Dining with Rum at the Pulejo restaurant in Rome

Rinaldi 1957, the historic and prestigious wine and spirits distribution company, took us on a journey between South and Central America on the notes of rum accompanied by the creations of chef Davide Pulejo in his recently opened restaurant in Rome's Prati district.

Skeptical at first, I must admit, but really so intrigued by an unfamiliar world-that of distilled spirits-I accepted the invitation. The evening was a real thunderbolt, a constellation of flavors and a sea of unexplored combinations in which I plunged with pleasure, as if enveloped in a gurgling of streams now more delicate now decidedly more intense. A pleasant warmth that slowly worked its way into my chest and really took me by imagination to warm tropical countries, bare feet on sun-warmed sand. Astonishing and absolutely worth sharing and trying again.

The tasting dinner was a long journey of pairing and storytelling that went from the shores of Cuba to those of Colombia (with a curious last detour to the Philippines) through 6 countries and as many distillates. The narrating voice, that of Walter Gosso, trade manager of Rinaldi 1957 and a man with a great deal of knowledge about distillates. His tale, full of details and curiosities, was able to convey all his passion and to lead by the hand even a neophyte like me, dragging me as if on the notes of a wild Rumba into this world to be discovered. 

The dinner, created by four hands by Walter and chef Davide Pulejo began with the Peperone as beef accompanied by a Montebello Vieux 8 Anni Millesimé 2007 that with its sweet and rich notes of coffee, chocolate and citrus enhanced those of the dish very well by assonance: imposing body the rum, intense the bell pepper.

Instead, straight from Davide Pulejo's new creations comes the first course, the Roasted Tomato Raviolo, Beef Beat and Cream of Milk Marrow, a dish whose taste is enriched even more by the caramel and vanilla notes of Ron Centenario Gran Legado Réserve 12 Años. Here we talk about the history of Central American rum. A very rounded rum that takes the ravioli under its arm but maintains a certain acidic freshness and, this time by contrast, balances the fatness of the marrow.

Our buccaneer ship then docks in Cuba, with the iconic Ron Santiago de Cuba 11 Anni, with a dry yet suave taste, paired with MI-RO, a risotto with vaccinara tail royal, celery cream and cocoa gel that combines Milanese and Roman culinary cultures. The Ron Cubano sparks the tale of a thousand legends between Cuba and Barbados, which vie for the birthright of this sugarcane distillate. True, it was in Santiago de Cuba that the history of rum changed, clearing the image of a low-grade superfood and used mostly for mixing. Indeed, it was here that rum made the leap to reach the tables of discerning tasters by working on the quality of the product.
 

We weigh anchor in the direction of British Guiana, here British Navy sailors were paid in distilled spirits and pounds and the rum had to be at least 57 proof because even if it wet the gunpowder it would still catch fire. Tobacco, leather and raisins are the dominant notes of the Pusser's 15 Anni present paired with the Manzetta beneventana, plums and lard. 

To close, paired with the Davide Pulejo version of Tiramisu, a Coloma 8 Años, perfect with its notes of vanilla, coffee and cocoa. We are in Colombia, in the Costantin family distillery, here Sandra Reatigui and Judith Ramirez are the "master blenders" and I discover with surprise that it is not so unusual to find women among the distillery stills. 

Having concluded this long journey between Central and South America, for the last leg we cross the Pacific Ocean to land on the shores of the Philippines. This is where Don Papa Rum comes from, specifically the Don Papa Baroko, aged for years on the slopes of Mount Kanlaon that accompanied the small bakery that completed this journey by bringing us back to Via dei Gracchi, 31.

Still a bit pleasantly bewildered by this journey but with a sure sea foot I delightedly savored this dinner that was different from the usual but definitely worth repeating. True, in Italy there is no culture of dining with spirits but it would not be a bad idea for the more daring to try even these pairings from time to time, I assure you it is worth it.

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