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Why You Probably Hate Vegemite and Why You Shouldn't

By Talez in Op-Ed
Wed Mar 13, 2002 at 11:45:51 PM EST
Tags: Culture (all tags)
Culture

Vegemite to Australians is much like Peanut Butter to Americans. We think of it as a rather delicious snack on toast, buttered bread or even in a sandwich. Up until now, I never understood why Americans hated vegemite and I'll try to address that with why you should try to enjoy vegemite and how to enjoy vegemite!


Firstly, the question I get asked most about vegemite is "What is the damn stuff?". Vegemite was originally an extract of yeast used in the brewing process. This yeast extract was then blended with celery, onions and salt to make a thick dark paste which, to many people, is quite delicious. These days, while the yeast extract component has remained, the celery and onions have been replaced by malt and vegetable extracts. However, most people will agree that it is just as delicious as the first batches released in 1923.

Why should you eat vegemite? Because, despite the huge salt content, its quite healthy for you. A piece of bread with vegemite lightly spread over it can give you almost a quater of your daily niacin requirement. Lots of body parts can benefit from the unique mix of vitamins found in vegemite and here is a quick summary:

The Cells

The billions of cells in your body each need thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, folacin, and vitamin B6 every day to keep healthy. Vegemite includes all of these and will often provide a good percentage of your daily requirement from one slice of bread with vegemite spread thinly over it.

The Nerves

The nerve cells in the body need large amounts of thiamin and vitamns B1 and B6. Where can you get such a large amount of B group vitamins? From the richest known source of Vitamin B in the world, Vegemite!

The Skin

Skin requires many different vitamins to stay healthy. The ones you can find in vegemite include riboflavin, niacin, biotin, and vitamin B6. The body can get as much as a third of your daily riboflavin intake from one slice of vegemite!

The Eyes

The riboflavin in vegemite will help to keep your eyes nice and bright and sparkling.

The Digestive Process

Thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin are all vitamins needed for digestion and vegemite contains all of these vitamins in the one convenient paste!

So you know why vegemite is good for you. The problem is, I bet you've tried vegemite and you hated it. Well, here's a piece of advice: IT'S NOT PEANUT BUTTER! SPREAD IT THINLY!

This stuff is extremely salty and you guys take big huge gunks of it and put it all over your bread. Vegemite is an aquired taste so start small. 5g of the stuff (1/5 oz) is more than enough to cover bread with just the right consistency and the salty flavour wont be that strong.

Idealy you should be able to see the butter underneath the vegemite. Once you get used to the taste you can try adding more vegemite to get the stronger flavour. One other thing, don't try to eat it out of the jar with a spoon! Even seasoned vegemite eaters have trouble with the stuff eating it raw in huge amounts.

If you must eat vegemite raw, try using your index finger to scrape the stuff from underneath the inner top of the jar. The knife always seems to miss that part of the jar and you won't get enough on you finger to make it taste too salty.

So what are you waiting for? Go get a jar of vegemite and try it properly! Who knows, you might learn to like it too! After all, 15 million happy vegemite addicts can't be wrong ;)

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Poll
Vegemite?
o Yummy 23%
o Salty 18%
o Love It 11%
o Adore It! 10%
o It puts the rose in every cheek! 35%

Votes: 76
Results | Other Polls

Related Links
o Also by Talez


Display: Sort:
Why You Probably Hate Vegemite and Why You Shouldn't | 193 comments (191 topical, 2 editorial, 0 hidden)
Bleah (3.50 / 2) (#1)
by vambo rool on Wed Mar 13, 2002 at 09:52:59 PM EST

Sounds like anchovy paste to me.

I've never seen it here. Not even in specialty stores. And my neighborhood is hip deep in specialty stores.



I've never seen the stuff (3.00 / 3) (#2)
by ShadowNode on Wed Mar 13, 2002 at 10:00:04 PM EST

I didn't even know it was salty. I'd certianly give it a shot if I ever saw it in the grocery store. Of course I have heard of it, it seems quite popular on the other side of the world.

Maybe Americans didn't know you where supposed to cook it, I certianly didn't.

Actually we hate it... (4.33 / 9) (#3)
by DesiredUsername on Wed Mar 13, 2002 at 10:00:49 PM EST

...because it is featured prominently in the song "Land Down Under" by the cheesy 80's pop group "Men at Work". Specifically the lines:

*something* from a man from Brussels
He was six foot four and full of muscles
I said "Do you speak-a my language?"
He just smiled and gave me a vegemite sandwich

This drove a large portion of the US teen population insane, trying to figure out what was going on.

Play 囲碁

+1 FP (3.00 / 3) (#5)
by jabber on Wed Mar 13, 2002 at 10:04:58 PM EST

I'm going to the store, right now, to get some Vegemite.. It sounds positively awesome..

But then again, I grew up on salted lard & bacon sandwiches and Sprats, so that's not saying much..

