Vegemite

Vegemite, YUMMY

I have been meaning to answer Laurels question- " what is Vegemite" for a few weeks now.

I can't fathom how any one would not know and love Vegemite-LOL. I would imagine if you did not grow up with Vegemite, you would think that it is one of the most DISGUSTING things on the planet. In Australia it is a staple and an icon.

Vegemite is a thick dark brown salty paste that you spread on toast. You can also add it to stews and many other dishes. As a child I use to add butter and Vegemite to wheetbix!

I love cold toast (so the butter doesn't melt), lightly (truthfully-thickly!!!) smeared with real butter and then very lightly coated with Vegemite. All this is on wholemeal bread, and consumed just about everyday of my life!

We are one of those funny Australian families that takes Vegemite on holidays with us. We did get a few looks in Singapore and Jakarta when we arrived at breakfast with a tube of Vegemite.

Vegemite is similar to the British Marmite, BUT, all Aussies would agree that Marmite is horrible and no substitute to the real thing.

There was a story that made all the news programs about 5 weeks ago, about how Vegemite was being banned from the USA, as it contained Folate. There was a huge hullabaloo about it, but apparently it has all been sorted out and Aussies living or visiting the Unites States can now have their Vegemite. There was Lady interviewed on the TV who said if she couldn't take her Vegemite to the USA, she wasn't going (she probably wasn't going anyway) LOLOL.

Vegemite is one of several yeast extract spreads sold in Australia. It is made from leftover brewers' yeast extract (a by-product of beer manufacture) and various vegetable and spice additives. It is very dark reddish-brown, almost black, in color, and one of the richest sources known of Vitamin B. It's thick like peanut butter, it's very salty, and it tastes like - well let's just say that it is an acquired taste!

The kids often have Vegemite sandwiches for lunch at school, and if there is fresh bread I too will have it for lunch. We will be taking a VAT of it with us to Jakarta. I am pretty sure that I saw it for sale over there, but if not it is definitely available in Singapore.

Other Australian food necessities are Milo, Tim Tam's and Weetbix.




I have worked out a blogging schedule. An unfortunate side affect of all the activity surround me is that I am wide awake a 4.15 am every morning!!!!! I have time to blog before the kids wake up at 5.30/6am, and this time is guilt free!!!!!