rodeo Studios. Brianne is a creative delight, both in and out of the design studio, and has crafted a bliss-boosting Rose-Colored Gummy recipe for us to share with anyone looking for a little . We chatted with Brianne about why she started dabbling making gummies, what she’s listening to, and her biggest wellness peeve. Get Brianne’s delicious Rose-Colored Glasses recipe and read our chat below.
Name? Brianne Doak
Occupation? Architectural Designer
Where were you born? Los Angeles, CA
What got you into making gummies? Necessity and curiosity combined. I got into a pretty bad bicycling accident and was on bed rest for the better part of 2 months. There wasn't much I could do except wait to heal. I tried all the topicals I could find including some my acupuncturist recommended that really helped but nothing was really doing the trick. My boyfriend suggested we make our own salve and things took on a life of their own. We ended up making a potent topical canna salve that worked wonders and we were left with an excess of infused coconut oil. There weren't many organic edible options at the time (something that is important to me) so we decided to see if we could make gummies that had simple and organic ingredients. I could spend days tinkering away in the kitchen making potions and broths of all kinds and finding something to pour my energy into while recovering was warmly welcomed by my stir crazy brain. They are the most fun to make because you can really add whatever you like both flavor wise and supplement wise. But maybe the most fun and joy is being able to share these treats with friends :)
If you were a plant, which would you be? Why? Probably a fern! I love water and baths and misting myself. I do horrible in hot hot weather but I still love the sun, just not blasting directly on me. I am a little shy at first but once I feel comfortable in my environment I thrive and grow!
What's your favorite song right now? Currently on my repeat playlist : Nina Simone "Ain't Got No" & "Baltimore", Lucinda Williams "Fruits of My Labor", Sam "Quiet World", CCFX "The One To Wait", Lindsey Buckingham "Trouble" and as always Gene Clark and my guys Neil & Jerry.
Tell me about Rodeo Studios. Rodeo is my design practice and full time job. My life has become wrangling materials, suppliers, and tradespeople. Design and construction can truly feel like a rodeo at times, thus the name. My favorite part of working in this field is collaborating with artists and artisans and learning from my peers and meeting so many talented people. I was always interested in materials and their different tactile qualities and the emotions they can evoke and I like to approach projects with that idea in the forefront. I particularly love working on small spaces and figuring out how to make them the most functional while keeping things simple.
What are you most nostalgic for? Pagers and pay phones! I love the information superhighway we all carry around with us everyday but I also miss the autonomy and spontaneity pre smartphone. I also have supreme nostalgia for the health food store we went to growing up called "One Life". Just the smell of it alone was like a warm hug.
Worst wellness trend right now? Accessibility and the all or nothing mindset. So many "wellness" items have price points and marketing that make them largely unattainable or exclusive. Wellness (especially access to whole nutrient dense fresh food) is something that should never be a luxury. It can be luxurious! But it shouldn't feel like a luxury to be able to attain or practice some form of it in your daily life. Wellness can mean something different to everyone and I think that the overarching industry doesn't always make it feel that way.
Number one essential daily habit? Hard to say one, but I would say the most important one is logging off and intentionally making time for quietness by myself and without my phone. This "practice" has been great for me because it is so elastic and therefore relatively easy to accomplish and often looks like: a soak in the tub, walking, reading, cooking, gardening, stretching or having a simple lay down and staring upwards all while checking in with myself and being kind and loving when I do so. We can all be so hard on ourselves and over time it can really take a toll.
Something you're looking forward to? My boyfriend and I are currently building out an old camper van we have named Althea. It has been a long, slow process and I hope this is the year it finally hits the road!
Ingredients
- 1 bottle RCG
- 1 cup kombucha (I used GT’s mango)
- 1-1/2 c sugar
- 3 tbsp raw honey
- 2 tbsp chia seed
- 2 tbsp Irish sea moss
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Pinch of sea salt
- Sweet Rice flour or powdered sugar (for coating)
- Turn on some tunes.
- Divide liquid in half. In a sauce pan add half of the liquid and the Irish Sea moss and warm over med heat (do not boil). Pour warmed liquid on top of gelatin and let bloom for 2-3 minutes. Add chia seeds to remaining liquid, stir and set aside to bloom.
- Once gelatin has bloomed add to sauce pan. Turn to med head. Add sugar and honey, stir slowly and continuously until the sugar has melted. Add RCG, lemon zest, bloomed chia seeds, stir until incorporated. Finish with a pinch of sea salt and adjust sweetness to taste.
- In a lined 9-1/2 x 13 baking tray (or unlined glass tray of similar size) slowly pour mixture in an even layer. Let cool for 2-3 hours. Once cool the mixture will be firm to the touch.
- Prepare a mixing bowl filled with sweet rice flour. Lay a sheet of parchment paper out, flip chew tray on top to remove. Cut into 1/2” squares or any shape of your liking. They will be sticky! Toss your chews in coating and sift to remove. Store in an airtight container and keep in fridge for 2-3 weeks or freeze and take a nibble when you please.
- Enjoy!
