Food and Drink

Ravioli of Crema (sweet main course)

Also known as "Turtei", it is a typical stuffed-pasta dish. The tortelli are made from fresh pasta filled with a sweet dough that contains macaroons, eggs, “mostaccino” (a spiced cookie), grated lemon, mint sweets, raisins and grated Grana Padano cheese. Once cooked, they are served with butter and sage.

Bertolina Cake (typical dessert)

The Bertolina cake is a typical autumnal dessert - it is soft and delicate with the aroma and flavor of grapes. It is prepared using flour, sugar, eggs, milk, and sweet strawberry grapes and is moulded into a typical cylindrical shape that is soft on the outside with a juicy strawberry-grape filling on the inside.

Spongarda (typical dessert)

The “Spongarda” is a very special filled dessert, made ​​from shortcrust pastry with a filling of dried fruit, honey and spices. After baking the pastry is sprinkled with powdered sugar. The name derives from "sponga" meaning sponge, because it originally had a soft and spongy appearance. However, from the 19th C. the preparation of Spongarda was enriched with honey and almonds, giving it the typical sweetness for which is it known today.

Salva Cremasco (typical cheese)

The "Salva Cremasco" is a soft raw milk cheese, made exclusively with whole cow's milk. It is a washed-rind cheese that must be aged for more than 75 days.

The name "Salva" comes from "salvare" (to save) because traditionally this cheese was made using the abundant milk production of the spring season. One of the typical ways to eat this cheese is as "Salva con le tighe", which means the cheese is cut into small pieces and eaten with "tighe", seedless pickled green chilies.

Salva-Cremasco is a product of Protected Designation of Origin (PDO).

Treccia d’oro (typical dessert)

“Treccia d’oro” is a braid-shaped cake made ​​with raisins and candied citron and orange peel. The “Treccia di Crema” is dark in color, has raisins visible on the surface, and is often glazed. The habit of adding raisins to the dough is as a symbol of good luck. The dough is compact and golden, similar to a Danish pastry. It is best eaten slightly warmed from the oven, and is delicious when accompanied by mascarpone and a small glass of plum grappa. This dessert can be enjoyed throughout the year.