Pure Paradajz

I don't think it is a coincidence that the Serbo-Croat word for tomato is paradajz which is pronounced almost exactly like our word paradise. I know I have probably bored some of you to death in the past with my goings-on about the tomatoes in eastern Europe. Don't ask me why, I'm just telling you that tomatoes here taste like tomatoes, even in the off season. Those hard balls of orange whatever we get in the US are NOT tomatoes. Imposters, every one!
Anyhow, I have more than once thought about this delicious Napoleten salad we had last year when we were in Trstenik and it was just as good this year. The tomatoes were so warm and ripe right off the vine, they were almost like stewed. And the cheese they put in this salad....kind of like mozzarella, only a thousand times better! Notice the little anchovies. Never ate anchovies in my life until I got this salad and guess what? They added just the right amount of saltiness. Pure paradise, I'm telling you. I'm also including the photo of the fish. You all know I've never been a big "fish person", either. Unless it was canned salmon made into salmon croquettes or my mom's fried catfish, I more or less turned up my nose at fish. Well, this sea bass was KILLER! And I mean that in a good way. Marko recommended it, and I guess I was so weak from hunger when we got there, I said okay. So he brought it to us, filleted it for us right at our table and it was incredible. And one of several cats who hang around the tables was the happy beneficiary of the heads. We all had the best meal ever. And here's one more photo of wine and then I'll stop.