What's on the menu for Wednesday? Possum, according to one of the butchers in the Fyshwick Fresh Food Markets.
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![Mathew Hicks and his wife, Bec, of Unique Meats. Picture: Sitthixay Ditthavong Mathew Hicks and his wife, Bec, of Unique Meats. Picture: Sitthixay Ditthavong](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/fdcx/doc78idcm9usxvqfeq4fox.jpg/r0_130_5338_3143_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
A few shops along, Murray cod and Moreton Bay bugs were selling like, well, like hot cakes. And prawns, tonnes and tonnes of them.
Dried fruit for cake was flying off the shelf at a store between the butcher and fishmonger.
And mangoes and cherries - but not plums so much because they need a bit more water - and water, as we know, is scarce.
"I had a bloke come in here and say 'possum'," said Mathew Hicks of Unique Meats. "He was going to put it on the rotisserie. They were going to drink beer and watch it go round."
He and his wife, Bec, were also doing a roaring trade in more traditional meats. Over the year, they've smoked 1300 hams on the premises, with the big rush towards this time of the year. "We've got five left, with three days to Christmas," he said.
He reckoned Canberrans were trying to impress visiting family from overseas by offering exotic meats so there had been a rush on Scottish pies and sausages (presumably for Scottish visitors unkeen to escape the taste of home). "We've got haggis," Mr Hicks said.
And possum.
But what does a butcher eat on a big work day off? "I still love my steaks."
He said he would be glad to get the holiday period over, though, and get into the new year.
But not quite yet for fishmonger Nick Smith of Ocean Fresh Seafoods. He and his staff will be in at 2am on Christmas Eve to open at 4am.
![Nick Smith of Ocean Fresh Seafoods holds an octopus from Tasmania. Picture: Sitthixay Ditthavong Nick Smith of Ocean Fresh Seafoods holds an octopus from Tasmania. Picture: Sitthixay Ditthavong](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/fdcx/doc78idcow68dt16cw2kolf.jpg/r0_451_5338_3464_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
He took in a two-tonne load of prawns on Saturday night and was planning another two-tonne load of prawns on Sunday night and Monday night. How many prawns to a tonne? Millions is the best guesstimate.
His big sellers were Moreton Bay bugs and caviar to go with oysters.
The coastal ill wind is blowing the Canberra food business some good in that he thought people were staying home. "The fires have changed things. I think people are staying in Canberra because of the fires," he said.
The fishmonger plans fish for the big day. "I'm actually going to bake myself a large local lobster and prawns and will possibly be taking home a three to four kilo Murray cod."
Cover it in foil, is the plan, with some lemon juice, herbs, salt and pepper, all done on the barbecue.
At the Nut Shoppe, there was a never-ending line of people buying glazed fruit and nuts for cake.
![At the Nut Shoppe, Mohamad Elmir and his mum, Ghada. Picture: Sitthixay Ditthavong At the Nut Shoppe, Mohamad Elmir and his mum, Ghada. Picture: Sitthixay Ditthavong](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/fdcx/doc78idcrbcms4lsa2mfox.jpg/r0_278_5338_3281_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Proprietor Mohamad Elmir and his mum, Ghada, are Muslims so won't celebrate the religious side of Christmas (like many non-Muslim Australians) but will enjoy the atmosphere.
"We just have a family barbecue. Mum sets it up and me and my brother do the cooking."
Fred Moarefi was touting mangoes like a champion. As bald as an egg and as loud as a foghorn, he shone with salesmanship: "Come and try these mangoes. It's my birthday," he barked.
![Fred Moarefi, of Trugolds. Picture: Sitthixay Ditthavong Fred Moarefi, of Trugolds. Picture: Sitthixay Ditthavong](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/fdcx/doc78idcseh548fs9yzgfr.jpg/r0_225_5338_3558_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
And they bought the pitch and the mangoes.
He said mangoes and cherries were doing well but plums were scarce because of the drought.
What's he eating on Christmas Day? "I'm going to have salmon with rice and veggies." Maybe mangoes.