[TINK5C] |"Is K5 my kapusta intellectual teddy bear?"| "Yes"

Fun with vegemite (4.16 / 6) (#7)
by Toojays on Wed Mar 13, 2002 at 10:05:28 PM EST

Once you've figured out how to eat vegemite on toast, I would recommend trying it with a couple of poached eggs on top. Vegemite and eggs on toast makes a nice change from bacon and egs on toast (if you're the kind of person who likes eggs on toast).

I think I've just decided what I'll have for lunch today ;)



As a migrant Aussie.. (3.00 / 3) (#9)
by cvou on Wed Mar 13, 2002 at 10:07:06 PM EST

I recently found Vegemite on sale in Sobeys! Right next to marmite as a cooking ingredient :)

I bought one on the spot :)

Because we love our Vegemite we all adore our Vegemite it puts a rose in every cheek!

To All Those Americans: (3.00 / 1) (#11)
by Talez on Wed Mar 13, 2002 at 10:09:39 PM EST

Do you guys have Milo as well?

Si in Googlis non est, ergo non est
with cheese! (3.83 / 6) (#16)
by benw on Wed Mar 13, 2002 at 10:17:49 PM EST

one of my favourite sandwiches ever is the vegemite and cheese combo. i believe at one point kraft (the people who make vegemite) were marketing a vegemite-and-cheese combination cheese slice - get kraft's processed cheddar *and* vegemite in one. for those too lazy to even spread vegemite on bread. genius! pity they don't make it any more.

and as for those promite/marmite/[^vege]mite eaters - heathens, the lot of them ;-)

--
"vanilla-licking sofa-humpers". funny.
-1 (4.45 / 11) (#17)
by wji on Wed Mar 13, 2002 at 10:21:12 PM EST

Too salty-yeast-paste-centric.

(Just kiddingm you really get +1FP for a good article on such a great topic)

In conclusion, the Powerpuff Girls are a reactionary, pseudo-feminist enterprise.

What does it taste like? (4.00 / 2) (#19)
by thenick on Wed Mar 13, 2002 at 10:23:57 PM EST

I haven't seen any Vegemite in my area, so I'm wondering, what does it taste like? Is it the same or similar to Gnutella? If not, what else, if anything, tastes like Vegemite?


"Doing stuff is overrated. Like Hitler, he did a lot, but don't we all wish he would have stayed home and gotten stoned?" -Dex
Don't miss Vegemite (4.00 / 4) (#20)
by freakie on Wed Mar 13, 2002 at 10:29:46 PM EST

Since coming to the US, the one thing I can say with all honesty that I do NOT miss is Vegemite!!!


"Give'm Etch-a-Sketches...they'll never know the difference!"

My little secret: vegemite on cold toast. (3.40 / 5) (#22)
by jamesm on Wed Mar 13, 2002 at 10:33:19 PM EST

Yes, vegemite on cold toast is one of life's true wonders.

Wait until the toast cools down completely, add a generous amount of butter, then spread some vegemite on top.

you people are sick! (4.36 / 11) (#25)
by andrewm on Wed Mar 13, 2002 at 10:43:26 PM EST

Sick I say! And if the internet can turn people into insane vegemite eaters, then maybe there really is a problem after all..
15 million happy vegemite addicts can't be wrong
They can, however, be extremely disturbed, and in desperate need of help, so it wouldn't be polite to call them 'wrong'.

:)

Too right, mate! (3.00 / 4) (#26)
by Maclir on Wed Mar 13, 2002 at 10:48:20 PM EST

That vege is bloody beaut stuff, no worries mate.

You could have metioned the Official Vegemite Home Page. It even has the "We're happy little Vegemites" song.

+1, FP

Spread (4.20 / 5) (#28)
by vambo rool on Wed Mar 13, 2002 at 10:58:23 PM EST

Give me Nutella! MMmmm.

looks like earwax (3.00 / 4) (#29)
by demi on Wed Mar 13, 2002 at 11:00:26 PM EST

smells like feet, and it tastes horribly salty, but incredibly the second time I tried it I rather enjoyed it. Good stuff!

BTW I eat cheez curls too and god knows what they are made of.



When will I get cancer? (4.00 / 4) (#32)
by inerte on Wed Mar 13, 2002 at 11:17:58 PM EST

Everyday, they change what an aliment can make to your body. Is this the vegemite is health week?

--
Bodily exercise, when compulsory, does no harm to the body; but knowledge which is acquired under compulsion obtains no hold on the mind.
Plato

Vegemite vs. Marmite? (4.25 / 4) (#35)
by tmoertel on Wed Mar 13, 2002 at 11:46:26 PM EST

I live in the USA and can find Marmite at a local store but I can't find Vegemite. What's the difference between the two? Should I seek out Vegemite or purchase the easy-to-find Marmite?

Thanks for any wisdom you can share.

