Vegemite. The very word sparks terror in Americans. We’ve heard the stories about how it’s an acquired taste, how Aussies alone have the ball-sacks to eat it, how unsuspecting Americans have taken a bite and then run out into the bush in the hope that dingoes would eat them just so they wouldn’t have to put another molecule of that substance from down under in their mouths ever again. I’ve long been intrigued by the mystique.
Today, I got my hands on a 220 g jar of this dark brown, yeast extract goo. At last I could confirm for myself the taste mysteries of Vegemite. Opting to take the traditional, sane course, I toasted up a slice of white bread, coated it in margarine, and then thinly spread some Vegemite. The verdict? Not unlike actress Lucy Hale’s assessment:
I agree that it has a taste very much like dried soy sauce with notes of beef bouillon. As I often make tofu sandwiches with soy sauce and nutritional yeast, this is not an entirely unfamiliar flavor. Heavy on the umami. Unlike Ms Hale, I will have this again.
I’m looking forward to maybe stretching it out into other recipes. My understanding is that it makes a decent broth which is slightly more chicken-y than beefy. I’ll have to try that out soon.
This American’s verdict? A welcome addition to my pantry, a food whose mythic unpalatability comes nowhere close to reality. It’s not for everyone, especially those who have a problem with the taste of soy sauce. While it’s not likely to find a place on my breakfast menu, it will be found in snack courses (can’t wait to try this in a sandwich). Aussies, ya done good.
And since you now probably have a hankering to watch the Men at Work video of “Down Under”, I’ll save you the search:
I’d recommend Marmite (because I think it’s so much tastier!) but in these dire times I doubt you could get a hold of some. Marmegeddon =(
Baby steps, mate. Baby steps. And you’re right, as tough as it is to find Vegemite, finding some Marmite is even more difficulter. For some reason, yeast-as-food has never really captured the culinary imagination of most Americans.
Okay I just tried some Vegemite and I can tell you that marmite is pretty much the same with a slightly different balance of sweet and salty and somehow a sharper kick at the end. Also it’s shinier. So its really not a huge step up. But anyway, what I meant before was that even I can’t buy marmite at the moment due to the marmite crisis. The factory has been shut down temporarily to repair earthquake damage to a cooling tower so there’s a global marmite shortage. Sad day.
Speaking of the culinary imagination of Americans, I can never believe that you guys don’t eat mince pies (I mean meat mince not fruit mince). They are too good for words.
I haz sadness for the Marmite lovers of the world. I hope the supply lines get restored soon. I’m sure I’ll be trying it out soon enough once it’s available. (On a related note, I’m just loving Vegemite sandwiches. Maybe I’m originally from Oz and didn’t know it?)
Mince pies would be lost on vegetarian me, in any case. Still, there are various meat pies available because of our various ethnic sub-cultures. Historically, I seem to recall the Puritans being anti-meat pie for some reason. That might have started it. Also, I think it’s the mixing of fruit with the meat; it doesn’t make it savory enough for the general public.
Ae? Meat pies don’t have fruit in them. Not ours anyway. For vegetarians like yourself, you can get sometimes get vege pies. I don’t see the appeal but a friend of mine loves them.
I’m a bit weird on this but I’m a big fan of peanut butter and marmite sandwiches, you could try it with vegemite. Also, cheese goes fantastically with marmite/vegemite, especially melted.
Most meat I’ve I’ve seen have things like raisins, currants, cranberries, dried cherries, or some other sort of fruitiness in them. Other than that, often the spices evoke a sweet (i.e. non-savory) flavor: cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, etc. Still, on reflection, Americans do sort of have meat pies: fajitas, pulled-pork sandwiches (esp. burritos), bar-b-que “pockets”, etc.
Yeah, the classic cheese and vegemite/marmite sandwich is killer. Love it. Hadn’t considered peanut butter with ‘mite. Sounds like it’s time to break out the ol’ lab coat. Mwahaha!
Well that must be America’s problem with meat pies. Over here they are very much savoury. If I was to make it myself (which I have done once), in mince I would be putting things like beef stock, tomato sauce, marmite (true story, adds some delish saltiness), Worcestershire sauce etc. Ours are English in origin whereas yours sound like they aren’t. The English know how to do savoury. Burritos and the rest are delicious but are really a totally different breed to meat pies, different species actually.
Have fun with that experimentation, but be careful. You’re messing with powerful forces…