Vegemite or Marmite?

This poll is primarily intended for the loyal subjects of her Royal Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. Which do you prefer, Vegemite or Marmite? I finally had a chance to try both of them on a recent trip to New Zealand. I won't bias the poll with my comments, for now at least.





Here I am with the perfect piece of Vegemite toast, created by a Vegemite fan from Perth, including a light layer of Vegemite with butter on top. Picture taken on the Routeburn Track in New Zealand.

British Marmite is considerably saltier and more potent (less sweet) than NZ Marmite. I am afraid I have had neither preferring to get my salt from fish and chips.

This is a strange thread, should we be worried
about the Wiz?

Did the lady who gave you the Vegemite sandwich smile when she gave it to you?

Leave it to the southern hemisphere to name a food product as if it were a mineral.

Never tasted either.
I only know vegamite exists due to the Men At Work song Down Under.

"Buying bread from a man in 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"

Voted bigot, Know of one, not the other, never tasted either.

Quote: Nareed

Leave it to the southern hemisphere to name a food product as if it were a mineral.

That's true, it does sound like something you get on your boots. However, the suffix -ite can be used to form adjectives as in :erudite, exquisite, composite, favourite and appetite.

A "marmite" in French refers to a cooking-pot like the one pictured on the jar. Obviously it was used in preparing the stuff.

In general you have to wonder about food made from stuff they used to throw away. But if you put enough salt on most anything it will be preserved and be edible.

Quote: terapined

"Buying bread from a man in Brussels

I'm pretty sure the man was in Brazil.

Quote:

He just smiled and gave me a Vegemite sandwich"

I recall endless arguments about that line, because no one believed there was such a word as "vegemite."

I also read of it in an old web cartoon called "User Friendly." The gang gets sent to Australia to do something related to their ISP business, and the front office marketing guy, Steff, is upset because the food there is nothing like that at the Outback Steakhouse. The old tech guy, Sid, tries to get him to try vegemite.


It's what Australians use instead of peanut butter, yes?

Quote: Pacomartin

That's true, it does sound like something you get on your boots.

Or Superman's one weakness ;)

Quote:

In general you have to wonder about food made from stuff they used to throw away. But if you put enough salt on most anything it will be preserved and be edible.

I claim the English throw away all the muscle, bone and sinew when they slaughter a cow, then consume the rest. Naturally they'd have been horrified when they found out hamburgers were made from this material previously thrown away :)

Seriously, lots of things are thrown out because at first people may not know what to do with them. Vaseline is residue from oil refining. Offhand I can't think of anything else, but there are other such products.

Quote: Nareed

I'm pretty sure the man was in Brazil.

Definitely from Brussels.


Marmite is made from the brewers yeast that's left over after making beer. Salted, the cells of the yeast crack down and leave a black, thick paste. It's very savoury. I like it occasionally spread thinly on toast. Occasionally. It's pretty good when hungover, or feeling a bit poorly. It's full of B vitamins, and I do stir a chunk of it into to stews and soups as well to add a bit of Umami flavour.

Only tried Vegemite once. Similar.