Grocery at Kalenic market
Red is the color of love, but in this case the love is called paprika.

Probably one of the most favorite vegetables across Serbia, this veggie is easily found in a wide range of different recipes - from chutneys, to pickles, from cold entrees, to warm soul-filling dishes.
This particular one is sold during the year but most commonly eaten during the winter time, especially when some holidays require fasting or vegetarian diet.

When fresh, juicy and crunchy, such paprikas are firstly thoroughly cleaned and then dried either on the sun or in special kinds of drying chambers. After they lose all the water, they are pressed and packed.
They always come in packages of 10 or more in order to make each other moist enough until consumed.
Speaking of consumption, the most common way to prepare such paprikas is to fill them with rice, simmered onions, crushed walnuts, fresh parsley and spices such as grounded cumin or muscat nut. Afterwards, they are placed in a heatproof dish, soaked with water - dissolved with powder paprika, oil and pepper - and are baked until liquids almost vanish.
After it gets served, the best part is probably the characteristic flavor that comes from paprika and its odor that whispers Love is in the air!
