Ruma en Roma, la tienda de la granja a la mesa que trae el campo a la ciudad

Ruma to Rome. From the Tuscan Maremma to Rome. About 185 kilometers separate the La Maremmana farm from Ruma, the new shop and kitchen on Via di Parione, a stone's throw from Piazza Navona. A distance that, in its kilometers, ideally tells the story of a family, that of Matidia and Guido Pallini, and of a region, the Maremma, on the border between Tuscany and Lazio, which is more than ever the focus of this project.

The relaunch of the company

The story of siblings Matidia and Guido is tied to the family business: in the province of Grosseto, their father, Marcello Pallini, was a farmer and, together with his wife, Diana Theodoli, dedicated himself to buffalo farming for years, though limiting his focus to milk production. Meanwhile, their children took different paths, far from Italy: she is an architect, he works in finance. But both, at different times, felt the call of home and the countryside. Guido returned to Maremma in 2013, leaving the world of finance in London and dedicating himself entirely to relaunching the company: "I realized we were having trouble being financially sustainable, the only way to continue was to increase revenue: so we launched into cheese production. It was a bit of a leap into the unknown, because we knew nothing about it."

From there, a new adventure began: "The hardest part was finding the cheesemaker, who is like a chef," Guido explains. "Buffalo mozzarella is very different from cow's milk mozzarella; it's definitely more difficult to work with, and without the proper experience, it's impossible. It took us a while to find the right person, but in the end, we did it: our cheesemaker is from Battipaglia." The perfect union, then, between Maremma product and Campanian craftsmanship.

Circular economy, sustainability, stereotypes

"With the relaunch of the company, we decided to also focus on the circular economy and sustainability, a concept everyone's talking about today, but which, depending on how it's applied, has very different consequences," Guido immediately explains. "We don't like labels: organic, non-organic. We process only our own milk, artisanally, to ensure a quality product, and we have control over the entire supply chain." This commitment has led to a series of interventions and investments to reduce environmental impact, including a state-of-the-art stable for animal welfare and a biogas plant capable of absorbing farm waste, producing energy for the dairy, and simultaneously providing organic fertilizer.

In 2019, Matidia also returned home. After many years abroad, she put her architectural expertise to work for the company, designing the Grosseto store: "I'm the artistic soul, while my brother is the businessman," she jokes. Little by little, the idea of ​​bringing rural culture, and products, to the city began to take shape. "The countryside and the farmer are perceived in the stereotypical bucolic vision of the peasant. It's a vision that's already changing a bit, but we'd like to convey the values ​​that lie behind this concept: attention to detail, craftsmanship, and the connection between people."

Summer 2022 and the opening of Ruma

And that brings us to today. Or rather, August 2022, when Ruma opens its doors. A thoughtful, carefully considered, and coherent choice. First, specializing in cheese production, taking courses to offer customers a wide variety of products: "Our offering ranges from the more classic ones to the French-inspired aged ones, which are very interesting because the buffalo milk gives them a completely different flavor." Mozzarella and burrata, of course, are the heart of the business (especially in terms of sales), but the brothers' goal is also to allow people to taste a variety of cheeses.

Not only that. Ruma opens at a time when, especially in large cities and especially in Rome, small shops are experiencing a resurgence: Covid, as we've said many times, has made Romans rediscover neighborhood shops, the pleasure of shopping at small businesses, where the focus is greater. "Not to mention the mozzarella supply in the city: it's quite saturated," Matidia tells me. "We only opened when we were confident we'd achieved competitive quality and offered a product unlike any other."

And not just cheese: Ruma also offers buffalo milk ice cream (five flavors at the moment, including one milk-free) and buffalo meat.

The shop, the kitchen, the projects

Ruma's double entrance immediately reveals its dual nature: on one side, a shop with a beautiful steel counter displaying cheeses, the kitchen at the back, and in the other room (seating 16 in total) tables for customers who don't just want to buy, but also choose to sit down, from breakfast to dinner (but delivery is also on the cards in the future).

So, we start with ricotta with honey on toast (from Antico Forno Roscioli) and yogurt with fresh fruit, or, for those who prefer a savory breakfast even first thing in the morning, crostini with cheese. The dishes and recipes are by Angelica Federici, a Gambero Rosso graduate and former recipe developer at one of Italy's largest biodynamic farms (Azienda Agricola Boccea), while Lucas Maidana is the driving force behind the kitchen.

Portions aren't overly generous, "we like the idea of ​​people sharing and sampling a little bit of everything", simple recipes showcase the ingredients, which are truly delicious. The menu is currently very short, but will change seasonally and gradually expand. In addition to cheese samples, from mozzarella to ricotta (made with whey, and therefore more delicate), from spiced robiola to Fiore di Capalbio, including the more mature and straw-smoked cheeses, Ruma's current offering also includes gnudi with red chard and beetroot sauce, buffalo roast beef, and vegetables from Maremma Vegetale's garden, while the aromatic herbs are from Zafferano Monticiano.

The wine list, curated by Matidia, features only natural wines: "I base my work on direct relationships. I've chosen Tuscan and Lazio wineries that I know and appreciate, but I plan to expand my selection. I enjoy creating synergies and connections between different businesses: I'd like to organize events and tastings with other producers and make the food and wine experience a shared experience, both educational and cultural. I'd like Ruma to become a space where cross-fertilization between different art forms is encouraged."

Ruma. Via di Parione 13, Rome. Tel. 06 89471435. Website. Facebook. Instagram. Open all day Tuesday through Sunday.