--
My blog | LectroTest

[ Disagree? Reply. ]


Love it! (4.16 / 6) (#37)
by pla on Thu Mar 14, 2002 at 12:02:33 AM EST

I first encountered vegemite when a friend's mother (formerly an Australian) handed us a rather peculiar-looking plate of what I will call "sandwiches" for lack of a better word.

My first bite hooked me. I *love* that stuff... Give me a loaf of bread and a jar of vegemite, and by the end of the day, one (or both) of them will have ceased to exist.

Unfortunately, finding it seems all but impossible in most of the US. A friend once sent me a case from Georgia, and aside from that, I *just* found my first jar in half a decade at a local specialty foods store (amazingly expensive, though, so I really would prefer a different source).

As for the taste, which it seems most Americans have never experienced... Imagine a beer flavored boullion cube in a spreadable form, and you've *almost* got it. That may not sound very nice, but I consider it reasonably accurate, and it really does taste better than that sounds. "Peanut butter" almost describes the texture, but it behaves a bit more waxy than peanut butter.

Okay, now everyone go write a letter to Kraft requesting they push Vegemite on the US market, so I can have a steady supply of it.


Ah, Vegemite... (4.66 / 3) (#41)
by Mzilikazi on Thu Mar 14, 2002 at 12:17:45 AM EST

I've never actually had it, but there were a half dozen Australians in my middle school (which makes no sense, as I live in Memphis, Tennessee), and all of them missed Vegemite and regularly sang its praises. I even remember something on TV from the same time period (late 80s) in which Elle McPherson talked about how much she loved Vegemite. Being a bundle of hormones at the time, I thought that the stuff must be the very nectar of the gods indeed if she liked it.

Still haven't tried it, or ever had the opportunity to try it, though... I'll check out a couple of the local vegetarian markets this week and see if they carry it. It's bound to be the one thing in the fridge that my roommate *doesn't* munch on while I'm at work. ;)

A question for the Ozzies out there: is vegemite a good "late night, already drunk, need something solid on the stomach" kind of food, or does it qualify as a decent "bad hangover, need something solid on the stomach to eliminate the shakes and headache" food in the morning? Or is it best enjoyed as far removed from alcohol as possible? I figure you boozing bastards ought to know*. ;)

Cheers,
Mzilikazi

*I'm of mixed Scottish & Irish descent, so I have absolutely no room to talk. And yes, I am buzzing at the moment.

The Pacific Sandwich and other stories (3.25 / 4) (#44)
by Jacques Chester on Thu Mar 14, 2002 at 12:40:43 AM EST

The recipie for the Pacific Sandwich:

Take some peanut butter. Spread it on a slice of bread. Take some vegemite. Spread onto the peanut butter such that it mixes - it's difficult. Add another piece of bread, and eat.

Make sure you have a glass of water at hand. Peanut butter and vegemite react to create a totally unique substance. Tasty! But having amusing side effects.

The classic vegemite story:

An american businessman comes to work on a deal in Australia. During his stay in Sydney, Australian colleagues introduce him to Vegemite. At first he refuses to eat it - it smells funny, it's black, it's a joke, right? Then he finally eats some and he finds that he just loves it.

He rings his wife and tells her to try and find some in the states. A few days later, she calls back to tell him that Vegemite can't be found in the USA. Upset, he eventually buys a box of vegemite and sends home to his wife, arriving a week later.

He walks around for the house for a bit. Then, feeling like vegemite on toast, he asks his wife where the box is. "Oh" she says. "I opened the jars, and it was black and smelt bad. I figured they were off and threw them out".

--
In a world where an Idea can get you killed, Thinking is the most dangerous act of all.

Drop bear repellent (4.66 / 27) (#46)
by Lode Runner on Thu Mar 14, 2002 at 12:41:27 AM EST

Vegemite is disgusting in even the smallest amount. But that's to be expected because it's really not meant for human consumption. Rather, it's used to keep the drop bears away! They don't like the smell of Vegemite.

So here's the deal:

American shows up for a tour of the Outback.

Australians feed American a heaping spoonful of Vegemite.

American gags.

Australians laugh and tell American that Vegemite isn't food and laugh some more about American gullibility.

American asks what Vegemite is for.

Australians are shocked by question and then tell American in most the condescending tone that Vegemite is for keeping the drop koalas away.

"What are drop koalas?" asks naive American?

Australians explain that koalas are predators, but because they are so slow, they must climb trees and wait patiently for a victim to pass underneath. Then they drop!

American is shocked, "But they're so docile-looking on TV."

"Don't let that fool you," the Australians reply. "Bruce here, he knows..." Bruce displays hideous scar on his back.

American expresses reservations about going into the woods.

Australians tell American to relax. The only reason Bruce was attacked was that he didn't apply enough Vegemite.

Australians then pass the jar of Vegemite around, smearing liberal amounts of the gunk on their necks and shoulders.

American applies Vegemite too, of course.

Everybody, now covered with the proper amount of Vegemite, goes off to the woods for a day, and the Vegemite attracts swarms of nasty, biting insects.

