Day Two – Cooking, Market Shopping and Old Town Split Walking Tour
A country’s cuisine, their food and their land give insight into their history, geography and culture. Food is integral to the culture of a people. That said, we started our day with a shopping trip to the local market in Old Town, Split. Along the Adriatic, fresh seafood is abundant and grilling is a favorite way to prepare the gifts from the sea. Seasonal fruit and vegetables from the organic farmers will be important ingredients in the meal du jour.
Tino Plosnic, www.winetastingcroatia.com, a chief extraordinaire, picked us up at our hotel, 10:00 a.m. sharp. We headed directly to the organic market in Old Town, Split right by the promenade. First stop, the fish mongers. As a group we selected langoustines, lobster, conger, tuna and monkfish.
Next, fresh seasonal produce, local tomatoes, red onions, garlic, fresh parsley, prunes, paprika, rosemary, watermelon, and local artisanal cheeses filled our shopping sac. Tino shared with us a slice of Soparnik, a Croatian Swiss Chard Pie. This pie is a UNESCO protected recipe for the region. Don’t’ leave Split without tasting!
Once our shopping was complete we headed to an artist’s home in Kastela to prepare and enjoy a well-earned Dalmatian Coast meal!
Old Town Split Walking Tour
Old Town Split sits on the Adriatic surrounded by a promenade that reminded me of the Malecon in Old Havana. The promenade is a cosmopolitan site with cafes, kiosks, shops, and the green market near the boats/ferries
Visiting Diocletian’s palace ruins and the cellars still standing from the 3rd century is a testament to the professional architectural skills possessed by these craftsmen. This palace was built for Diocletian’s retirement and was abandoned by the Romans not long after construction. Today the residents and businesses within the palace are part of old town Split.
Old Town Split
