CHRISTMAS FARE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27259, 9 December 1949, Page 6

CHRISTMAS FARE

REASONABLE SUPPLIES LAMB AND POULTRY PLENTIFUL WELLLADEN TABLES ASSURED Reasonable supplies of all varieties of Christmas fare are available in Dunedin at present, and, provided that people do not leave their, shopping to the last minute, Christmas tables should be as well laden with good things this year as they have been in the past. Christmas Day is only two weeks and two days away. - Lamb should be plentiful. -There are plenty of green peas at present, but supplies may possibly fall short _of the demand a day or so before Christmas. There should be any amount of new potatoes, as well as other vegetables." Fairly heavy supplies of tomatoes, locally grown and from Christchurch and Nelson, are available at present, and the supply should continue.

There were heavy yardings of poultry at auction in Dunedin this week, and another large offering is expected next Wednesday. Indications are that there will be plenty for Christmas —geese, cockerels, hens, and ducks. There will not be enough turkeys to meet the demand; there never has been in Dunedin, an auctioneer told the Daily Times yesterday. Cherries and strawberries are plentiful at present, but it is not definitely known to what extent these will .be available immediately before Christmas. Stone fruit of most varieties should be more plentiful in a week or so. Oranges and bananas will meet with a heavy demand between now and Christmas. . Most Dunedin grocers are rationing tinned fruits to customers, but the supply is at least equal to that of last year. Tinned peaches have been fairly plentiful; tinned pineapple not so easily obtained. Ready-made Christmas puddings and Christmas cakes are in the shops. Many people have made their own Christmas cakes, and will be. making their Christmas puddings soon. The- greatest difficulty is butter rationing. Eggs are in adequate supply to meet all reasonable demands. There is a fair selection of almonds and the various nuts. There is plenty of peeL The dried fruits are also available in satisfactory quantities. “The people are buying freely,” a city grocer said yesterday. Scotch whisky is as scarce as ever in Dunedin; it is scarce, of course, in other parts of New Zealand as well. There appear to be moderate supplies of Australian brandy, whisky, and gin. Jamaican rum, and Australian rum, are plentiful. Present indications are that there will be the normal seasonal shortage of bottled beer as the festive season approaches, and this will be accentuated this year by the greater number of bottles that are out of circulation at present—still lying in the wash-house, presumably. Port wines and sherries—both imported and produced in New Zealand—are readily obtainable.