Vegemite/Marmite

[Murph]

What does this stuff taste like, and who really eats it?

[DougRichards]

Vegemite is made from waste brewers yeast, the by-product of beer making, put through a salt bath. I don't eat it, have never liked it, but lots of Australians think its great.

 

It should be remembered that many Australians will not eat a meat pie unless it is smothered in 'tomato sauce', which is really just a salty red substance with about as much tomato as salt. Australians have a history of adding salt to nearly everything, which accounts for the high blood pressure levels, number of strokes and other poor health.

 

It also means that many Australians have never really enjoyed the actual taste of food, just the salt additives.

 

The amount of salt in Vegemite has lessened over the years, until now it supposedly contains just enough to preserve the waste yeast. It is meant to be a good source of Vitamin B, but many other foods contain Vitamin B in a much healthier form.

 

Most Australians can 'sing' the Vegemite theme song, it having been burned into our brains on TV and Radio for the last 60 or so years.

 

For a spoof on Vegemite go to:

 

(NSFW, not safe around children!)

 

And yes, that U-Tube segment was on free to air Australian TV, not cable, not satellite, not late at night - and yes, the audience all know the words.

 

Last story about Vegemite.

 

It was originally called Parwill.

 

Yes Parwill, because it was introduced to compete against imported Marmite from Britain.

 

And as everyone knows

 

Ma might

 

but

 

Pa will.

 

Edited for mis-spelling of Parwill.

 

Of course Australia's other two National Anthems, that nearly everyone knows, and should be compulsory to be able to sing before citizenship is granted are:

 

"I like Aeroplane Jelly"

 

and

 

"Louie the Fly"

 

Ask any real Australian and they will appily sing all three to you.

Edited July 16, 2008 by DougRichards

[Coldsteel]

Vegemite is made from waste brewers yeast, the by-product of beer making, put through a salt bath.

Liar. Everyone knows it's salted, recycled axle grease.

[Archie Pellagio]

I thought it was alien waste by-product?

[irregularmedic]

What does this stuff taste like, and who really eats it?

 

Had it at the local Aussie bar last World Cup. Wasn't bad. For some reason I want to say it reminded me of apple butter.

[EchoFiveMike]

I always thought marmite and vegimite were industrial explosives

S/F.....Ken M

Edited July 18, 2008 by EchoFiveMike

[rmgill]

I always thought marmite and vegimite were industrial explosives

S/F.....Ken M

 

Industrial Explosives, Agricultural waste...same thing right?

[DougRichards]

At least no one has tried marketing a vehemite flavoured Tim Tam (yet).

 

The horror, the horror. (apologies to Conrad).

 

But a worse gastronomic sin has been inflicted on the world by Australia:

 

The deep fried Mars Bar....

 

Whilst wiki claims that they were first sold in Scotland in 1991 (the only place where you get chips with your Chinese meal), the deep fried Mars bar was an Australian invention in 1983:

 

Hey, that is an idea: the deep fried Tim Tam! Flavoured with Vegemite and smothered with tomato sauce.

[Bearded-Dragon]

Why are people so anti-recycling?

[Coldsteel]

For the same reason they are so unkind.

[DougRichards]

For the same reason they are so unkind.

ROFLOL

 

(Australian in-joke)

[Bearded-Dragon]

For the same reason they are so unkind.

 

 

I wonder if we should tell them about the Pie Floater?

[DougRichards]

 

I wonder if we should tell them about the Pie Floater?

 

Or beetroot on burgers (btw, I don't like beetroot any more than I like Vegemite.)

[DougRichards]

 

I wonder if we should tell them about the Pie Floater?

 

No, you shouldn't.

 

It will remind people too much about Linda Blair in 'The Exorcist'.

[Coldsteel]

 

I wonder if we should tell them about the Pie Floater?

I don't think that would be a good idea, do you?

[snafu_72]

I'm of the "try anything once" school of edible items. Had a "friend" bring back some Vegimite from Australia. Tried some on a cracker. Tasted so vile I gave it to the dog. The dog spent the next half hour licking the oil pan on the pickup trying to get the taste out of her mouth.

 

Never again!

 

[Doug Kibbey]

But a worse gastronomic sin has been inflicted on the world by Australia:

 

The deep fried Mars Bar....

 

 

We have deep-fried Twinkies. Eat your heart out, furriners!

[LeoTanker]

Call me stupid/slow but Im still not sure about what this legendary Vegemite tastes like. Salty? Yeah, huh, I know a lot of salty things, but what I am looking for is the genuinte taste behind it. Is it like beef, fish, vegitabiles or just plain ...salty. What kind of cooking does im mix with? Im curious as hell, so please my Aussie mates, give me a good reason not to order it!? Is it like soy?

[Bearded-Dragon]

Call me stupid/slow but Im still not sure about what this legendary Vegemite tastes like. Salty? Yeah, huh, I know a lot of salty things, but what I am looking for is the genuinte taste behind it. Is it like beef, fish, vegitabiles or just plain ...salty. What kind of cooking does im mix with? Im curious as hell, so please my Aussie mates, give me a good reason not to order it!? Is it like soy?

 

No!