American complains about the bugs.

Austrialians tell him that bugs bites are better than drop bear bites. Bruce was in the hospital for a full month, you know.

By sunset, everybody's upper bodies are covered with thousands of little bumps.

Nevermind a shower, the Australians insist, let's go straight for a beer.

Australians and American enter pub, the whole population of which explodes in laughter.

Explanations are made and there is much ribbing.

American expresses amazement at Australians who endured thousands of bug bites just to play a practical joke.

Australians explain that the pain was worth it because it gave the hosts something to look forward to after a long day of playing tour-guide.

Consumption of beer commences. Frequent allusions are made to drop koalas, each followed by gales of laughter...

It's an odd place, Australia.



coming from a 1/2 sepo (4.16 / 6) (#47)
by cicero on Thu Mar 14, 2002 at 01:10:38 AM EST

I feel that it my duty to inform you that I hate vegimite because it tastes like crap.

if americans spread something as pungent and foul tasting as vegimite, I'd hate that too.

(the 1/2 sepo thing, for those who don't know, is short for septic tank -> yank -> american. i'm also 1/2 aussie, which is where I got the sepo thing, as well as my strong distaste for vegimite, from).


--
I am sorry Cisco, for Microsoft has found a new RPC flaw - tonight your e0 shall be stretched wide like goatse.
Vegemite Recipe (3.75 / 4) (#52)
by freakie on Thu Mar 14, 2002 at 01:56:56 AM EST

Take vegemite - toss in garbage recepticle. Remove said garbage recepticle from household. Deposit in commercial refuse pickup container....

Stuff is nasty!! Of course, I'm the odd-ball in my family - the rest of them actually eat the stuff and think it tastes good. Ewwwww!!! YUCK!


"Give'm Etch-a-Sketches...they'll never know the difference!"

Hungry (2.33 / 3) (#57)
by froseph on Thu Mar 14, 2002 at 02:29:39 AM EST

Good riddence! It's late at night, I'm hungry in my dorm room without food, and this talk of Vegemite is not doing anything to help it. Althought I have never heard of it before in my life. Sounds tasty though... where can I get some cheap?

I get... (3.66 / 3) (#62)
by Kaki Nix Sain on Thu Mar 14, 2002 at 02:54:56 AM EST

... all the vitamins that you mentioned, in full RDA, from the mulivitamin pill that I take each day. You can keep your silly vegimite.



Would somebody in the know... (3.66 / 3) (#63)
by mirleid on Thu Mar 14, 2002 at 02:55:23 AM EST

...try to explain the difference between Aussie crap (Vegemite) and Brit crap (Marmite)?
I've tried them both, and, in my opinion, both stink, but anyway, just out of curiosity...

Chickens don't give milk
Vegemite in Las Vegas Nevada USA (2.00 / 2) (#64)
by Angelic Upstart on Thu Mar 14, 2002 at 03:05:09 AM EST

I've never had it and I doubt I never will the stuff just looks to nasty but I have alot of aussie and brit friends here *theres a large group of aussies in vegas* and they get it at this special store here. We have milo and tim tams? or whatever they are called too. Tim tams are pretty good tho.

The Real Australian Delicacy... (4.33 / 6) (#65)
by ikeaboy on Thu Mar 14, 2002 at 03:24:47 AM EST

... is Tim Tams. Vegemite is a close second though.

And if you're an ex-pat Australian overseas (or a mad foreigner with a taste for them) you can buy them online from Arnotts. There are some Australia Shops around, esp in the UK, but the markup tends to be enormous.

Perhaps a lobby group of ex-pat Aussies should lobby Kraft.AU to do the same for Vegemite...

Not just for eating (4.00 / 10) (#66)
by sigh71 on Thu Mar 14, 2002 at 03:30:09 AM EST

Vegemite is also pretty handy for keeping your cpu cool.
vegemite as a thermal transfer

Now all the Brits are getting to work (4.80 / 15) (#69)
by davidmb on Thu Mar 14, 2002 at 03:59:56 AM EST

It's time to slag off Vegemite, and point out that the one true yeast extract is Marmite.

Marmite pre-dates Vegemite by 20 years, leading me to conclude that Vegemite was a cheap Ozzie knock-off. In addition, Vegemite tastes absolutely awful compared to Marmite, which is the food of the Gods.
־‮־

The Australians took over last night I see (4.64 / 14) (#71)
by davidmb on Thu Mar 14, 2002 at 04:03:34 AM EST

Witness one Vegemite story on the front page with a slew of pro-Vegemite comments. There is no way this should be allowed, Marmite is a far superior product.
־‮־
Poor people's food (3.10 / 10) (#74)
by mlapanadras on Thu Mar 14, 2002 at 04:29:20 AM EST

When someone is starting to explain you that some particular product is healthy, full of calories, vitamins and will make your life better, don't let them fool you. It is just another advertising/marketing campaign and all they want from you is your money.

