Empanadas with the Morales' - Alameda, CA

"My grandmother used to make tortillas. So this empanada making is similar." - Polo Morales

Fusion is a common theme amongst most families we encounter during our culinary road trips. But no where was it as prevalent as in our most recent dinner in Alameda, CA with Claudia (6months pregnant) and Polo Morales.

He is the son of Mexican parents, his Father is from the Zacatecas and mother & grandmother from Jalisco. His mother is very proud of her cooking and passed along recipes and techniques to her children. Stews in his family were common and were based on what part of the pig was being used for that nights meat portion of the meal. "The cut of meat makes the meal!" - Polo

She is the daughter of a Colombian-born mom and an English-Canadian dad. Since her mother handled most of the cooking in their family most of everything she knows is steeped thickly and heavily in the culture of her mother's family back in the Quindio coffee region of Colombia.

"Je no soy gringa!" - Mama Ross

Claudia recounts the story of her mother and how she came to the United States.
"My mother saw her sisters and cousins getting married very young, around 13 years old, and starting families. She wanted more for herself. So she went away and became a nun. She earned her degree and eventually became a superintendant of a local school district. And at 25 years old when she decided she wanted a family she was essentially an old spinster.

The War of Colombia had diminshed the marriable male population. She saw how equal the gringos in the peace corps were. How the women were treated the same as the men. And she wanted to marry a gringo. So she came to the US, met my father, had my brother and I." - Claudia Ross

Ballsy




"The filling needs to be really strong, because you only use a little bit of filling for each empanada and the masa is almost tasteless." - Claudia








Tips for making Empanadas

1. Firm Binding Technique: use wax paper to fold over the empanada, it won't stick and it will help you get the hang of creating the dumplings.
2. Keep practicing.
"They get better as you go, just watch, they'll be beautiful." - Claudia
3. Use less filling than you think you need
4. To make the ridges, "just pop your finger in and create them manually." - Polo
5. Use a cup to form the domed shape of the empanada.

Smashed Plantains: Slice 4 plantain "bananas" into 1/2" thick disks. Heat 3-4 inches of corn or vegetable oil in a skillet. When hot, add plantains. When the float, fish them out of the oil, smash them with a spatula, return to the oil for another 3-4 minutes, Drain and salt them.







Empanada Masa Dough:
Take 2.5 C of warm water, 2 C Pan Masa (found in hispanic grocery sections or supermercados) and 8-10 cucharditos (teaspoons) of salt and mix in a large bowl. Knead until smooth and let rest for a few minutes.


Empanada Filling:
Fry 4 potatoes diced, 2 whole, diced onions and 4 cloves of garlic on medium heat with a little oil to coat the pan. Add a pound of ground beef or ground turkey for a lighter filling. Also add a bunch of diced cilantro, several tablespoons of cumin, salt and pepper to taste. As the mixture cooks add the juice of 6-10 limes and a cup of fresh peas (canned or frozen are fine).

Empanada Hot Sauce:
Create this fresh, raw sauce for topping off your fried empanadas. Combine 1 onion, diced, 1 fresh chile diced & 1 bunch of cilantro, diced into the juice of 10-15 limes. Salt the sauce to taste.

1. Form a disk in your hand the size of your palm, about 1/4" thick.
2. Add filling in small spoonfuls, fold the disk in half.
3. Use a small cup or bowl to secure in place.
4. Pinch in place and to seal closed.
5. Fry for 3-5 minutes per side, in corn or vegetable oil.

Top with hot sauce and serve alongside, hot salted plantains.

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.