I heard about Vegemite years ago. I even saw ads for
it when I lived in Hong Kong back in the early 1980s. There was, of course, as
significant Australian expatriate community in Hong Kong. I heard that the
spread was a by-product of the beer brewing industry – the dregs from the
brewery vats. I knew some Australians while I was living there, and I liked them, but for or some reason, I never
brought myself to try Vegemite when I was over in that part of the world. A few weeks ago, I was strolling through World Market
over near The Galleria in Hoover and spotted some Vegemite on the shelf. I
decided it was time to try it, so I bought a little jar – 220 g to be
exact. I had to look that up to see how
many ounces that would be (since we in the U.S. still use the old system of
measurement). It comes to around 7.76 ounces.
I took the jar home, announced to my family that we
now had Vegemite in the house. According
to the label, it is concentrated yeast extract, a rich source of Vitamin B and
a rich source of folate, with no artificial colors or flavors – I’m sorry, make
that no artificial colours or flavours – that’s how the Aussies and the rest of
the English speaking world spell it. I was looking forward to my new
international food experience, but it still took about a week for me to open the
jar.
It happened on a Sunday afternoon. Looking for a snack,
I reached for the Vegemite. My wife had purchased some freshly baked hot dog
buns at Winn-Dixie the day before, so I carefully spread the Aussie product on
the open bun, closed up the bun and took a bite. “Whoa! Why in the world,” I thought,
“did anyone ever think that this stuff would be edible?” This was not a happy
encounter. I decided to finish what I
started. I had not had lunch, and surely this would be nutritious. I just wasn’t
sure what I was going to do with the rest of that jar. I wasn’t sure what to tell
my family, I didn’t want to say, “This stuff is terrible,” after I had so
proudly proclaimed the arrival of a new foreign cuisine. After I had consumed
my Vegemite sandwich and the salty bitter taste had subsided, I have to say
that my body did indeed feel nourished. I decided I needed to find out how the
folks in Australia eat it.
A quick inquiry on the internet revealed to me that
I had approached Vegemite all wrong. First, I learned (as if I hadn’t already
figured it out) that Vegemite is "an acquired taste." Second, I read a comment that
Vegemite does not go well at all on “these American sugary breads.” That freshly baked hot dog bun was quite
sweet. As I read further, I saw that Vegemite could be spread on white or wheat
bread, and that the best way to enjoy it
is to toast the bread, then slather on some margarine prior to spreading a thin layer of Vegemite (I had spread it
much too thickly the first time). The writer claimed that butter would do, but
margarine is the best thing to use. Well, I had to draw the line there. As I’ve
stated before, I am with Julia Child on this: “I always use butter. I never
use, nor do I mention the other spread.”
Furthermore, margarine is not natural and can even be unhealthy.
Nevertheless, with that bit of encouragement, and
the discovery of what I had done wrong, I was determined to make this
international food experiment work. A few days later, I took a slice of wheat
bread, toasted it, applied some butter then spread a thin layer of Vegemite.
This time, it was not an awful experience! It was actually quite tolerable. My taste
buds knew not to expect anything like the sweet creamy peanut butter that
American kids grow up on, and certainly not anything like jelly or jam that one
would apply for a sweet treat at breakfast.
This taste was unique, a salty taste (though there are only 173 mg of
sodium per 5 g serving), with a not-quite-bitter edge to it. This time I knew that I could indeed acquire a
taste for the product.
Vegemite Rocks!!!
ReplyDeleteAussie Aussie Aussie!!!!
Have you tried its cousin Marmite? The smell will knock you over.
ReplyDeleteNo, I've never gone as far as eating it. The "aroma" stops me. I've opened a jar on the breakfast table while visiting England, and that's enough.
"Sugary sweet breads?" Urg. Make your own or at least buy some decent bread at Publix or Fresh Market.
Likewise with peanut butter. Grind your own at Fresh Market. Just peanuts--no added sugar or Crisco.
I haven't tried Marmite. I had to google it to see that it looks like essentially the same product except it is made in England. I'm down to half a jar of Vegemite, now. A friend from Australia told me that he carries it with him when he travels overseas, and he doesn't spread it thin. "I like my vegemite very, very thick," he said. "None of this thin layer stuff. When you bite the toast you should be able to see your teeth imprints in the thick layer of vegemite left on the toast. Yum!"
ReplyDeleteSo I'm not at the point of spreading it on thick, but I am enjoying a thin layer on toast. I'm doing it for international relations -- maybe one day I'll try Marmite and be an Anglophile.