 

It is not like Soy. It is used (almost but not quite) exclusively as a spread on bread and biscuits (crackers for our USian friends). It should be used sparingly. Which is how most new users make their biggest mistake. You should spread a thin smear on your bread or toast (preferably after butter) and slowly build up from there. It enhances the taste of toast and biscuits and is a valuable source of vitamin B and salt (definitely the salt!)

 

There is an entire website devoted to Vegemite - http://www.howdoyoulikeyourvegemite.com.au/

 

Most Australians start eating it at an early age and so are used to its rather intense flavour. Just as many Scandinavians are used to the taste of that bloody 'orrible tinned fish paste they like which smells like its rotting.

 

There are recipes around which use Vegemite but I've never cooked with the stuff. Interestingly, it goes very well with cheese in sandwiches.

[DougRichards]

No!

 

It is not like Soy. It is used (almost but not quite) exclusively as a spread on bread and biscuits (crackers for our USian friends). It should be used sparingly. Which is how most new users make their biggest mistake. You should spread a thin smear on your bread or toast (preferably after butter) and slowly build up from there. It enhances the taste of toast and biscuits and is a valuable source of vitamin B and salt (definitely the salt!)

There is an entire website devoted to Vegemite - http://www.howdoyoulikeyourvegemite.com.au/

 

Most Australians start eating it at an early age and so are used to its rather intense flavour. Just as many Scandinavians are used to the taste of that bloody 'orrible tinned fish paste they like which smells like its rotting.

 

There are recipes around which use Vegemite but I've never cooked with the stuff. Interestingly, it goes very well with cheese in sandwiches.

 

I disagree with both the above bolded statements, I know few Australian's whoi like the stuff, if they did they wouldn't have to advertise it so heavily, after all, it has no real competition.

 

It also enhances the taste of toast the way that ginger ale would enhance the taste of 12 year old single malt scotch.

[Bearded-Dragon]

Each to their own, Doug. As much as you wish to deny it, the reality is that Vegemite has a huge market share downunder.

 

I'd also point out it holds a special position in the Australian heart, as was pointed out on the webpage devoted to Australian Icons, here:

According to Peter Luck, Vegemite has joined Ginger Meggs, Ned Kelly, and Dame Edna’s spectacles as a source and symbol of deep national sentiment. In Australian Icons, Vegemite is one of the one hundred tangible objects that, Luck contends, ‘have a mystical, sometimes even spiritual significance that only an Australian can really understand’.17 Indeed, Luck goes so far as to consider Vegemite ‘the most familiar household word in Australia’.18 Similarly, Vegemite appears in David Dale’s compilation The 100 Things Everyone Needs to Know About Australia. Dale deems Vegemite ‘such a national addiction that many Australians travelling oversees slip a couple of jars into their bags for fear it will be unavailable in less civilised nations’.19 One suspects Dale exaggerates for rhetorical effect, rather than any actual doubt. Indeed, Dale’s point is underscored by a Sydney Morning Herald survey he cites from 1995. When the ‘Stay in Touch’ column invited readers to nominate the national icon they would most like to see commemorated with a stamp, Vegemite received the most votes, followed by the Akubra hat.20 In Staying Sane in Australia, Robert Treborlang repeats Dale’s observation that Vegemite holds some sort of magical pull for homesick expatriates. According to Treborlang, ‘Just as Poles in exile become all tearful at the sight of the beloved red and white flag of their nation, Australians away from their home country go all porous at the knees just at the thought of a red-andyellow Vegemite label’.21

 

I'd suggest anybody who's interested in the cultural development of the Australian affection with Vegemite reads that article. It is quite interesting.

[DougRichards]

Each to their own, Doug. As much as you wish to deny it, the reality is that Vegemite has a huge market share downunder.

 

I'd also point out it holds a special position in the Australian heart, as was pointed out on the webpage devoted to Australian Icons, here:

I'd suggest anybody who's interested in the cultural development of the Australian affection with Vegemite reads that article. It is quite interesting.

 

Maybe because of its iconic status that so many Australians are willing to accept the fact that it tastes so damn awful. Its uniquely Australia because no-one else would want to eat it, so in a perverse way the eating of Vegemite is a symbol rather than a longing for the 'food' itself.

 

Anzac biscuits have a much greater claim to being an Australian icon, after all, they have a longer history, they taste good, they are nutritious, and they are not the trademark of an USAian company (the same company that gets away with having an 'Australian' cheese labeled as 'Coon').

 

Yes folks, Vegemite is a Kraft trademark, so is not Australian at all, it just pretends to be, cleverly marketed as an Australian product, since 1935. So not only is Vegemite slightly liquefied bulldust, its Australian status is fully re hydrated bulldust.

[Geoff Winnington-Ball]

I actually like Vegemite. I've had it in Oz and it's available on our store shelves here. Spread thinly on buttered toast it's great! Of course it does double as bearing grease for old Blitz's, but that's ok too...

[ABNredleg]

Some one has to be eating the stuff since I can buy it (Marmite, that is) in just about any grocery store in Greensboro. I was born in England and grew up eating the stuff - heaven is bread warm from the oven with butter and Marmite. It's definitely an acquired taste - my wife makes me brush my teeth after eating it before she'll let me kiss her.

[rmgill]

You gents can keep the Vegemite. I'll just enjoy the packs of VB that I get from a friend in DC via the Aussie Diplomatic Pouch.