Taste fair Florence is coming to town, which means food, food, and did I say food? So for those who are new to taste and wonder what it is, you can check out the article I wrote for The Florentine here http://www.theflorentine.net/articles/article-view.asp?issuetocId=7531 or read below.

The 7th edition of the fair is dedicated to excellence in taste and food lifestyles. Taste is the Italian fair dedicated to good eating and good living attended by the top figures in the international gastronomic and catering trade as well as an increasingly growing public of passionate foodies.

Basically an interactive trade fair for all those connected to the food world and unlike the Pitti Fashion shows, taste invites the public to join. There are different opening hours for those working in the food trade and the general public. This is starting this weekend on the 10th ( and some events even before) so for more information and to buy your tickets in advance, check out their website http://www.pittimmagine.com/en/corporate/fairs/taste.html. The price per ticket is € 15.

I have never personally been to taste, but this is something that is right up my alley (anything involving food and wine normally is.. ). What is really interesting to me is all of the events surrounding taste more appropriately called fuoriditaste or “outside of taste”. More than 100 different events will be taking place all over the city offering special tasting menus and all sorts of interesting food-related activities. There is a great interactive list of these events here http://www.pittimmagine.com/en/corporate/fairs/taste/fuori-di-taste.html. Many of the tasting menus can be a little pricey so I will list events in fuoriditaste that are free, a word I and my friends can appreciate.

• 08.03.2012 |6.30 pm – 8.30 pm | Galleria di Palazzo Coveri, Lungarno Guicciardini 19, Firenze Cake Thinking – Mostra personale di Marina Calamai- Vernice, free drink to inaugurate her exhibit about all things “dolce”, Free Event by invitation, For info: +39 055/281044 , www.galleriadelpalazzo.com
• 09.03.2012 | 4.30pm | Pampaloni, Via Porta Rossa 99r, Firenze : The Green Gold (by Bronte) Served With Silver, Free Event. For info: +39 055 289094 www.sicilfrutti.it, www.pampaloni.it 
• 09.03.2012 |6.00pm | Riva Loft Florence, Via Baccio Bandinelli 98, Firenze
• Champagne Update – The Best 99 Maison Of Champagne Edition 2012-2013, Free champagne tasting Event – reservation required, For info and booking: +39 055 7130272, [email protected], www.rivalofts.com.
• 09.03.2012 |6.00pm – 9.00pm | Four Seasons Hotel – Della Gherardesca room : Borgo Pinti 99 Firenze, Tasting Of Franciacorta Contadi Castaldi. “The Soul Of Land”: From Satèn To Soul Satèn. Free Event – reservation required, For info and booking: Contadi Castaldi, Claudia Spada +39 030 7450126 , [email protected] www.contadicastaldi.it; www.fourseasons.com/florence
• 09.03.2012 |6.30pm – 9.00pm | Via della Mattonaia, 22a/22 Firenze, Blooming Marvellous By Bloom®, Free entrance, For info: +39 055 712127 www.trybloom.com
• 09.03.2012 |9.30 pm | Teatro Comunale di Firenze Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Corso Italia, 16 Firenze, World Bach-Fest – Johann Sebastian Bach – From Facebook To Facebach, WBF totally free, Drinks at Caffè Zimmermann for a fee.
• 10.03.2012 |9.00 am-11.00 am | Rivoire, Piazza della Signoria, 5 Firenze, Breakfast At Rivoire With Te Dammann And Marmellate Agrimontana, Free event, reservation required, with limited number of people, For info: +39 055 287437, www.rivoire.it.
• 10.03.2012 |1.00pm-3.00pm | Ino Via dei Georgofili, 3-7r, Firenze Why Not… Also ‘With A Sandwich I Will Offer You A Tea”, Price: sandwich à la carte with a free tea tasting, For info and booking: +39 055 219208 www.ino-firenze.com – www.facebook.com/cioccolatodomori, www.facebook.com/cioccolatodomori 
• 10.03.2012 |3.00pm – 5.30pm | Cordon Bleu, Via di Mezzo, 55r Firenze : Mum, I Will Cook The Baccala’! Free event, For info: 055 2345468, www.cordonbleu-it.com
• 10.03.2012 |5.00pm – 7.30pm | Essere, Via dell’Agnolo, 65r Firenze ,The Taste Of The “Right” Chocolate , Free event with reservation, For info and booking: +39055 2658299 [email protected], www.zenzerocooperativa.it
• 10.03.2012 | 5.00 pm-8.00 pm | Milord fashion House in Florence, Piazza Strozzi, 12-13r Firenze: Soft Pleasures, “Balsamic” Delight! Free event, For info: +39 059 512112 [email protected]
• 10.03.2012 |5.00pm – 8.00pm | Macelleria Vignoli, Piazza San Pier Maggiore, 1r Firenze, Taste Of Tradition At The Vignoli Butcher, Free Event, For info: +39 055 2480436
• 10.03.2012 |5.30pm – 10.00pm | Obikà Mozzarella bar, Via dei Tornabuoni Firenze, Panettone Party – Eat “Panettone All The Year Long” With Gastronauta! Free event For info and booking: Obikà +39055 2773526 [email protected] www.gastronauta.it
• 10.03.2012 | 6.00 pm-9.00 pm | Jk Place, Piazza di Santa Maria Novella, 7 Firenze: The Happy Oil Sensory, Free event, For info: www.frantoiofranci.it www.osteriadipassignano.com ( also going on additional days)
• 11.03.2012 |09.00am-4.00pm | Riccardo Barthel, Via dei Serragli, 234r Firenze, Ortobello® Free event, For info: Francesco Barthel 335 360140 www.riccardobarthel.it , [email protected]
• 11.03.2012 | 5.00 pm-8.00 pm | Boutique Nadine Via dei Benci, 32r Firenze, Hourglass of grains. Taste fast! Slow Down! Free Event, For Info: [email protected] www.lafestina.blogspot.com.
• 11.03.2012 | 6.00 pm-9.00 pm | European School of Economics, Borgo Santi Apostoli, 19 Firenze, The Bottaccio, the Art on the Table, Free Event For info: +39 055 340031 – 821353
• 11.03.2012 |7.30pm – 10.30pm | 4Nero Concept Store, Via Carlo Marsuppini, 4 Firenze, Fish&Beer Fuori di Gusto, Free event by invitation, reservation required. For info and booking: +39 347 7111516 [email protected], www.4nero.it, www.bottaccio.it
• 11.03.2012 |8.30pm | Golden View Open Bar, Via de’ Bardi, 58r Firenze, The Pastificio Gentile and its Spaghettone I.G.P. Free event by invitation For info: www.pastagentile.it
• 11.03.2012 |9.00pm | UB Firenze, Via dei Conti, 4r Firenze, Baladin Rock’n Roll, Free Event, For info: www.baladin.it, www.ubfirenze.it
• 12.03.2012 |6.30 pm -11.00pm | Acqua al 2 , Via della Vigna Vecchia, 40r Firenze Tasty Broccoli, Free Event. For info: +39 055 2302696 ,www.acquaal2.it

I honestly can’t believe there are SO MANY free events going on, but make sure to make reservations as I am sure these events book fast. I am pretty excited to check a few out myself this week with a hungry t-man. Of course, this is going nowhere for my summer beach body dreams but what is a girl to do when there are so many free food options in the city of taste.

“Taste is Firenze and Firenze is Taste”