In the plush modern interior of the Far Eastern Plaza Hotel’s Marco Polo restaurant, which overlooks Taipei from the 38th floor, chef Antonio Tardi evokes memories of his mother cooking minestra maritatata in the family kitchen. The dish, which translates as “wedding soup,” is not something that is served at weddings; it gets its name from the flawless marriage of flavors, brought together in a clear, consomme-like soup made from chicken, pork and vegetables.
Tardi has created a series of activities, including cooking demonstrations, that draw on his culinary upbringing in the Neapolitan countryside to show diners another side of Italian cuisine.
Minestra maritatata takes seven or eight hours to prepare, Tardi explained. Even with a full kitchen staff on hand, it is still laborious. The dark amber liquid is rich with a multitude of flavors, and with its simple presentation, accompanied by a few green leaves and three small meatballs, it is a thing of great beauty. “What I make here looks better than what is served at home,” he said with a laugh, “but my mother’s version tastes even better.” While Tardi’s minestra maritatata is more elegant than anything that might be found in a country kitchen, he believes that the traditions of the Neapolitan working class have much to offer the world of fine dining.
Photos courtesy of Far Eastern Plaza Hotel
In mining the experiences that led him to become a chef, Tardi quickly changes the perception of what Neapolitan, and indeed Italian, food is all about. The baccala (salted cod) served with potato and artichoke is linked with the history of Naples, its importance as a Mediterranean port, and the growth of the naval empires of Portugal and Venice. Baccala was poor man’s food, created by those who found the cost of fresh fish prohibitive, and at a time when refrigeration did not exist.
Such dishes, with their long curing process, are making a comeback. The similar Portuguese dish bacalhau has become something of a must-try for anyone visiting Macau. Tardi pointed out that while salted cod is not common on the menu of Italian restaurants, it has an important place in the home cuisine of working people all around Italy.
Tardi’s new menu for this culinary trip down memory lane also includes upmarket takes on simple home fare such as braciola Napoletana. Tardi said that this dish was made by his mother from thin slices of topside beef, an unfashionable cut from the rear end of the cow, wrapped up around a mixture of cheese and basil and served in a rich gravy of tomato and beef juices. He has replaced the topside with tenderloin to bring this dish to Marco Polo, but has retained a rustic edge with the sharp basil crust that tops the steak.
Photos courtesy of Far Eastern Plaza Hotel
Tardi, who has been at the Marco Polo for one year, felt it was time to show something of his own culinary background, and for foodies, this has resulted in a menu, available from May 4, that takes an unusual detour into some of the less traveled regions of southern Italian cuisine.
From May 4 to May 7, Tardi will also be demonstrating two personal favorites — cured tuna served with creme fraiche, quail eggs and caviar, and scialatielli (a fat homemade pasta) served with calamari and clam sauce — between 11am and noon, after which these dishes will be served as part of a four-course lunch set.
Tardi’s Neapolitan menu of childhood favorites will be available from May 4 at the Marco Polo restaurant as part of the a la carte menu. For reservations or more information, call the hotel at (02) 2376-3156.
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