A flaky pastry layering of fruit and mascarpone cream topped with a Bahamas Rum caramel drizzle felt like the perfect pairing for this next artist. Check out the recipe below!

Rusty Lazer, originally from Houston, Texas, and living in New Orleans for the last 25 years, has been devoted to music his whole life, primarily as a drummer early on. He was a member of five different bands, exploring various genres until Hurricane Katrina’s devastating impact on New Orleans led to the disbandment of the groups. The evolution to DJing was somewhat accidental; it began when he played music from his iPod at a birthday party, which was loved by the crowd, prompting him to pursue DJing. Along with his newfound DJ career, Lazer also ventured into the art world, combining his music with art installations globally. This unique blend of art and music, featuring sounds from New Orleans, marked the start of his international career.

Following a Big Freedia performance, Rusty Lazer seized the opportunity to engage with her, leading to a collaborative whirlwind of nine shows in just ten days at New York Fashion Week in 2009. This event was a turning point, propelling both of their careers forward. Lazer then took on the role of manager and DJ for Big Freedia, a position he held for about five years. Afterwards, he managed and performed with Nicky Da B, until his untimely passing. Lazer co-founded New Orleans Airlift in 2008, and after deciding to move on from artist management after losing his dear friend he pivoted his focus fully toward creating partnerships with NOLA artists and sharing their art with the outside world. This shift marked a new chapter in his career, a strong focus on artistic cross-cultural collaborations and philanthropic efforts.

 

 

Rusty Lazer’s creative focus from 2014 to 2021 was on the Music Box Village and New Orleans Airlift, a remarkable art installation and non-profit organization. His efforts were geared towards elevating NOLA artists on both national and international scales, emphasizing the importance of creativity and collaboration. In New Orleans, there is no stable and sustainable industry for art and music despite the strong culture of New Orleans. Artists have to sacrifice some measure of international and national success to stay and create in New Orleans. The goal of his work with Music Box Village and New Orleans Airlift was to forge connections and unite communities for a more equitable future. With a mission centered on fostering links between disparate people, ideas, and cultures through collaborative art of any form. Now, when Lazer DJs, it’s driven by a passion for community, giving back, and personal mental wellness. Most recently, he has devoted considerable time to producing new music and embarking on various projects, marking a new phase in his career.

Lazer’s musical tastes are extensive and eclectic, with a deep appreciation for all genres. He admires band music and holds artists like Jeff Buckley, the Cocteau Twins, and Björk in high regard, with songwriters hitting him the hardest. He celebrates the uniqueness of artists like improvisational composer and bassist William Parker, his favorite musician, and Tony Allen, his favorite drummer, showcasing his wide-ranging musical loves. Lazer has been heavily influenced by Southern music icons like Manny Fresh and the Big Tymers as a benchmark in songwriting and production. He has immense respect for Manny Fresh’s commitment to continuing to play at any venue no matter how small, his roots and the craft.

Big Freedia, known for her unparalleled work ethic, has greatly influenced Lazer in the DJ space. His approach to DJing is an open format, striving to resonate with his audience’s energy and preferences, making it especially effective in keeping even the usually early-to-bed attendees like myself engaged until the early morning hours of a set. Lazer’s ability to curate sets that meet the audience where they are is a testament to his skill and dedication to his DJ craft. He focuses on creating a vibe and dialogue with his audience, aiming for his audience to feel joy and a sense of physical liberation on the dance floor. A service-oriented DJ committed to his audience and his keen sense of reading the room makes him stand out as a DJ, particularly within the vibrant party culture of New Orleans. I can’t wait until my next visit to NOLA for another Rusty Lazer DJ set and dancing until the early morning hours!

