Attention gourmands of Italy, an appointment not to be missed that takes place in Cremona on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14: the Nougat Festival returns which will occupy the entire city center with mouth-watering proposals from all over Italy.
If in itself nougat is a triumph of sweetness, that of Cremona is even more so.
A bit of history: The classic nougat is a very ancient dessert and is considered typical of many regions, not just Italy. All versions of the name seem to derive from the Latin torrere (toasted). The modern packaging it could derive from an Arab recipe which is prevalent in some parts of the Islamic Spain known as turun, or even from an ancient Greek recipe.
The Spanish Turrón or Torró was known since at least the XNUMXth century in the city of Jijona/Xixona. And from the contacts with Spain the typical nougat of Cremona would derive which is produced in two versions: soft and hard.
According to some the its organs date back to 25 October 1441, when on the occasion of the wedding between Bianca Maria Visconti and the leader Francesco Sforza a court pastry chef made a cake in the shape of a tower inspired by the high tower of the city, the Torrione (now Torrazzo), hence the name Torrone.
Compared to the traditional nougat made with almonds, honey, sugar and egg whites, it involves the addition of flavorings such as vanillin and candied fruit, which make the mixture softer. Characteristic for its friability which was sanctioned in a document from the early twentieth century, which specifies that when broken it must behave as if it were made of glass.
Certainly beyond its high glycemic index, the Cremona nougat is made up of raw materials that each represent a reserve of healthy properties, from almonds, honey, fruit, egg white
The 2021 edition of the Nougat Festival goes back to its origins. In fact, it will last for nine days with a rich calendar of events, show cooking, meetings and award ceremonies, boat trips, award ceremonies, menus with nougat as the protagonist and numerous initiatives that attract thousands of visitors every year. A moment of great attraction will be the Fabbrica del Torrone, under the Loggia dei Militi where the Mastri Torronai Sperlari will show "live" how this delicious and typical dessert of the Cremona tradition is born. And for a full immersion with all the master pastry chefs of Italy you can go without fail to meet producers of nougat, chocolate and sweets from all over Italy, in Piazza Stradivari, Via Gramsci, Cortile Federico II. The Steam Locomotive is also back, which will accompany visitors from Milan to Cremona for a dive into the past. Travelers will get on the legendary "Centoporte" carriages pulled by the FS Gr. 740-278 steam locomotive, built in 1922 and therefore almost a century old. It is one of the few remaining examples of this group used in the past for both freight and passenger trains.
Stefano Pelliciardi of Sgp Grandi Eventi who organizes the event explains: “Every year the event registers record attendance numbers which testify that this is a successful formula. There will be producers from all over Italy involved in a program full of tastings. This year a nougat statue will be created which depicts a hug to take up the proposed theme 'dulcis in fundo' which metaphorically represents the wish for a return to normality”. As every year, there will be no shortage of prestigious awards from the Nougat Festival, including the Golden Torrone award which will feature Nicolò Govoni, founder of Still I Rise, a front-line volunteer alongside the children of the world, a very young writer and activist for human rights among the nominees for the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize.
Among so much sweetness, the organization does not forget that it is engaged in philanthropic and social activities. The Goodness Award, established to recognize acts of generosity away from the spotlight, for having dedicated one's time and life to helping others, will be delivered to the Associazione Donatori Tempo Libero, a "special artisan workshop" of volunteers that since 1967 has been recovering, repairs and eventually modifies walking aids to make life easier for those with physical disabilities, giving them free and unlimited use to anyone who needs them.
The event will also have moments of entertainment. In fact, she will be accompanied by Mina's notes. The tribute to the artist will take place in particular on Via Mercatello and Via Solferino: here you can walk raising your face to the sky which will be illuminated by the words of two symbolic songs of the singer "Amor Mio" who turns 50 this year and "I wish it was love." The two pieces were partly reproduced in a luminescent key, thanks to the "talking lights" that will light up the two ways for the entire period, and the piped music. The verses/words of the lights themselves will then be auctioned off and the proceeds will be donated to Occhi Azzurri Onlus for a concrete contribution to the creation of a center for children with different abilities.
Finally, during all nine days of the exhibition it will be possible to Violin Museum indispensable in order to get to know the Cremonese musical tradition. The museum houses the collection history of violins by the great names of violin making, from the sixteenth-century Andrea Amati to modern luthiers and contemporaries. Of the Stradivarius master various works are exhibited that embrace the whole arc of his existence. The museum also houses important Baroque instruments for appreciating the music of Monteverdi's era. The visit is completed with the theatrical Baroque church of San Marcellino, venue for the concerts of the Monteverdian festival.
