My dear cousin-in-law Ingrid Firme recently joined the league of seniors. Her intimate celebration was held at Discovery Primea’s Tapenade.
I’ve been missing chef David Pardo de Ayala’s food and had looked forward to the gustatory offerings of the evening.
David has the gift of making his own unique creations. No matter that the dish is simple or complex, he adds flare and special touch.
He recommended that I try the pizzas. At Tapenade, he said, it starts like a deceptively simple dough. But it’s quite complex: “It features two different types of flour, wheat germ, and a dash of honey, gently raised with a bit of yeast, time and patience.”
The crust had a fantastic bite and chewiness. My favorite was the Pizza Tartuffata. There was a generous slathering of truffle cream (black truffle paste gently folded in lightly whipped cream). The truffle “Crema” was then topped with guanciale (cured pig jowl) that lent a saltiness and a slight smoky feel.
Then came the cheeses—mozzarella, and fontina for added sharpness. An organic egg was baked atop the pizza.
The result was a bacon-cream-egg flavor profile, somewhat similar to carbonara, with hints of wild earthiness from the truffle cream.
Best dish of the evening
The best dish of the evening, however, was the Lamb Tagine with Couscous that I devoured with delight. On my palate, it had depth and was multidimensional—fragrant, savory, fruity, sweet and spicy all at once.
The Tapenade rendition of the Moroccan classic—slow-braised lamb shoulder, gently cooked with cinnamon sticks, cloves, cumin, cilantro, onions in a lamb stock—was executed to perfection as each ingredient, each spice, lent itself distinctly to the dish, making it extraordinary.
Tapenade, Discovery Primea, 6749 Ayala Ave., Makati;
tel. 9558888
Healthier ingredients
Other things I’ve tried of late that are worth sharing:
‘Fake’ hopiang baboy
Who doesn’t love hopia, especially when made with healthier ingredients? Aisa Patajo de Jesus of Clean Eats Manila makes hopiang baboy without the baboy. Traditionally made with pork fat, she instead uses coconut oil.
Aisa’s bread recipes were formulated to help her father recover from multiple myeloma, a form of cancer. The diagnosis left the family with no choice but to take a closer look at their diet.
The healthy hopiang baboy remains her dad’s favorite. It is panaderia-style hopia, devoid of frills, with a sweet starch filling and has—aside from coconut oil—raw sugar, sea salt and turmeric.
It is also vegan, as no animal-derived products were used in the recipe.
I enjoy these tasty, chewy little treats, best paired with a cup of jasmine tea, as it cuts through the sweetness.
Tel. 09176862472
Chef Mario’s spreads
Father and daughter Mario and Celina Rotea are the duo behind Chef Mario.
Celina said, “My dad and I enjoy much of our time together in the kitchen, so we thought, why not share our passion with others?”
As many businesses do, theirs started with the help and patronage of family and friends, who would request Mario and Celina to cook food for their parties or to give as gifts.
Mario studied Culinary Arts in Switzerland and later worked in a hotel in California. When he returned to Manila, Mario and Celina started developing and cooking food products to sell.
Every Christmas, they would product-test and launch new items such as bottled sardines, Spanish callos, and ham. These have become their staples, available made to order.
Last Christmas, Mario offered a new line of spreads, of which I have tried the mushroom and tinapa. I love both and have been indulging myself by the spoonfuls with crackers, bread and chips. I am particularly taken by how deeply flavored, rich, and creamy the spreads are, without a cloying aftertaste.
Celina noted how the spreads were appreciated by guests at annual gatherings of the CBCP (Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines). This prompted her to make them available to regular customers.
The spreads come in several variants: Smoked Milk Fish (tinapang bangus, Australian cream cheese, roasted garlic); Gravlax with Capers (Atlantic salmon cured in dill, pureed with remoulade, capers, and Australian cream cheese); Spicy Sardines in Olive Oil (homemade whitefish sardines with dill, pickles, carrots, garlic, chili and peppercorn, pureed with extra virgin olive oil); Chicken Liver Pate (freshly cooked chicken liver and butter with selected herbs and spices); Mushroom (fresh shiitake mushrooms, butter, Australian cream cheese).
In their test kitchen, mushroom burger and empanada are being perfected for people on the go.
Tel. 09173056987
For a copy of my cooking class schedule for 2018, contact 09175543700, 09082372346, 9289296.
