Aussie Christmas

When we were children the real treat at Christmas was to have chicken for lunch. It was the only time we ever had chicken. During the year the closest we came to it was rabbit (not my favourite!).I didn't have turkey for Christmas lunch until I was in my 30s. How things have changed.

The typical Australian Christmas lunch now is seafood - and it must be fresh. In non Covid times Sydney Fish Markets must be one of the busiest places on the planet on Christmas Eve.

We live in a country town about 120kms south east of Sydney. and about 70kms from the coast. The best source of delicious fresh seafood is Alex's van which is usually parked in a petrol station three mornings a week. Alex's family are fishers and are also great sources of tips about cooking seafood. Everyone knows Alex. People queue for hours on Christmas Eve.

Our district currently has no known Covid cases. Alex said he would start selling on Christmas Eve at 4am and stay there until he ran out of fish, which he always does. I arrived at 5.50am! It nearly killed me. That's when I took the first photo and, at that point, I was a long way away from Alex. I took the second photo at 7.20am just after I paid for our prawns.

Apart from one couple I was the only one wearing a mask! People generally respected the 1.5m distancing rule, well at least after I asked the younger woman behind me if she would mind keeping a little further back. She was very pleasant about it and there were smiles all round.

I often hear people say "There's no Covid in the Highlands" to which I reply "Not that we know of!".

Our friends, Tom and Les will join us tomorrow for an outdoor lunch, suitably distanced from each other. No family get-together this year because they are all in Sydney. What is on the menu? Prawns, smoked salmon, caviar, cream cheese, mango salad and home made plum pudding. Yum.