The Saturday morning farmers market in Kotor is something I look forward to every week. Besides the colorful bounty and bustle of the market itself, the location is spectacular. It’s set up against the wall of the Old Town, right near the entrance. Hovering above, are towering grey mountains and the ancient walls climbing up to the Sveti Ivan fortress. Directly across the street is the sparkling Bay of Kotor surrounded by mountains in all directions.
There is a permanent covered area of the market where, among other things, you can buy meat and seafood, but the main part is outdoors on the sidewalk which overflows with fresh honey, olives, nuts, produce, local liquor, fresh cheese – as well as flowers, baskets and clothes.
Closing time for the market
Our Saturday morning routine in Kotor is my favorite. In the morning Adam and I walk to town and drink several espressos in one of the outdoor cafes along with small throngs of locals and tourists. Good and caffeinated, we walk through the market, picking up produce for the week and a few specialty items we’ve come to love (or in the very least, have learned to identify).
On our way home we stop at the little butcher shop by the traffic circle to pick up a roasted chicken and grilled red peppers. I realized we had become regulars when the burly, genial Croatian proprietor started critiquing my clothing choices. Since it’s gotten warm and sunny, I’ve started sporting a tank top instead of a long sleeve shirt with a fur vest (the local choice), and apparently I’m the weird one. This past Saturday, as I walked out the door, chicken in hand, he yelled (with a heavy Slavic accent) “Your shirt is. . .it’s no good! The weather is still very cold, you are not from Canada!”
That guy’s the best.
Here are 8 of my favorite things from the Kotor Farmers Market:
1. Olives
Most vendors have a variety of olives to choose from, my favorites are tossed in olive oil with garlic and parsley.
2. Homemade olive oil
3. Red Peppers
These long, mild bell peppers are abundant in this part of the world and a staple in our kitchen.
4. Homemade Loza
A variety of Rakija – Montenegro’s national alcohol. This bottle of Loza is a white brandy made from grapes and tastes like burning.
5. Dried figs
6. Strawberries
7. Crmnica Onions
These red onions are only grown only in the Crmnica region of Montenegro.
8. Old timey scales
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