The Flavors of ‘Taste’ Food Festival 2018

This week brings a focus on fine contemporary food and wine at the annual Taste food fair.

Sat. 10 – Mon. 12: TASTE. Stazione Leopolda, Viale Fratelli Rosselli, 5.  Open to the general public Saturday & Sunday from 2:30 – 7:30 pm, Monday 9:30 am – 4:30 pm.  Admission: €20; children under 10 free.

Known for showcasing the widest variety and highest quality of foods of Italy, and Pitti Taste this year will welcome over 400 participating companies. One theme centers on foraging local plants and cooking with them creatively.

The event is not simply a food fair, but will also host presentations, debates, book readings, themed dinners, and workshops in relation to modern trends of the table.  The event also features innovative items and equipment in kitchen design.

The fair is divided into the following five sections, offering a range of insights into various food topics.

Taste Tour, Taste Tools, and Taste Shop

Just like it sounds, the Taste Tour is the beloved food fair that Taste is known for. Producers have stands lined up in the Alcatraz area of the Leopolda station dedicated to pleasing the palate and showcase everything from bread to cheese to wine and spumante to cold cuts, dessert and coffee. The combination of unique flavors, friends, and face-to-face contact with artisans is the cherished focal point of Taste.

From cooking to eating, Taste Tools displays innovative technical equipment for the kitchen, along with books, clothing, and designer items.

Want to bring that truffle oil you tried home with you? The Taste Shop is where to find it. If last year’s 2,180 products are any indicator of this year’s variety, look forward to bringing home high quality, unique ingredients to share your favorite flavors with the ones you love.

Taste Ring

A short walk from the Leopolda Station at the Teatro dell’Opera, listen to professional foodies discussing and debating the latest table trends. Hear what food experts from across the globe have to say. Reserve tickets to attend discussions in the Taste Ring at the Pitti Imagine web site.

Fuori di Taste

Kicking off on Wednesday, March 7, Fuori di Taste is “lighting up the city with flavor” by hosting happenings around Florence in addition to the weekend’s grand showcase. The program features unique Florentine restaurants and Tuscan-based product tastings.

Celebrate Woman’s Day at the Hotel Bernini Palace (Piazza San Firenze, Florence) from 7:30 – 9:30 pm on Thursday, March 8. For only €30, the meal will offer traditional Tuscan dishes and, if that’s not enough, the dessert will be a creation of three master pastry chefs and a master chocolatier.

For a more casual meal, visit Simbiosi Organic (Via de’ Ginori 56-58-60r) on Thursday, March 8 for an Artisan Beer and Gourmet Pizza tasting. From 7 – 11 pm pick and choose from a selection of craft beers from La Petrognola Brewery and pizzas made to pair and talk to the brewmaster himself.

Visit a completely gluten free market at Spazio Co-stanza (Via del Ponte alle Mosse 32r) on Friday, March 9. ChiaraGaia, an organization dedicated to bringing high quality foods to those who cannot consume gluten, sponsors this event. From pizza to fresh pastries, find a way to satiate your taste buds. Free cooking demos and workshops are planned throughout the day as well. There is free admission.

Dedicated to the island of Sicily, the weekend menu at Italian Tapas (Via Sant’Agostino 11r) showcases dishes inspired by regional Sicilian indulgences, such as red oranges and pistachios. A price tag of €12 will include tapas and one drink.

Pastabar (Piazza Santo Spirito 11r) will be offering a menu full of samplings of international fried food. On Friday, March 9 from 6:30 pm – midnight, for only €25 try dishes ranging from traditional tempura to Italian street food to Eastern European delicacies.

Sunday

Enjoy a tasting menu with appetizer, pizza, craft beer and dessert at Fratelli Cuore, Santa Maria Novella Station, Piazza della Stazione) for only €28 on Sunday, March 11. This event features pizza created with a rediscovery of original Sicilian grains in mind. Pizzas on the menu include Piazzallegra, Margherita Ripensata, Bianca & Scarolella. To finish the meal, fried dough with sugar, Montespertoli honey and cooked wine.

For the complete program of Taste and Fuori di Taste, visit the Pitti Immagine website. (anna rosin)