If you prefer to cook for yourself when you travel or if you enjoy visiting the local markets to discover specific products from the area, this advice will be useful for you. May is the beginning of summer season in Montenegro regarding new and fresh ingredients for your meals.
What’s in season
Fresh, locally harvested foods have their full and wholesome flavors which they release when we eat them. TMN will help you to find out what’s harvested seasonally in Montenegro.
Since the real spring was a little bit late this year, local, seasonal products still come from greenhouses. But, you can be 100% sure about spinach, strawberries or green beans as it is the right time to enjoy them.
For example, last week's price for strawberries has already gone down from 3,5 to 2,5 euro per kg.
Buy local
There is no doubt about the difference in flavor and texture between imported quality and locally-grown foods. However, understanding the location is broader than it may seem to foreigners. Serbian apples or Macedonian tomatoes can be considered “local” as they grow within a radius of 500 km, but mainly due to old ex-Yugoslavian habits. So, if you’re looking for an exclusively Montenegrin product, you better ask about the country of origin.
Today, most of the herbs offered at the markets are locally produced. A couple of years ago, both coriander and basil leaves were imported mainly from Italy, but now you can find much more from local farms.
New offer
Montenegro was always old-fashioned when it came to unusual or exotic foods. Avocados, mangos and limes appeared on the shelves of local markets just a few years ago, which is why I was surprised to find this edible Mediterranean flower at Damir’s stall today. Artichokes were used as food among the ancient Greeks and Romans; however, they never reached the Montenegrin kitchen. If you're interested, there are still a couple of them for the price of 4 euro per kg.
