Belgrade Seasonal Food: Spring to Winter

What is in season in Belgrade. and what to order when the market changes.

Spring

Easter lamb: Easter lamb on the spit is the Serbian spring centrepiece. Markets fill from April with whole young lamb, served at courtyard grills with green onions and kajmak.
Wild garlic and ramsons: Foraged wild garlic (medvedji luk) and sorrel start hitting Kalenic and Zeleni Venac in late March and run through May. Goes into omelets, banitsa fillings and spring stews.
First strawberries: Bulgarian and Serbian strawberries arrive at Belgrade markets late May into June. Kalenic stacks crates by the bag, eaten with Serbian yoghurt or kajmak for breakfast.

Tomato and shopska: Vojvodina tomatoes ripen through July to September. The shopska salad (tomato, cucumber, raw pepper, sirene cheese) is on every Skadarlija and Vracar menu through summer.
Tarator and yoghurt soups: Cold yoghurt, cucumber, garlic and dill soup turns up at Belgrade kafane through July and August. The summer staple cools off the Tasmajdan terraces and Skadarska courtyards.
Danube fish: Summer is peak season for Danube carp, perch and catfish at Zemun fish houses on Kej oslobodjenja. Saran's fishermen soup runs through summer evenings.

Ajvar pepper season: September brings the red pepper harvest and Serbian families gather to roast and blend ajvar pepper relish in courtyards. Kalenic market sells whole crates of paprika peppers.
Prokupac and Tamjanika harvest: Serbia's indigenous Prokupac (red) and Tamjanika (white) grape harvest runs through September and October. The first young wines hit Belgrade tables by November.
Mushroom and forest: Autumn brings porcini, chanterelles and other forest mushrooms from Sumadija and the Fruska Gora foothills. Used in stews, paired with kajmak on grilled bread.

Sarmi: Cabbage-leaf sarma stuffed with rice, minced pork and dill. The Serbian Christmas Eve dish, served with kajmak and pickled vegetables through January.
Pasulj and prebranac: Slow-baked bean dishes anchor Serbian winter kitchens. Pasulj (white bean stew) and prebranac (baked beans) run through every kafana through January and February.
Sljivovica and rakija season: Winter is the canonical season for sljivovica plum brandy and the broader rakija family. Skadarlija kafane pour flights through the cold months alongside hot meat plates.