Salamanca markets in Hobart by Lynne

It’s an unusual experience for this writer to find pleasure and satisfaction with the colour not of a nice wine or a beautiful landscape but with the colour of fruit and vegetables, but that is exactly what I found myself doing in Hobart’s Salamanca Markets on a recent Saturday morning – to the extent of dragging the rest of our travelling companions over to see them too!

I was mesmerized and delighted by the perfect colours and obvious freshness of what was available at Salamanca. Carrots that had obviously just been picked and which were as orange as a sunset, beetroot that were perfect in their colour and shape, capsicum fragrant and beautifully red, green vegetables that were truly green and so fresh one wanted to eat them raw. For one wild moment I wished that this were the sort of holiday where I planned to cook – these vegetables were just so appealing. (That moment passed quickly thank goodness. I restricted myself to salad vegetables for lunch rolls.)

I am sure the stall-holders thought I was some sort of mad person, photographing their vegetables, until I told them I was from Queensland where it was currently 34C with 85% humidity, whereupon they nodded wisely and made sympathetic remarks about our ability to grow produce as wonderful as theirs.

Of course I know we have fresh produce markets here in Brisbane and I am a regular visitor to these, but with apologies to our producers, the cool climate of Tasmania obviously lends itself to something quite different. I found tomatoes which were almost as delicious as those in Italy. Even the garlic was locally grown and wonderfully aromatic. The stallholder here told me to take some home and just plant it, that simple, but since the clay in my yard barely supports anything but gum trees, I felt that the carrying home of a garlic bulb on a plane might not be worth the trouble.

We moved on to many wonderful experiences and surprises in Tasmania during our 12 day visit, but those vegetables were right up there with many of them. Only the amazing Bruny Island trip achieved a greater high. I must be getting old!

Travelscene Samford would like to thank Lynne for this lovely travel article.  Don’t forget that only Travelscene American Express lets you travel anywhere, any time and pay with your membership rewards points so contact us on 3289 3700 and let us help you turn your American Express membership rewards points into your next trip.