It is simply amazing how blind you people can be. And it is even more amazing what kind of crap you are ready to eat just to get your daily portion of Natrium Glutamate(I hope at least Vegemite doesn't contain it?).

There is a "poor people's" food (Vegemite, Pringles, Kellogg's, Coca-Cola and similar, all those fancy boxes and bottles) made from oil and leftovers and there is a real food, made from real crops, the real food made in the way our ancestors did it.

It is up to you - to be a slave and eat whatever they feed to you, or to be a master of your own stomach.

Sorry guys, you're messed. (4.33 / 3) (#75)
by Quixato on Thu Mar 14, 2002 at 04:34:32 AM EST

I spent a year in Australia recently, and have come to love all that's Aussie, with the exception of vegemite of course. I mean come on, how exactly can you enjoy a spread with the look and consistency of lightly boiled tar, and the delicate taste of sweaty balls?

I'm sure however that if I was raised to enjoy something like molasas spread on toast, I'd be sitting here going what the hell are you guys talking about? It's delicious! But I haven't, and you guys have. Kudos to you though for keeping a part of your heritage alive, all us Canadians have is the word 'touque', besides that we're basically americans (albeit without guns).

"People are like smarties - all different colours on the outside, but exactly the same on the inside." - Me
"Learn to question, question to learn." - Sl8r

Vegemite web site (4.22 / 9) (#77)
by Coram on Thu Mar 14, 2002 at 04:51:53 AM EST

www.vegemite.com.au The best bit is the jingle.


--
judo ergo sum
Vegemite is real? (3.33 / 6) (#79)
by halo64 on Thu Mar 14, 2002 at 04:58:20 AM EST

This whole time I thought vegemite was a joke. Personally, I prefer to spread butter on my bread. I don't eat food because "it is good for me." I eat food because I am hungry, hence my strict diet of nicotine, caffeine, alcohol and cholestorol, with a side of preservatives. I take vitamins because they are good for me and they go great with Absolute Citron and 7-Up.

/* begin sig here
I don't have one because I'm lame
finish sig here */

Promite > * > Vegemite (1.33 / 3) (#83)
by acb on Thu Mar 14, 2002 at 05:11:12 AM EST

Thank you.

--- acb #kuro5hin
Real people eat Bovril (2.66 / 3) (#84)
by amanset on Thu Mar 14, 2002 at 05:23:35 AM EST

Surely Marmite is just for people who can't handle the meaty goodness of Bovril? oh, and vegetarians. It has the added bonus of being both a drink and a foodstuff.

It's got 3 damn vitamins! (4.25 / 4) (#85)
by sticky on Thu Mar 14, 2002 at 05:24:14 AM EST

And you're almost making it out to be an essential part of a healthy diet? You want thiamine, niacin and riboflavin? Eat cereal in the morning. I've never seen or tasted vegemite, but something that salty couldn't be good for you.

Do you work for the company that makes that stuff or are you just a hopeless sucker for marketing?


Don't eat the shrimp.---God
Yeast extracts from other countries... (4.00 / 5) (#86)
by wilton on Thu Mar 14, 2002 at 05:30:39 AM EST

In New Zealand you can also get pro-mite, vegemite and marmite, the local marmite is different from the UK variety.
In Germany it is called Hefe-Extract, and you buy it in health food stores. It tends to come flavoured with herbs like sage, thyme etc.

Other super-healthy gross looking foods... (4.25 / 4) (#87)
by wilton on Thu Mar 14, 2002 at 05:34:31 AM EST

Whilst in New Zealand, I also discovered Spirulina (?). Apparently this stuff is the healthiest thing you can eat/drink. It comes mixed with fruit juice, tastes great, and makes you feel even better.
Does anyone know if you can buy it in the UK ?? From what I have seen, some people call it blue-green algae, and comes in powder form.
What sort of quantities should you mix to recreate the New Zealand drink ??

Will

No no no! (3.37 / 8) (#88)
by hstink on Thu Mar 14, 2002 at 05:35:20 AM EST

As a practising Australian, I must report that Vegemite is the most downright wrong "food" I have come into contact with. You're better off using it as axle grease than ingesting it.

That is all.

-h

Vegemite on toast HOWTO (4.00 / 7) (#91)
by myyth on Thu Mar 14, 2002 at 06:11:31 AM EST

I ate vegemite sandwiches for lunch almost every day for my entire 12 years at school. I actually demanded vegemite over any other sandwich filler. When ever mum tried to be "creative" and vary the contents of my sandwiches there would be some serious words when I arrived home.

A grown up now, I still have vegemite almost every day. We have a toaster in our office (I teach computing at a Sydney high school) and it's a daily ritual to make vegemite on toast (usually mid-morning) and a nice hot cup of tea. Our office often has visitors (from other staff rooms) and perfectly made vegemite toast is a must.

There's actually a number of (equally delicious) ways to prepare vegemite on toast.

