The pride of the village market – and why a courgette actually gets respect here

Last week, as I strolled through the village market in Teulada, I saw it happen: an older woman with a cloth bag and a critical eye held up a courgette as if she were inspecting a diamond. She turned it in the light, gave it a gentle squeeze, sniffed it, and finally nodded approvingly at the market vendor. He smiled. “Muy buena esta semana”, he said. And she paid — in coins, like a transaction between friends.

Veggies with a story

Whoever thinks Spain is mainly the land of jamón ibérico, chorizo and prawn paella: ¡piensa otra vez! In Spain, vegetables are no side dish — they’re the main act. If you’ve ever thought courgettes, tomatoes or aubergines were just functional food, try visiting a village market on a Thursday morning somewhere along the Costa. There, they’re small celebrities. Everyone has an opinion, a preference, a grandmother’s recipe. And the conversation about that one tomato from last week might last longer than most office meetings in the Netherlands.

What strikes me time and again is the pride. Not just from the farmers, but also from the buyers. As if they’re both part of a chain that’s much bigger than a simple purchase. It’s a form of respect — for the season, for the craft, for the land.

Local isn’t a trend here — it’s just common sense

On village markets, you won’t find loud marketing slogans. No stickers saying “100% local” or “fresh from the farm.” Because that’s simply how it is here. And people know it. A tomato with a bit of soil still clinging to its stem? Perfect. A peach with a dent? That means: ripe.

You can taste the difference. Not just because it’s fresher, but because you know where it came from. You know who picked it. And often: what to do with it.

An ode to the imperfect

I’ll admit it: when I first moved here, I thought the courgettes at the market looked a bit odd. Crooked, speckled, sometimes with a little scratch. But now I get it — that’s what you want. Not uniform factory produce, but vegetables that carry the story of the sun, the wind, and the water within them.

And even if you don’t manage to maintain a whole vegetable garden (like Lucas and his balcony garden full of hope and failure), you can still be part of this feeling. By choosing local. By taking your time. By talking to your neighbour at the market about green beans as if they were poetry.

And that leaves you wanting more

The village market isn’t a supermarket. You won’t come home with a full cart. But you will bring back something else: connection. With your food, your surroundings, your neighbours. And maybe — if you play your cards right — the recipe for that perfect tortilla with courgette.

This story is part of our June special: The Month of the Kitchen Garden. Discover how we sow, harvest, cook, and celebrate — Costa style.