With the summer, the temperatures rise and the sea calls us for a swim, the Portuguese seacoast gets colored by bikinis and towels. They can change dietary restrictions, accents and traditions from north to south, but if there is one thing you will find on every beach this season, from the sunny beaches of Algarve or the sandy ones of the North, are the beach sellers shouting out "Olhaaa a Bola de Berlim, olha a língua da sogra, olha a bolachinha americana..."

Carrying their wicker baskets, with their cheeks tanned by the sun, their white hats on and with booming voices, you will hear them from far away. Prepare a few coins, because they'll probably be sold out quickly.  

Bola de Berlim (Ball of Berlin) and Língua da Sogra (Mother in law's tongue) are usually the best sellers. The first is a similar to round yellow donut, like the German Berliner, but a bit bigger. With cream on the inside (optional) they're fried in oil and powdered with sugar. The second one, the Língua da Sogra, is named after a whistle, and unroll when you blow them.

In Portugal, these are actually called by "Mother-in-Law tongues," because of their so called big tongues (as if they talk too much). Sold mostly on the beaches, this is a vanilla crust, rolled up as the whistle toy, almost like an ice cream cone.