Cremona nougat festival returns for 26th edition
From November 11 to 19, the city of Cremona celebrates nougat with unique and exclusive events to give space to creativity and craftsmanship.
Nine days of events including boat rides, award ceremonies, themed menus and numerous initiatives that attract thousands of visitors each year.
The absolute novelty of the event will be a tribute to Sardinia conceived by SGP Grandi Eventi, which on Saturday, Nov. 11, together with the SaDomu Sarda Association, will bring a group of Sardinian figurants to Cremona to bring to life a never-before-seen spectacle featuring the Mamuthones, a well-known carnival mask from the town of Mamoiada in the province of Nuoro. The performance will begin with the sacred ritual of dressing, which will be followed by a parade along the streets of the city center, ending with an extraordinary final show in the Piazza del Duomo.
During the nine days, there will be no shortage of live events, from traveling shows and on the festival stage set up in the Town Hall Square for both weekends, to interactive performances such as La Fabbrica Del Torrone - Sperlari Live Bar, thanks to which it will be possible to experience the creation of nougat with Sperlari Master Nougat makers who will show live the 3 main processing phases and it will also be possible to customize one's own nougat, bringing to life all the possible taste universes of nougat. Also added to the list are award ceremonies and showcooking with big names on the Italian gastronomic scene and local pastry experts such as Andrea Regonati, who will show how to create a sweet in "rego "la d'arte, and the mastery of the Luigi Einaudi Institute, which will bring out the best students of the cooking and dining address for the 'cheerful showcooking Il Torrone è Servito, in which the absolute protagonist will be nougat; the students will make a first course, a second course and a dessert under the careful guidance of the professors who will coordinate the future professionals in a show to watch and enjoy.
Ample space will be given to tastings. Nougat will also be the protagonist in the leavened products of the Christmas tradition, which will merge into a fragrant and fluffy version, by Panettoneria 365, for a real 365° Panettone. In addition, thanks to Anag Lombardia (National Association of Grappa and Spirits Tasters) in the early evening we will be awaited by the appointment Nougat on the turn, where visitors will be guided to the discovery and tasting, along with nougat, of the most famous spirits from Vermouth to Cognac but also Rhum, Grappa and Wisky. It could not miss another symbol of Cremona as the tramezzino, anyone who has passed through the city has tasted at least one in the local stores. And just the tramezzino will make its encounter with nougat thanks to master artisan Cristiano Gaggion who will create an unusual sweet tramezzino.
The unfailing historical re-enactment of the wedding between Bianca Maria Visconti and Francesco Sforza will be repeated, where 150 figures in Renaissance costumes will parade through the streets of the center accompanied by flag-wavers, drums, ladies, knights, archers and jesters to arrive in Piazza del Comune on Sunday, November 12, where the most famous wedding in Cremona's history, which led to the birth of the city's iconic sweet: nougat, will take place
But the story will be revisited with a pop twist on Saturday, Nov. 18 in a brand new event where the Cavalcata dell'Assunta company will enchant visitors with a parade of flag-wavers, drummers and costumed historical figures from the Palio dell'Assunta of Fermo. The procession will travel through the streets of downtown Cremona, eventually arriving in Piazza del Comune where the performance will take place, telling the story of Bianca Maria Visconti, wife of Francesco Sforza and sister-in-law of Alessandro, the one who gave birth in Fermo, Marche, to the future fifth Duke of Milan: Galeazzo Maria Sforza. A show consisting of 7 acts, where the narrator's voice will talk about the life of Bianca Maria Visconti from betrothed at age 5 to her last days, to convey to everyone the great value of the duchess, in a very ancient history that links the city of Fermo to Cremona.
And for a journey into the past, the Sweet Express historical train is back, departing from Milano Centrale station in the direction of Cremona, an FS Gr. 740-278 steam locomotive, built in 1922, almost 100 years old with 1930s "centoporte" coaches and 1950s corbellini coaches. A real journey into the past along the Po' shores on a historical journey to discover nougat.
