Five hundred gluttons in Piazza Aldo Moro celebrate the tortelli festival.

Starting on Tuesday and lasting until Sunday, Chiacchiere e Tortelli is a huge celebration in Piazza Aldo Moro, with 500 guests seated to enjoy Crema's tortelli and more, as the event also promotes other traditional local dishes. Each evening features a different lineup, with bands alternating to provide great music and delicious food. The fifty Crema Carnival volunteers—organizing the event for the fourth time—will be busy preparing and serving the famous tortelli, including a gluten-free version, along with other local delicacies such as hand-made braided ravioli with buffalo ricotta and spinach; tagliatelle with tomato sauce, meat ragù, and beef stew; Parma ham with melon and buffalo mozzarella from the Le Bufalizie dairy in Grumello; and local Cremasco salami from Ceruti in Offanengo and Salva Cremasco from Tazzi in Trescore, paired with the classic tighe, Crema's green peppers. And then a wide selection of sandwiches, grilled meats and burgers: classic, vegetarian and in the Salva Cremasco or Zola Croce di Casalpusterlengo versions.

Pier Giorgio Ruggeri