La Baldigara

This Guest Chef entry includes a short interview with Chef Tania and her husband, front man and waiter, Ivan, owners of La Baldigara in the heart of Senigallia, Italy ... and a long lunch.

A 2½-hour lunch, as it should be—with excellent company, conversation, and food.

Senigallia is by the sea. They say the beach has the “velvet sands of Senigallia.” The sea (mare) is an integral part of this lovely town of 40k. And while the population is considered mid-sized, it feels like a small town where everyone knows each other. When I am in the city center or the grocery store, I frequently run into people I know—a friend, someone from the café, a doctor, or the many workers at the store who know me and say ciao or “good morning” to speak English for me. On a summer evening, sitting outside with an aperitif, I watch people running into each other with an embrace and kiss-kiss. Even teen boys greet each other with a warm hug, kiss, or handshake.

Just like our lunch at Baldigara today, my friend Ilaria and Ivan recognized each other from 25 years prior when they met at Perry’o, a long-closed but well-known pub. Small town!

The restaurants in Senigallia offer a wonderful variety of local fish and local meats. Baldigara offers both. Before our lunch, we sent Chef Tania a list of questions. She’s very busy working lunch and dinner six days a week, so I knew there was no time to sit and chat. And she was short and to the point with her answers—something I can appreciate.

Tania and Ivan have been living and working together for 40 years. They started Le Baldigara in 2017. It has been a popular spot from the start. This lunch is my fourth here, and they have been very busy each time. Today, while they close for lunch at 2:30, it was 3:00 before five tables finished. Reservations are recommended.

The name Baldigara is local lingo for mullet, a common fish in the Adriatic Sea. That is what the local fishermen call it, and it’s only used in the Marche region. It refers to baldo–audace (bold–daring), as the fish can often leap three meters out of the water to escape predators and fishing nets. At certain times of the year, large schools of the baldigara swim up the Misa River, which flows through the center of Senigallia. It’s tasty and delicate and considered as good as sea bass (one of my favorite fish). The roe of mullet is also used to make the popular bottarga, which gives a special flavor to many dishes, both traditional and modern.

We started our lunch with the Antipasto della Baldigara, a platter of samples of fish, beef, and vegetables. You can order a full plate of any one you like. Sometimes it changes, or there are additions. This time, they had a seared tuna appetizer, with curry and guacamole with lemon and chili pepper. It was amazing, and now I have to go back and get a full plate.  

Ivan brought a bottle of Verdicchio from the Santa Barbara winery in LeMarche (not Southern California). Verdicchio is a popular white grape grown in the region, and it's one of my two of my favorite wines here, Verdicchio and Lecrima. Needless to say, it was excellent. Italian wines are incredible. And of course, they brought bread and breadsticks to the table.

The next course I had was fried calamari and veggies. It was similar to tempura—lightly coated and not greasy. There was enough to take home for dinner. Instead of having a third course, I ordered Carpaccio di carne salada con rucola to take home, too.

My friend had the Carbonara di mare - fresh pasta with pork cheek, squid, shrimp, mussels, and clams. The Adriatic Sea has these quite popular, very small, tender and sweet clams. I'm used to larger clams from the Pacific Ocean but these are now my favorite of the Bivalvia family. Of course the pasta is hand made in the kitchen and cooked to perfection. The fish and pork is all local.

We saved room for my favorite dessert. I don't remember the name so all I can say is this chocolate thing is heavenly.

All of this, with coffee, was €100 ($119) total. Worth every penny.

They also have a nice menu for the gluten-intolerant.

Chef Tania

1. What is the dish you love making the most?

Rabbit alla cacciatora.

2. What made you fall in love with cooking?

Watching my mother cook.

3. At what age did you start cooking?

14 years old.

4. How would you describe your cooking style?

Very simple and traditional.

5. What is your favorite utensil/tool/machine in the kitchen?

I don't have a particular one.

6. What other cuisines (or dishes) do you like besides your own?

All of them. Each one has its reason.

7. What do you eat at home? And when you don't feel like cooking, what do you eat?

Hmm... I choose on the spot.

8. What do you like most about your job? And what do you like least?

After so many years... I don't find any differences.

9. Have you ever made big mistakes in the kitchen?

Fortunately no...

10. Have you always been a cook/chef? Did you start working in the kitchen as a waitress, dishwasher, assistant cook, etc., or did you start directly as a chef?

I started as an assistant cook. In my opinion, you don't start as a Chef. You always start as an assistant cook. Then, with experience, you become a Chef.

11. When did you start working in restaurants?

I started at 14 years old.

12. Who would be your ideal dinner guests for an event? What would you prepare for them?

I don't have ideals; for me, guests or customers are all the same. I would prepare traditional dishes.

13. What advice would you give to people, especially younger ones, who are learning to cook?

Not to follow and listen to TV programs about our job. Passion for cooking comes only from hands-on work, living it, not watching it on TV.