“Contamination of tastes: a journey of Mostarda di Cremona through the scents of the world”: with this underlying theme, the Festival of Mostarda di Cremona, which will be held from 4 to 6 October on the occasion of the Salami Festival and from 9 to 17 November on the occasion of the Torrone Festival, aims to explore how mostarda, with its roots deeply anchored in the Cremonese culture, can be reinterpreted and enriched by flavors and aromas from all over the world. Not just a celebration of Mostarda di Cremona, therefore, but an expansion of its boundaries aimed at creating a bridge between the past and the future, between the local and the global. The event will offer a broad calendar of events and initiatives on the territory and digitally to learn about and taste Cremonese mostarda in its most refined variations thanks to the participation of producers, food and wine businesses, restaurants and bloggers. Participants will be able to embark on a gastronomic journey through the fusion of traditions and innovations, while the Mostarda Village, set up in Cremona in Piazza Roma from 4 to 6 October, on the occasion of the Salami Festival and the stands on the occasion of the Torrone Festival, scheduled from 9 to 17 November 2024, will offer tastings and purchases.
And it is precisely the inauguration of the Mostarda Village in Piazza Roma, (open until 20.00 pm), that kicks off the event on October 4th at 9.00 am.
In the tasting area, a new concept of risotto arrives on the table with three traditional Cremonese mustards and salami
The PalaSalame, in the center of the Villaggio della Mostarda, will host from 16.00:17.00 pm to 2024:25 pm “Spicy contaminations: risotto flower with Cremonese mustard pesto and salami chips”, the first of three events of the micro-review within the XNUMX Salami Festival in which conventions will be overturned by bringing to the table a new concept of risotto, three traditional Cremonese mustards (classic, pumpkin and pear) and salami, the star of the show. Food blogger Annalisa Andreini (@dolci emozioni in cucina) will amaze the most demanding palates thanks to her risotto which is more of a journey into the pantry than a recipe: almonds, anise and spices will mix with Grana Padano and Salva Cremasco under a shower of aromatic herbs, pepper and oregano. The spiciness of the mustards will accentuate the dish and the crunchy salami chips will close it with a real explosion of flavor. The dish will be served with Blanche beer from the BirralabXNUMX brewery: it is a beer characterized by the presence of wild pepper from Madagascar, with fresh aromas of anise, nutmeg, pepper and orange.
Spicy contaminations on stage: the Cremonese boccia, polenta, mustard
Two more events will follow, on Saturday 5 October at 14.00:6 pm entitled “Spicy contaminations: Cremonese boccia, polenta, mustard” together with chef Riccardo Carnevali (@riccardochef) (ginger, fish and chestnut mustards) and on Sunday 17.00 October at 0:XNUMX pm dedicated to “Spicy contaminations: Cremonese fusion jambalaya” prepared by bloggers Annalisa Andreini (@dolci emozioni in cucina), Antonella Garibba (@Tday food), Gloria Diana (@idee per la pentola), Alessia Buzio Storio (@cake_XNUMX) (with pumpkin, quince and vegetable mustards).
The three events are accessible free of charge upon registration at the link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeLH_i5ujsl1hkjza15R6LNt6-cwctCXl_-6kRpG-SGViqX1Q/viewform
The rich program of the Mostarda Festival will not only focus on gastronomic excellence but also on a series of initiatives aimed at promoting and enhancing the local architectural, artistic and cultural heritage, such as the Tourist Itineraries that will lead to the discovery of the town square of Cremona with the symbols of religious power such as the cathedral, the baptistery and the torrazzo but also civil with the town hall and the loggia dei militi, the visit to the places linked to the figure of Bianca Maria Visconti that evoke the glorious Renaissance period of Cremona between history, art, culture and traditions, the visit to Pandino and its territory rich in historical and cultural peculiarities including the famous Castello Visconteo and then the elegant city of Crema with its noble palaces but also the prestigious and historic Civic Museum of Crema and Cremasco.
Cremona is also a city of prestigious historic homes, overlooking centuries-old gardens and enclosed within elegant architecture along the ancient districts of the city. Exceptionally, some buildings open their doors thanks to the circuit Dimore storiche cremonesi and in a historic building, Palazzo Barbò, the Hosteria 700 is housed, one of the producers of the mustard festival.
Fine gastronomy but also cultural itineraries: violin making, visits to cities of art and monuments
Among the cultural itineraries to be mentioned in particular is “The violin maker’s workshop” departing every day at 16.15 pm from Cremona Infopoint with a visit to a violin maker’s workshop to discover the charm of Cremonese violin making: the construction of the violin will be illustrated according to the classic Cremonese method inspired by the models of the great masters of the past, the Amati, Guarneri and Antonio Stradivari. In the workshops you will discover the secrets of this ancient art: the scent of natural varnishes, the wood exposed for seasoning, the large and small tools of the craftsman, the drawings and the “internal forms” peculiar to the Cremonese tradition, the accessories and the final testing.
Saturday 5 October will be the turn of “Tasting nougat, mustard and cheeses”: from Cremona to Persico Dosimo (about 35 km), a tasty route immersed in the Cremona countryside, to discover the scents and flavors that the local gastronomy is able to offer through the excellence of the territory. The route includes a stop at some important companies of typical Cremona products with the possibility of touching and seeing up close how Grana Padano and Provolone are made. The ride also includes stops in places rich in history such as the sumptuous eighteenth-century villa of the noble Calciati family where you will visit the interior in the company of an authorized guide. Snack with typical local products during the route.