1. (my favourite) Toast the bread until golden. While the bread is still very hot, butter the toast (with real butter of course - never use margarine) so that the butter melts and soaks in. Use enough butter so that the melted butter forms molten pools. Now add a very thin smear of vegemite to the bread. Note: It is "not" necessary to cover the bread with vegemite. Its quite strong tasting so a few dabs or smears, here and there, are enough. The vegemite will pool with the warm melted butter forming a delicious fatty salty brownish liquid. Best eaten immediately. Take care when picking up the toast so as not to spill too much of the melted butter/vegemite. You know you have got it right when the melted butter/vegemite trickles over the edge of the bread and down your arm.

2. (which I learnt from my maternal grandfather - no kidding!!) Toast the bread until it is quite dark - a little burnt is ok. Leave the toast to cool. Its best to take the bread out of the toaster to cool as, for some reason, the bread will go quite stiff if left in the toaster. Before it is stone cold, butter the toast with butter (again, don't bother with margarine). Make sure you cover the bread well. Now, smear the vegemite over the butter. Its ok to use more vegemite here - especially if you've burnt the toast a little. A good even cover is important. You know you've done it right when you've just finished the fourth slice of toast and are picking butter/vegemite encrusted toast crumbs off the table and thinking to yourself "I'll just make `one' more

3. (for mid-summer when its too hot for toast) Go down to the shop and buy a fresh loaf of white sliced bread (I usually eat wholemeal but you really should use white for this one) - make sure its really fresh. While you're there, pick up a packet of "Kraft" brand cheddar cheese slices - individually wrapped. The kraft brand cheddar cheese is an essential ingredient as this "cheese" resembles real cheese in the same way a "Big Mac" resembles a real hamburger (sheesh, a big mac doesn't even have beetroot on it!). Butter two slices of bread - not too much. Spread a good smear of vegemite on one slice and add the "cheese" slice. Put the top slice on and CUT OFF THE CRUST !! You know you've got this right when you can wrap the sandwich in glad-wrap, put it in a lunch box, put the lunch box into a kids bag and leave it there for a month and then eat it and it still tastes absolutely delicious (this explains the need for kraft cheddar cheese as there is no way its going to go mouldy - the same way a big mac, if wrapped in plastic wont go mouldy).

These recipes should get you started. Once you've mastered these you may want to branch out to vegemite toast with hard boiled eggs, vegemite on really crusty French bread, vegemite on English muffins.

Yuck! (4.33 / 6) (#100)
by bobothy on Thu Mar 14, 2002 at 07:30:25 AM EST

I'm an Australian, and do not personally know anyone that actually likes Vegemite. The last time I _tried_ to eat some, I ended up dry retching for half an hour. It is the most disgusting, caustic, foul stuff I have ever come accross. I would rather eat brussel sprouts.

It does sorta have a few good points though- It's excellent for torturing Americans. We get a lot American tourists over here, and most don't really represent their country very well (i.e. they tend to be incredibly stupid). We give them the big Vegemite speach about how it's our favourite food and whatever, and give them some. It's incredibly hilarious when they try and stomach it, but can't, and think they have offended us or something.



"acquired taste" (4.50 / 2) (#101)
by jayhawk88 on Thu Mar 14, 2002 at 08:06:47 AM EST

Vegemite is an aquired taste so start small.
Even seasoned vegemite eaters have trouble with the stuff eating it raw in huge amounts.
If you must eat vegemite raw, try using your index finger to scrape the stuff from underneath the inner top of the jar.

Maybe it's just me, but if a food has things like this said about it, in an article designed to convince us try it, I'm not likely to start eating it anytime soon. Call me old fashioned (or closed minded even), but the foods I regularly eat generally must at least look and taste good on first inspection.

Why, then, should we grant government the Orwellian capability to listen at will and in real time to our communications across the Web? -- John Ashcroft
The Swiss have it too... (4.00 / 3) (#105)
by Alias on Thu Mar 14, 2002 at 08:20:10 AM EST

It's called Cenovis here. They claim it has been invented in 1931 by a beer brewer.

I eat mine on thin slices of Valais rye-and-nut-bread. Mmm.


Stéphane "Alias" Gallay -- Damn! My .sig is too lon

Healthy? (3.75 / 4) (#114)
by watchmaker on Thu Mar 14, 2002 at 10:04:33 AM EST

There are alot of things I should eat because they are healthy.

Bananas are high in potassium, but I can't stand the texture of a banana, it makes me gag.

Spinach is what makes popeye so strong, and yet I couldn't eat it to save my life.

Hell, there's people out there who believe that the uric acid you gain by drinking your own urine has mystical health benefits.

Each morning I take four of these.

Let's see using your numbers, vegemite has a quarter of the Niacin I need. With my vitamins, I get 1.5x the USRDA.

(As a side note, the USRDA values are heinously low for the average healthy adult.)

