March 2011

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I haven’t been to the circus since I was 8 years old when my mother took me on a long bus ride on the promise of spectacular sights, clowns, elephants, and cotton candy. The memory is hazy now, but I still get excited whenever I hear about the circus coming to town. So when the opportunity presented itself for me to actually go to the heart of the circus itself, board the train, and meet some of the circus team, I was positively eager.

Taking a small charter bus from Dupont to Anacostia, I was joined by about a small group of DC-area food writers to share in this very unique experience to meet the chef of the Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey Circus’ Blue Unit.

The train itself was over a mile and a half long (and apparently when they are parked in areas nicer than Anacostia with all its mud and gravel, many of the circus performers and workers use the train as a guide for running laps). The train consists of 61 cars: 4 animal stock cars, 32 coaches, 2 concession storage cars, 19 flat bed cars, 2 generator cars, 1 shop car and only 1 pie car. The pie car is aptly named as the area where the chef prepares and feeds the up to 300 staff members of the circus. It sounds like a pretty small area, but when you see it in person, believe me, it’s even smaller.

The Pie Car on the train, and the Pie Car Jr. (which is the dining car that serves the meals at the arenas) prepares a combined total of 2500-3000 meals each week. Whenever the train is moving, the car is open 24/7. Michael Vaugh is the head chef whose actual title is Director of Food and Facility Services. He and six staff are responsible for the daily operations of the two Pie Cars, as well as overseeing the four nursery staff members, heading the hospitality department, and keeping the food process as waste free as possible. The dining portion of the car is modeled after a diner with booths with a long narrow kitchen at the end. I sat at a booth with three others and it was a tight fit, but I believe we were the unfortunate souls to choose to sit at a booth that was intended for 2.

Vaughn, an eager chef who is clearly excited about his job and passionate about his food, is a robust man. Quick with a laugh and a smile, talking to him about his job was a delight as he couldn’t hide his love for the food and for the Pie Car–which he helped design. From Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Vaughn loves spices and is quick to add Creole seasoning to spice up a bland dish. But he also is proud to serve international dishes that are authentic to their country of origin.

With staff members from 6 continents, Vaughn is always looking for an opportunity to make someone’s favorite dish and welcomes input. Despite living on the train, he makes an effort to obtain fresh foods whenever possible, shopping in local grocery stores to supplement the food shipments they receive from Sysco and US Food Services, with some items coming Sam’s Club and Costco. He also says he tries to get fresh seafood at least once a week and is incorporating more vegetarian options into the menu.

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Joining us on the train were Johnathan Lee Iverson, the Ring Master; Andre McClain, America’s Favorite Cowboy; and Tara Ogren, a Trapeze artist. Together with Vaughn, the team made it clear that being a part of the circus was really being a part of a family. Both Vaughn and Iverson met their spouses through working with the circus, and both happy fathers were proud to boast about their brood and how living on the rails with the circus was the happiest way to live.

The meal was served bit by bit, allowing us to take in the individual flavors of each dish and truly appreciate the time and artistry which Vaughn applies to his meals. The first dish we were served was a Brazilian Chicken Stroganoff. The chicken was lightly spiced with perhaps a little kick (according to my dining companion, I personally eat food that is way to spicy so it is sometimes hard for me to tell). It was really excellent, but I tried not to eat too much since I knew more food was forthcoming.

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The Brazilian Chicken Stroganoff was suggested to Chef Vaugh by one of the Ringling Bros Brazilian Production team members. Over time the chef made his own adjustments to the recipe but the main ingredients were inspired by the Beef Stroganoff from Brazil & Portugal, under the name “estrogonofe”. The Brazilian variant includes diced beef or strips of beef usually filet mignon with tomato sauce, onions, mushrooms and heavy whipping. Stroganoff can also be made with chicken breast instead of beef. This dish is called Friceassee in Brazilian restaurants. The dish is served with crisp potato straws, in homage to the original Russian recipe, and white rice.

Next on the menu was a combination of two Bulgarian dishes. Moussaka and Banitsa. The Banitsa, a traditional Bulgarian pastry made from whisked eggs and pieces of serene layered between Filo pastry dough and then oven baked, was light and delicious, and probably my favorite of the menu items we were served. The Moussaka was much heavier, almost what you would call a “rib sticking” food item. It reminded me of a cross between Shepherds Pie and the meatloaf my mother made for me as a kid.

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Moussaka comes from an Arabic name for “cold dish” and has become popular around the world. The recipe has multiple variations originally inspired by the Ottoman Empire cuisine but in the West it is best known for its Greek version. The Moussaka served at the Pie Car luncheon was inspired by a Macedonian recipe in homage to the nationalities of some of the Circus performers and it consists of three spate layers. 1st layer includes ground pork and beef, the middle layer has slices of potatoes and the top layer is made of a simple custard mix. Each layer is cooked separately at first the laid in a pan and baked until the top layer becomes brown

Next we were treated to what was clearly the chef’s favorite, Chicken and Sausage Gumbo topped with a crab claw.

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Gumbo is a type of stew original to south Louisiana, where Vaughn grew up. The dish consists primarily of a strong stock meat or shellfish, a thickener, and the “holy trinity” vegetables consisting of celery, bell peppers, and onions. Gumbo is often categorized by the type of thickening ingredient used with it, such as the vegetable okra, a spice called file, or the French base made of flour and fat, called roux. The name Gambo came from an African tribal word “ki ngombo” for okra.

Gumbo comes in two main varieties: Creole gumbo, generally contains shellfish, tomatoes, and a thickener. Cajun gumbo, generally based on a dark roux and is spicier, with Chicken & Sausage. Either ham can be added then it is typically served over rice as a meal.

The meal was finished off with a trio of mini cakes 

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I was thinking ahead and managed to sample most of the dishes but did’t finish any of them in order to avoid over eating, but even with my careful planning, I was full late into the evening. I can see how these types of meals would be especially good for the performers who must exert a lot of energy in their daily workouts and performances.

The experience was definitely once in a lifetime. Meeting people who love their work seems so rare these days, but you could tell that despite the long hours, hard work, and living on a train, that the members of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus clearly had the most job satisfaction of anyone I have ever met. As Iverson said, the circus celebrates life, artistry, the relationship of people and the relationship between humans and animals. With benefits like those, who wouldn’t love their job?

On the trip home we received one more treat—a delicious red velvet cupcake. 2011 marks the 200^th birthday of circus legend P.T. Barnum, so the theme of this year’s circus show is celebrating the Biggest Birthday Bash in Circus History complete with limited edition specialty cupcake from the local DC cupcake boutique, Georgetown Cupcake (all proceeds on the sale of this cupcake benefit the Sunshine Kids Foundation, a non-profit committed to providing positive group activities and emotional support for young cancer patients). Admittedly, I have had a gluttonous week, so this is my third red velvet cupcake in 6 days. Without naming names, I would have to say that this one is by far the best. I am certainly not a cupcake connoisseur, but the ratio of cupcake to icing, the fluffiness of the cake and the creaminess of the cream cheese frosting was just perfect.

The circus is in DC at the Verizon Center through the 27^th, then they will be in Baltimore at the 1^st Mariner Arena from March 30-April 10. After that they are at the Patriot Center in Fairfax from April 14-24. With that many opportunities, I am eager to get my ticket to experience the circus from the front after my behind-the-scenes peek.

Lindsay Estes Li is a guest contributor for EatMore DrinkMore, she is a freelance writer that blogs about arts and culture events at A Resonant Voice. She also volunteers for MorethanMe.org, writes short stories, and is also working on her first novel.

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