Burlesque - Caramel Brioche with Port Whipped Cream

There are a few things that you should know about making caramel, brioche and port whipped cream, says Jason Moore.

1. Caramel is fucking HOT!
2. Making caramel in the summer is a fail. Making it in the winter is a win.
3. Never stop whisking. I got yelled at so many times.

Alicia Streight and Jason Moore are a cooking circus, based in Oakland, Calif. They can make anything and they do. Sometimes in costume, sometimes naked, sometimes for fun and sometimes, even, when they are just plain hungry.

If you are lucky enough to be invited to a dinner party at one of their houses you should do anything and everything in your power to attend. For serious.









Ingrediants: Brioche: cut into cubes or large croutons; Port Whipped Cream: 1 C. Port and 1.5 C Whipping Cream, blended together in a mixer on medium high until foamy and thick; Caramel: 1 C. Sugar, 6 tblsp butter, 1/2 C. heavy cream.

Instructions (Caramel): Heat sugar until hot. Stir constantly until sugar is dissolved. Add butter. When melted, stop heat. Wait 3 seconds. Drizzle in heavy cream, stir, and put into a mason jar.

Stack brioche crouton on a plate. Drizzle with caramel and add a dollop of whip cream and top with a second brioche crouton to make a sweet sandwich. Drizzle with caramel to soak and top with last pizzazz of whip cream.

Team Lexington Burlesque Dinner - Quiche

The gothic goddess glided into the kitchen and stopped everyone short. We had no choice but to admire her confidence, beauty and presence. The seas parted. Even with her little prizefighter red robe on, everyone knew what was lying in wait underneath.

But just like any normal everyday Susie Q. Homemaker, Raquel Van Nice went about her business setting out ingredients for her quiche. Food bonds people together and makes everyone feel comfortable. Because we are all familiar with food.

Food and dancing are two constants.





"When I'm done with this, lets have a dance party! Remind me to cut this into smaller slices so it gets all the way around this crowd." - Raquel Van Nice













Squashy, Asparagusy, Bacony QUICHE!
(makes 2 pies)

Ingredients: 3/4lb asparagus (diced), 1/4lb zucchini (diced), 10 slices bacon, 6 eggs, 2 8" pie crusts, 1 egg white (beaten), 1 1/2C heavy cream, 2C shredded cheese (you choose, Raquel used 1/2 swiss & 1/2 manchego), 1/4tsp nutmeg, salt & pepper to taste

Instructions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Meanwhile Steam aspragus and zuchini for about 6 minutes on the stovetop. In another pan, fry up bacon, drain and crumble. Brush pie crusts with egg white. Sprinkle in steamed, diced vegetables and bacon.
In a large mixing bowl beat together eggs, cream and spices. Fold in cheese. Pour over vegetables in pie crusts. Bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes until firm and golden brown. Cool 10-15 minutes, then slice and serve.

Burlesque Dinner - Fried Rice

"Fried Rice is totally a recession food. HAHAHA. Ham Flied Lice. Joo Won Sum Fried Rice." - Jen Ford

Imagine a 5 foot 6 inch brunette, dressed head to toe in leopard, charging into a kitchen at full speed. Whipping around so fast it was nearly impossible to capture her on film. What wasn't tough at all? Eating. The hang over food to cure all hang overs, ills or walks of shame: homemade fried rice.




You can essentially take leftovers from your fridge and dice, dice, dice them into a hot wok. Toss everything together, crack a few eggs, give that wok a little hand stir action. Soon, friends, you will have a crazy easy, crazy delicious dinner entree.



"Eat like your life depends on it!" - Jen Ford





Ingrediants: steamed jasmine rice (1lb), diced ham (1/2 lb), green onion (1 bunch, chopped), 1 stick butter, garlic (2 chopped tbsp), 6 eggs, peas (1 cup, thawed if frozen), soy sauce to taste

Instructions: Warm butter in wok or large pan. Add garlic, green onions and ham. Saute until warmed throughout (2-4 minutes). Add rice and soy sauce. Cook until hot. Crack the eggs directly into the wok or pan. Stir until eggs are dry and distributed throughout the rice mixture. Add peas to taste and serve.

Team Lexington Burlesque Dinner - Ratatouille

"It's harvest time. These are all things in my garden right now. All the herbs, vegetables, everything is in season. Eggplants, zucchini's, peppers, basil, marjoram." - Melissa Duscha



Melanie Neault and Melissa Duscha showed up to Martini Oaks with baskets of veggies under one arm and floaty feathers piled into their hair. They eased around the kitchen, dresses swirling, fishnet legs darting and ducking, feathers trying desperately to keep up with heads that swiveled to talk and concentrate on chopping.

Duscha, is recently returned from living in Shanghai. She peppered our conversation with asides from living in China. Though she learned this ratatouille recipe from a fellow student, during a study program in France.



Here are her tips for a delicious french vegetable stew:
1. Chunks: all the vegetables should get cubed up into manageable pieces
2. Be really liberal with the herbs de provence
3. Don't be afraid of olive oil or garlic. Fry them up together.
4. Use home grown vegetables when possible, they have more flavor.
5. It's easier to cook half naked about 10 minutes into it. You are concentrating more on what it's front of you and less on what's jiggling behind you.








Mel'n'Mel Ratatouille

Ingredients: tomatoes, eggplants, zuchini (or in-season squash), belle pepper, chilis, garlic cloves, olive oil, pepper and salt, lemon juice (to taste) , pinch of sugar, white wine (to taste), herbs (fresh marjoram, basil, rosemary, oregano & bay leaves)

Instructions: Heat olive oil in a skillet and add (chopped) garlic and (chopped chilis). Control the spiciness of the stew by adding fewer or more chilis. Let fry for a bit (3-5 minutes). Do not let burn. Add eggplant and bell peppers and saute for 7-10 minutes depending on amount and heat. When soft, add remaining vegetables. Let cook down for another 15 minutes. Add wine, lemon juice, herbs and salt & pepper. Let simmer another 30 minutes. Serve.

(I heart Cody) Team Lexington - San Francisco

"I'm burning Bok Choy, apparantly," said Cody Giannotti as he posed for a photo wearing bunny ears with two leopard clad women.

Giannotti is the coach for the San Francisco Burlesque/Theatre troupe Team Lexington. They started out several years ago as a gaggle of friends who occasionally scored gigs.

"Hey, Dude, I got a music gig. Anyone want to dance in the background?"

(Giannotti with his Nonna's cookbook)

On August 6th, 2007 at Mr. Smiths on 6th Street they performed Squibbina's Last Stand which netted them the notoriety they needed to be taken seriously. The show starred Christina Lowry in a mermaid costume she'd made herself, the costume allowed her strip off her scales and show the bleeding, beating deep red of a mermaid's insides.

As of late, Team Lexington, dreamed together a spy musical written by Lee Goldin. It's their second full length feature they've produced. They also are experimenting with Burlesque Opera. In between all the performing - there are the photo shoots.

Which Giannotti describes as clean, organized, quick and marketable. This particular Sip Snap Savor dinner was really just one, elaborate theatrical photo shoot with food and knives for props.

That said, Giannotti can really cook. Really. He was a maestro: a jovial, unflappable director on all the stages and in the kitchen. He braised vegetables, directed the creation of an apple pie and made an upside down, inside out shepherd's pie.














Stay tuned all this week for recipes from our Burlesque photo shoot.
To book Team Lexington, contact Team Coach Cody Giannotti.