Thiamin 2000%, Riboflavin 1675%, Pantothenic Acid 300%, B6 1500%. I haven't a clue what Folacin is and suspect it may be Folic Acid, in which case I get 100%. The only thing I don't get 100% of the USRDA on is Biotin at 83%.

I also get things like the prostate friendly Saw Palmetto, heart friendly garlic, brain friendly Ginseng and Choline, And a whole host of other fun stuff that vegemite doesn't have.

But the biggest bonus of all, it's four pills. Pop them in the mouth, take a drink of water, and they're gone. At no point am I forced to eat something that tastes like it came out of an Aborigine's ass.



Too late, but... (4.00 / 3) (#115)
by jethro on Thu Mar 14, 2002 at 10:11:35 AM EST

I never ate vegamite, but I pretty much grew up forced to eat marmite sandwiches (thanks, mom!)

Anyway, I hate the stuff, and for the record, I hate peanut butter too.

I'm actually not too crazy about sandwiches. When I _do_ eat sandwiches they tend to be either

(A) Baked Tofu sandwiches, or

(B) Something most people would find even MORE gross than that.

With cheese, tomatos and spinach, or whatever leafy green my wife decided to get today. And I'm fairly sure that if she reads this article she'd be willing to try marmite.

--
In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is kinky.
Marmite/Vegemite vs Unspecified German Lookalike (4.50 / 2) (#120)
by GrassyKnoll on Thu Mar 14, 2002 at 12:01:59 PM EST

When I lived in Germany for a year in the '80s, we used to get something that looked very much like Marmite, but was actually very sweet rather than salty, so you could spread loads of it on a slice of bread. I don't know what it was called, but it came in yellow plastic tubs, much larger than marmite jars.

When a friend from Germany came to stay shortly after my return to England, at breakfast he picked up the Marmite, picked up a slice of toast and proceeded to spread it liberally all over the bread.

I'll never forget the look of shock and horror that came over him when he bit into the toast!

However, once proper Marmite handling had been explained to him, it proved a great hit and my mum had to send him a large jar every Christmas for several years.

Anyone know what that German stuff was called?

Can't be a real food. (4.00 / 4) (#121)
by Mr. Piccolo on Thu Mar 14, 2002 at 12:08:42 PM EST

There's no way Vegemite can be a real food, since none of the Iron Chefs have ever used it in any of their wonderful creations!








...Then again, there is no Iron Chef Australian...

The BBC would like to apologise for the following comment.


I know an american who eats it. (4.00 / 4) (#129)
by rebelcool on Thu Mar 14, 2002 at 01:29:02 PM EST

I used to work with him. He'd bring in vegemite sandwiches. We'd ask 'what the hell is that, paul?'
"Why its vegemite! The greatest food ever!"
"What's it made of?"
"Yeast extract and some other shit."
"Ah so thats what that smell is..."
"You want a taste?"
"Keep it to yourself, yeast-boy"

*shudder*

COG. Build your own community. Free, easy, powerful. Demo site

Can you get it in the Bay Area??? (3.40 / 5) (#131)
by SvnLyrBrto on Thu Mar 14, 2002 at 02:49:40 PM EST

I got to try it once. My mom aquired a jar of it when I was a teenager. I've no idea where or how she got it tho. I lived in Florida at the time. And the south is not exactly known for being open to the artifacts of foreign cultures.

And I loved the stuff. I wouldn't exactly call it a substitute for peanut butter. But it definately has it's place. Or at least it would, if I could find the damn stuff!

Now, of course, I live in California, which is well known for being open and accepting of other cultures. But I still can't find the stuff (Tho I DID find a stock of Gnutella at a Safeway once). I'm SURE that it's here SOMEWHERE. But I would feel pretty psychotic going from grocrey to grocrey just looking for vegemite.

So does anyone know of a place in the Bay Area (perferably in The City itself), where I could reliably find the stuff?


cya,
john

Imagine all the people...

yummy! (2.50 / 4) (#142)
by kaffiene on Thu Mar 14, 2002 at 09:00:59 PM EST

Being a New Zealander I should probably claim that Marmite is much better, but bugger it - Vegemite is just so yummy!

<b>Some Vegemite Facts</b> (4.50 / 4) (#145)
by D Jade on Thu Mar 14, 2002 at 11:26:41 PM EST

  1. Vegemite is not Marmite... They are two totally different spreads. We used to have Vegemite and Marmite at home, because half of the family liked each.
  2. A note to Americans: Did you know that the peanut butter experience can be enhanced with Vegemite? WoW!
    A favorite Aussie breakfast routine involves making one piece of toast with Peanut butter on it, and one with Vegemite on it. It is an amazing flavour sensation!
  3. Only a sick-minded individual would confuse Nutella with Vegemite... The horror!


