Tuesday 24 February 2009

Marmite



Marmite is a spread that we have over here - similar to Vegemite in Australia. I don't know if it is available it the USA or Canada. If you don't know it, it is a thick, black tar-like substance that clings to the sides of the jar, which is dark brown glass, making it very hard to see.


As I sat at the breakfast table, spreading Marmite on my toast, the jar was getting very empty. But, if I persevered and scraped away at the insides of the jar I could still get some of the residue that clung to the glass.


After a couple of minutes scraping I had got enough for my toast. Then, THUNK! I new jar appeared on the table,while MRS RC told me to stop scraping as the sound was going through her head.


Suddenly I was 6 years old, sitting in the house that I grew up in, holding a not-quite-totally-empty jar of Marmite, scratching for a little bit more of the precious substance. Now I know the mind plays tricks on us, but I don't remember us ever having a new jar of Marmite when I was a kid! Looking back I almost suspect that we had the same jar for around 15 years, that I spent 15 years scraping out the elusive contents for my toast. I am sure that this is not really the case, but it is odd, don't you think? Surely I would have memories of digging into a fresh, new jar of my beloved Marmite?

17 comments:

kenady said...

nope! wouldn't be as fun if you weren't scraping out the remaining contents of a near empty jar:)

terri said...

Maybe someone in your house had a fetish about being the first to dig into a new jar and so you never saw a new jar... only one already dug into.

Marmite? Yeast extract? What does it taste like?

Teresa said...

Our minds are very interesting places arent' they?!

I'm with Terri...what is Marmite/Yeast extract and what does it taste like?

...we use butter. :)

Rock Chef said...

Kenady - You are right!

Terri and Teresa - The taste is unlike anything else - salty, maybe a little meaty? Maybe I need to send out some small jars of the stuff!

m said...

I've had "the Marmite" and it is NOT tasty. I don't know how you Brits eat it!

Rock Chef said...

Mindy - Not tasty? How can you say that? You might not like it (in fact their current marketing is based on love it/hate it), but it is definitely tasty!

Anonymous said...

salty? meaty? on your TOAST?? i'm with mindy. that does not sound good. now butter, jelly, apple butter, peanut butter those all sound good. marmite sounds like a rock. lol

tz said...

oh my gosh, my husband and I actually have fought about Marmite (http://zimmerhouse.blogspot.com/2007/01/no-i-dont-beat-my-children.html)

hmmm, you know I don't remember dipping my knife into anything new growing up...peanut butter, jelly...ice cream...the parents must always get to it first...

Michele said...

"Black, tar like substance". Yep, sounds really yummy-- NOT!
I wonder if I can find it in one of out speciality shops? It is always interesting to sample tastes from other countries. I just don't know what I'd do with the rest of the jar if I don't like it??

My mom used to let my brother and I be the first to use a new jar of peanut butter. I always used the knife to "draw" a happy face onto the untouched surface... then I dug in--YUM!

terri said...

For the record, I am a huge fan of "salty." I would try it!

Claire said...

Can't wait to see if our "World Market" store has it - I'll get a jar and see if I can convince Kik into trying some with me - maybe on a biscuit y'all????

Rock Chef said...

nonnasnonsense - It goes great with cheese!

tz - GROSS? Hm, I can see that things are stacking up against me and my Marmite!

Michele - Just keep it. It lasts for ever. Or you could try it as a marinade - I have done chicken in it and it was great. But I like Marmite in the first place, so maybe that is no good either.

Terri - Yeah, I can see you liking it actually! It is really good for you, lots of Vitamin B!

Claire - Let me know if you find some! Just bear in mind that you only need a little bit - don't treat it like peanut butter!

Sid said...

I can't stand the taste of marmite.

mr zig said...

Never had it, never heard of it!, but now I want it - And I just watched the ads - Hm... i wonder if I can find it in our city somewhere - time to start the hunt!

Ali said...

So did the new jar taste any different? Say...not rotten after 15 years? LOL

Rock Chef said...

Sid - You are not alone!

Zig - I hope you find it!

Ali - No, Marmite lasts for ever!

Sitting In Silence said...

Oh I love Marmite....Nearly just as much as Vegemite !

I sent a jar of vegemite to Dodi once in the USA...LMAO....

Pricless....xoxo