Follow Rusty Lazer on IG 

 

When it comes to food, Rusty Lazer is passionate about cooking and enjoys the challenge of deconstructing and improving recipes. He prefers cooking at home over dining out, unless the dish is something unique that he can’t replicate, such as the secret recipes from his favorite Vietnamese restaurant in New Orleans, Tan Dinh. Cooking is a creative outlet for him, just like making music, where he personalizes recipes to make them his own, and takes joy in cooking for others. Lazer is deeply immersed in the food culture, particularly fascinated by the vibrant underground food scene in New Orleans.

Among his favorite dishes to cook is a rich shepherd’s pie, infused with an entire bottle of wine and lamb for the meat of choice. Shrimp and grits hold a special place in his heart, while his Texan roots are reflected in his love for barbecue. Vietnamese cuisine, particularly pho, has been a significant influence for Lazer since he first tried it at age 12 turning a corner of flavors and opening his palate to the world of food. Jami, his Cajun-born girlfriend of 12 years has also shown him a lot of new foods and inspired him to learn more about Cajun food and traditions. All of this has broadened his culinary horizons and inspired him to explore more diverse flavors.

For desserts, Lazer has a penchant for rich, syrupy treats like baklava drenched in honey syrup, King Cake drenched in rosemary syrup, and bananas foster. He leans towards desserts that are light yet rich in flavor, embodying his wide-ranging and exploratory approach to both cooking and eating. After learning all of the wonderful foods and flavors Rusty Lazer enjoys, I decided to create a Bananas Foster Mille-Feuille recipe infused with Bahamas Rum. This dessert is a different rendition of the traditional Mille-Feuille with lighter phyllo instead of puff pastry with a caramel syrup drizzle infused with rum. A perfect nod to Rusty Lazer’s approach of enjoying recipes and putting your spin on them. Check out the recipe below!

 

 

Bananas Foster Mille-Feuille

Ingredients

  • additional
  • 1 Tbsp. heavy cream
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp light Bahamas Rum
  • 2 tbsp Vanilla infused with Bahamas Rum
  • 1 tbsp heavy cream
  • 1 tbsp light corn syrup
  • 1 banana, sliced 1/2-inch thick
  • 1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced 1/2-inch thick

Directions 

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line one baking sheet with parchment paper and leave a second baking sheet unlined, and set aside another sheet of parchment paper for later use.
  2. Unroll the phyllo sheets and cover them with plastic wrap and a damp towel.
  3. Place one phyllo dough sheet on a lined baking sheet and gently brush with melted butter; repeat the same process with the remaining sheets and melted butter. Being very careful with each sheet.
  4. Once you are done buttering, cut the phyllo dough stack into fourths, crosswise. Then cut each rectangle in half crosswise to make squares. Then cut the phyllo dough again with each square diagonally to form triangles. Make sure when you’re done cutting the phyllo dough to evenly space triangles on the same baking sheet for proper baking.
  5. Bake triangles for 4 minutes. Then top triangles with saved parchment paper and the extra baking sheet, pressing to flatten triangles so they don’t puff.
  6. Bake triangles for an additional 4 minutes.
  7. Remove the top baking sheet and parchment paper; set aside the triangles cool to room temperature.
  8. Combine powdered sugar, mascarpone, and 1 tablespoon of heavy cream with a hand or standing mixer until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  9. Melt 4 tablespoons of butter with brown sugar, vanilla, rum, 1 tablespoon heavy cream, and light corn syrup over medium-high heat. Bring caramel mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low to simmer until thickened, whisking often for about 3 minutes. Do not overcook or thicken the caramel as it will not drizzle properly on your dish. Then transfer the melted caramel mixture to a heat-proof bowl aside to slightly cool.
  10. Pour 1 tablespoon of caramel on a serving plate and top with a phyllo triangle. Then add 2 tablespoons of the chilled mascarpone cream mixture. Top with sliced bananas and strawberries. Then repeat the process for a second phyllo triangle on top of the strawberries and bananas.  And finally, place your third phyllo and final triangle on top of the strawberries and bananas. Top with two banana slices and drizzle 3 tablespoons of caramel. Enjoy your Bananas Foster Mille-Feuille!