You're a shitty troll, so stop pretending you have more of a life than a cool dude -- HollyHopDrive
Sewer ray may taste like pumpkin pie... (4.00 / 3) (#161)
by Demiurge on Fri Mar 15, 2002 at 05:09:23 AM EST

You know how the rest of it goes.

i tried it last night (3.66 / 3) (#166)
by StackyMcRacky on Fri Mar 15, 2002 at 08:53:14 AM EST

it tastes like beef bullion. it was weird, but not terrible.

you people actually make sandwiches with it on purpose? it seems more like a soup flavoring, to me.



Vegemite, Marmite, Promite... (4.16 / 6) (#167)
by Kugyou on Fri Mar 15, 2002 at 11:41:43 AM EST

Real men eat THERMITE.
-----------------------------------------
Dust in the wind bores holes in mountains
Terry Pratchett's take on vegemite (3.66 / 6) (#171)
by Tatarigami on Fri Mar 15, 2002 at 04:17:40 PM EST

"We tried it, and then we all went 'yuck', and then we had some more."

Yes, that's exactly what it's like.

I'll stick with my peanut butter thank you (2.66 / 3) (#174)
by Rhinobird on Sat Mar 16, 2002 at 02:26:54 AM EST

I tried vegimite once...a little 1 inch square jobbie...i gagged for half an hour. At least until I could get ahold of some water to wash that piece of salted bread down. If I can find some I might try it again, it's been over 10 years since I tried it and my tastes have changed greatly since I was a kid. Until I can find some, all of you are wrong, yeast extract blows, go eat some peanut butter toast and do yourself a favor.
"If Mr. Edison had thought more about what he was doing, he wouldn't sweat as much." --Nikola Tesla
I wish vegemite had more options... (none / 0) (#186)
by bouncer on Mon Mar 18, 2002 at 02:34:19 AM EST

I really dislike the default flag : --ass-flavoured ;)


"There's nothing like a room full of stupid people who agree with you to convince you to change your mind." --JCB
Weird national foods (none / 0) (#191)
by hucke on Tue Mar 19, 2002 at 11:07:59 AM EST

I'm an American, and first learned of Vegemite in the mid 1990s from the newsgroup rec.food.cooking. One of the periodic FAQ posts there was "Ray's List of Weird and Disgusting Foods" (which can now be found at http://www.andreas.com/food.html). It begins:

I HAVE A THEORY that many (all?) cultures invent a food that is weird or disgusting to non-initiates as a sort of a "marker." The kids start out hating it, but at some point they cross over and perpetuate it (perpetrate it) on the next generation. Then they nudge each other when foreigners gasp.

The list is organized by country, with the local "delicacies" listed. From England there is Blood Pudding, Jellied Eels... Scotland has Haggis and Irn Bru... Norwegian lutefisk, Chinese hundred-year-old eggs...

I took it as a challenge. I have never encountered most of the items on the list, but if the opportunity arises, I will try something. I have eaten lutefisk, hundred-year-old eggs, escargots, durian candy, sweetbreads (calf's pancreas), natto, uni (sea urchin), kim chee... I'm still looking for a haggis; I've promised a friend I would bring him a haggis, and he has informed me he will defend his house with his crossbow to prevent me from befouling it by bringing haggis through the doorway.

Marmite was easy to find. In Chicago, it's sold in "Treasure Island" grocery stores (they do not have vegemite). I liked it immediately. Vegemite seemed unobtainable, but I finally located it at "Cost Plus World Market", for about $2.20 a jar (half the cost of Marmite). I found that I liked it better than Marmite, and on my second visit to that store, bought ten jars.

Generally, I eat it on bagels smeared with cream cheese - that's an easy way to get started, as the cream cheese tends to mute the taste somewhat. I will also occasionally get a cheese-only sub from SU8W4Y and smear that with vegemite. Today, I tried it on buttered toast for the first time (after reading this thread) and found that to be an excellent way to showcase the salty, yeasty flavor; I think that will now be my preferred method.

Three people I worked with have tried it, on bread or crackers. One had a mild dislike for it, the others hated it intensely, and still refer to the incident whenever I suggest they try something new...

matt hucke * graveyards of chicago - http://graveyards.com/

An Iowan View (for what it's worth) (none / 0) (#192)
by jbzone on Sun Mar 24, 2002 at 02:40:25 PM EST

I live in Iowa, where some of the more unique aspects of international cuisine have not had great success in making inroads. However, I have tried it in Australia, and could see eating it more frequently if it were available.

However, Iowa in the last few years has overtaken Wisconsin in becoming the fattest state in the Union. This has come after many years of public initiatives urging us to consume as much deep-fried food as possible, dipping it in vegetable shortening or lard, if available. Eventually, we overtook our neighbors to the nort-east whose diet consists mainly of cheese and Milwaukee-brewed beer. The point is, I'm not sure if there are that many people that are suffering from malnutrition who would have the finances to seek unique foods to supplement their inadequate diets. Almost all of us get enough in what we eat daily, anyway.

Why You Probably Hate Vegemite and Why You Shouldn't | 193 comments (191 topical, 2 editorial, 0 hidden)
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