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I once bought a jar and couldn't bring myself to actually try it.

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Therein lies your problem, Sue. It really is quite yummy. Just look at any one of the 20 million Aussies that were reared on it, and you will notice that there is absolutely wrong with ANY of us!

And Dippo, please do not bring beer into the equation. We gave you Fosters, but it is not possible to get English beer in Australia. The reason is that no-one will drink it, not even the expat Poms, who probably came here to get away from it! I ask you, how do you drink beer at room temperature? It is just not natural.

Well I must stay true to my British origins and opt for Marmite I am almost drooling just thinking about it BUT *gets ready to dodge the jar of Vegemite being thrown at me from Jersey*, I don't mind Vegemite either! Sue, don't worry, I added my name to the Marmite list!

Oops! I forgot my Vegemite on toast for brekky! Please insert the word 'nuffin' after 'absolutely'.

Perhaps I ought to change all the Australians' avatars.

Terry may object, as he will have to refund hundreds of Gold Memberships.

I have tried both and have to say that Vegemite wins hands down! Like Ozzz, I was raised on it. While living in California, I 'converted' quite a few Americans. The trick is to smear it on thinly. I discovered that most Americans try to spread it on too thick, like they do with peanut butter.

When coolcat90 was at school, and her friends would stay for a meal or for a sleepover, they inevitably requested my spaghetti bolognese for dinner, which had a bit of a reputation for being quite good. Coolcat90 would tell them "Mum has a secret ingredient" - it was a dollop of Vegemite!

I haven't tried the new vegemite/cheese blend yet and don't think I want to.

This thread is getting more intriguing by the hour! lol

I hate to say this Sue, but I am anxious to try this 'miracle mix' known as vegemite ......... the whole nation of Australia can't be TOTALLY wrong! Can they?

It really is what you are used to if you have been raised on one or the other. The recipes are simply not the same, if you like caramel in the mix then it will be Vegemite, if you don't then it is Marmite.

During WWII Marmite was extensively used by the armed forces as it treated various ills due to the high content of B vitamins.

"During WWII Marmite was extensively used by the armed forces as it treated various ills due to the high content of B vitamins."

And beyond WWII Sue - I always remember a giant pot of good old marmite available at ALL mealtimes in the cookhouse, during my army service

When I was in hospital in Jersey just over four years ago I asked for the Marmite at breakfast time and was given the jar to help myself so when I was transferred to a hospital in the UK I assumed they would have some available - not so, they had jams and marmalade but no Marmite. I asked the sister in charge of the ward to telephone my daughter as a matter of urgency to ask her to buy me a jar before coming to visit me. My poor daughter got a nasty shock to receive the telephone call from the hospital, I really ought to have thought it through, I had been air-lifted by private air ambulance to the UK and was in the high dependency unit, my daughter must have though that I had carked it! Still, she bought the Marmite.

LOL your poor daughter ... hope she got a chuckle out of it after the shock of the call.

Now, I may be a latecomer to the discussion, BUT...
Joy oh joy, in their infinite wisdom, my local supermarket has decided to add Marmite to their stock. Needless to say, the pot was in my trolley before I even finished the thought "Ooooh, look, Marmite". With great anticipation, I smeared some on a piece of bread and sampled...
It is SALTY my goodness it is salty, not even salt is this salty. Salt with a bit of a funky smell. It looks and tastes somewhat like the paste they use to make miso soup . Still, I have to acknowledge its addictive properties. The only familiar taste that comes close to it, is Maggi Aroma and I am a great fan of it. It will come as no surprise, that one of the main ingredients is yeast extract. The difference is, Maggi is used as a soup seasoner, to be used very sparingly, not as something you eat on toast.
To conclude, in the Epic Battle of the Yeast Extracts, my vote goes to Maggi (which, I have to admit, is like commenting on The Ashes saying "I think I like football better").

I'd honestly like to get in on the debate, however I don't know where I might find either in these parts. Maybe there are some specialty shops in the DC area that carry items like these - I'll have to contact ArlingtoVA and ask him if he knows. I've already gone to netgrocer.com and neither is available there.

Edited to add:

I've done some digging and found Foods of All Nations in Charlottesville stocks Bovril and Marmite, sorry no Vegemite - too far to drive but they'll ship it. 12.75 for 250g. Also found Oxtail Soup from Knorr, though the FDA won't allow sales....

Foods of All Nations/Great Britain

Tracey, I have found jars of marmite in specialty kitchen supply stores. You know, those stores that sell espresso machines, pots/pans, and other strange doodads. You might want to try one of those.

I just went to Amazon and found they carry both. Not sure if you can get it locally as I did not put it in my basket. Thought it was interesting they sell both together, too!

They also sell Bovril, Spotted Dick Sponge Pudding, and Haggis!

I found both in World Market on Sunday, (a local chain that sells all kinds of household items from around the world) 125g and 150g - so not big servings and if I shouldn't ever want to try them again at least I didn't spend much. Now I have to find the nerve to try them! Which should I do first? Are they like beers where you start with the lightest tasting? I'd like to do it right, so which cracker is best? Or should I treat it like PB and smear it on bread?

BTW, this store carries a giant assortment of candies. What should I be sampling? I did walk out with a bag of Tea candies from Bali, looking forward to trying those!

I would recommend trying Marmite for the first time on buttered toast. After that, you'll probably like it so much you'll want to try it on all sorts of things!

Just dont put your Vegemite on your toast an inch thick. Just smear lightly until you get used to the taste.
It's also nice to put a spoonful or so in mashed potato, adds a bit of 'body' to it

You would not need enough to colour it, you really only need to very lightly smear it at first, it is only well seasoned palates that could take it spread thickly, and even then our eyes might water!

I spread some Marmite onto bread and butter to show you what you ought to be doing as a novice. The piece on the right is what you ought to be aiming for, the one on the left is for those used to eating it.

Marmite spread on bread

Wow Sue, thanks for the tip. It looks like Apple Butter to me in those photos. My mother used to eat that, but I never developed a taste for it. I like salty tastes, so maybe this won't be so difficult an experiment for me. I have toasted some bagels this morning and left half of one without my Boursin so that I might use it for this purpose. Would an onion bagel be acceptable or would it confuse the flavor?

Being a newby myself in the marmite/vegemite world (4-5 years now ), I wouldn't use an onion bagel for the first time. I now eat mine on wheat bread with butter and I spread it on as thick as a pro.

Some nasty people would suggest that masking the flavour of Marmite would be a good thing...

A small spoonful is not enough to colour your potatoes brown. It just adds a bit of flavour to something pretty boring. Adding a bit of grated cheese as well is nice

Vegemite is wonderful on crumpets. You spread the butter on, and then you spread the vegemite. And Mmmmmmmmm.

Oh, yuk, yuk, yuk!
My husband does that! He also puts it on pancakes and my 11 month old daughter loves it on milk arrowroot biscuits.
For me, it's toast and bread (but with butter as well), and occasionally spooned out of the jar if I'm feeling a bit run-down

So everyone agrees, no matter which side you are on - Marmite or Vegemite - butter is a must?

....today's the day!