Late Summer at the Market

We are counting down the last days of summer - we have returned to our homes and the daily routine, so we don't miss daily visits to the market because we want to eat seasonal, fresh and homegrown food. Late summer is the most luxurious time of the year when it comes to fruits and vegetables.

For you, we took a walk through the popular Rijeka market, or “placa” as Rijeka people call it, and made sure that it is rightly reputed to be one of the best in the country.

Her Majesty - the tomato

The first impression is that the whole market is red with beautiful, ripe tomatoes. Roma tomatoes, beefsteak tomatoes, old local varieties, popular cherry tomatoes, red and yellow types...the selection is really huge. It is not for nothing that tomatoes carry the title of queen of summer. Now is the right time to buy it in large quantities because it is at the peak of the season, sweet and juicy. Prepare salsa, sataraš, dry it and put it in jars with fine olive oil, spices, herbs or hot peppers or make a concentrate - the popular “konšerva” and save a part of summer for cold winter days.

It is best raw, with a pinch of salt and a few drops of premium olive oil. You can finely grate some Parmesan cheese on it, or combine it with peppers and onions in a salad and make the best addition to your barbecue.

The variations are truly countless, and the choice is only up to you. If you don't feel like cooking or staying in the kitchen for a long time, we suggest the finest summer sandwich: spread a slice of good homemade bread with butter, place slices of fresh tomatoes on it, and add a little salt. Paradise!

Brothers by sataraš

Right next to red tomatoes are their 'brothers by sataraš' - zucchini, eggplants and peppers. They also come in various variations and simply tempt you to buy them and let your imagination run wild. Bread them, grate them and make fritters, stuff them, cook them, bake them...everything is delicious and perfect for summer.

Our gaze continues to the beans, yellow and green, flat and what they call 'pencils', and spinach and Swiss chard, which we neglected a little, appear shyly, except when they come accompanied by fish.

Especially delicious are young cabbage and kale, as well as cucumbers, which, in addition to salads, are also loved in cocktails and various other non-alcoholic summer drinks.

Summer fruit is the sweetest

As for fruit, the summer favorite is definitely watermelon. This year there were really a lot of them and they were very sweet, but also quite expensive. But what's summer without watermelon, we say casually and take at least half home. Right next to the watermelons, there are also melons on the stands, less popular and less respectable 'cousins' whose smell is so intoxicating that it instantly takes over the whole house.

There are also peaches and nectarines and all possible forest fruits - from blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, currants and the rarely seen gooseberry. They are so tempting that you take a scoop of everything home in no time. All summer fruits are fantastic just washed and sliced, but they do well in combinations with yogurt, muesli and oatmeal. Summer fruit cakes are a special story - popular tarts, crostatas and galettes, but also the favorite cakes measured with glasses like our grandmothers used to bake. The key word is simplicity - with just a few ingredients and some fresh fruit, you can make a perfect summer dessert in no time.