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monalisa
11-23-2007, 04:31 AM
Hi all. Haven't been around much lately and when I have, I haven't exactly been a little ray of sunshine. Sorry about that, and thank you to those of you that had kind and helpful words for me.

Anyway, the boyfriend and I were talking about Vegemite yesterday, and having never tried it myself, I looked it up. One of the amusing factoids I found was the following:

"A Vegemite sandwich to an Australian kid is the equivalent of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to an American kid - but the taste is QUITE different!"

This brought to mind 2 questions.

1. Do Australians (or anyone else that has tried it) really like Vegemite?

2. Do Australians like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches?

Disease
11-23-2007, 04:35 AM
Peanut butter and jam is o.k, but you can't go past cheese and Vegemite...!

I put it on toast with a fried egg, or on toast with baked beans... or just on bread by itself, or rice cakes etc..

I didn't like it much as a kid, I preferred pro mite which isn't quite as bitter, but I really got into it when I was around 21, and I haven't looked back...

You get cheesymite scrolls from the bakery, they are great.

Phalanx
11-23-2007, 06:05 AM
"A Vegemite sandwich to an Australian kid is the equivalent of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to an American kid - but the taste is QUITE different!"
Hm...I dunno about that...

1. Do Australians (or anyone else that has tried it) really like Vegemite?
There are some people here that absolutely hate it. I can't really say I like like it, but it's ok by me. Handy thing to have around.
I like mine on toast, and use a medium amount, I guess. Relatively light in my case, I'll spread about a third of a level teaspoon on a slice of toast - best with liberal butter/spread of choice.
I LOVE it on toasted crumpets. It goes with crumpets so damn well...I'll use a little more on them.
If it's an actual sandwich, I'll probably have it with a slice of cheese too. Plain V on a closed sandwich, just doesn't work for me.
You can use it in gravy, soups, and a few other dishes as well.

The thing to remember is that it's unusually concentrated/bold in comparison to the kind've spreads you'd normally put on bread/sandwiches. I have heard many a case of people trying it say, off a spoon, or on it's own...they tend to find it was too strong/salty. You just don't need very much, and the thing to remember is, it's not really like a food in itself, it's more of a condiment...use sparingly if inexperienced, for best results.
It's an unusual kind've thing, that's hard to describe in terms of flavour...it has a salt factor, but also something that's unlike a lot of other foods also, there's an almost (impossibly enough) tamarind type twist to it.
I've heard it likened to worcestershire sauce in flavour, that's one I'd lean towards agreeing with, but its also a far cry from that.

2. Do Australians like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches?
They're ok, sure. I like it on wholegrain bread. Crunchy PB, Boysenberry jam/jelly

You get cheesymite scrolls from the bakery, they are great.
Rolled bread/pastry with cheese and vegemite baked into it, for anyone wondering.
Yeah, I like those...


That said, having had a sister that lived in the UK for some time...if what she said is anything to go by, it can be quite a bit more expensive to purchase overseas than it is here. If anyone would like me to grab a big jar and send it along, might save you some bucks.

The Mothman
11-23-2007, 07:26 AM
I said do you speak my language.
he just smiled and gave me a vegemite sandwich.

Zero
11-23-2007, 07:28 AM
I said do you speak my language.
he just smiled and gave me a vegemite sandwich.

oh my god . . . i think i'm going to CHUNDER

crabapple
11-23-2007, 07:40 AM
I liked the couple of vegemite and butter sandwiches I have had. Just a very little of the stuff, spread super thin,barely there. Then butter on the other bread thingie, and put em together. Good with a coca cola. I refuse to capitalize coca cola, they don't deserve it. They already control the soft drink market as it is, they need no help. They get no free advertising from me.

Disease
11-23-2007, 08:12 AM
You got to lay it on thick, that's the way to eat it in a sandwich!

Cough, pepsi...

missmacabre
11-23-2007, 08:16 AM
A friend and I fed vegemite to people one day telling them it was chocolate icing. They were all grossed out. Needless to say, it was funny.

I'm not a fan of the stuff though.

ManchestrMorgue
11-23-2007, 12:32 PM
I have never been a fan of Vegemite - tried it once or twice as a child and have kept away from it since then.

Then again, I don't really like peanut butter either. Wouldn't, for example, eat it on a sandwich - with or without jam.

Psycom5k
11-23-2007, 01:29 PM
I had it a few times while i was working at the racetrack, we had this australian trucker who shipped horses for the trainer that I worked for, and he had TONS of it in his truck, he tossed me a jar of it and i tried it. He told me to make a grilled cheese sandwich with it spred on both peices of bread, so I did, and it was actually good, in a strange way.

Phalanx
11-23-2007, 04:31 PM
Yeah, I like it on a grilled cheese too.

monalisa
11-24-2007, 07:21 AM
I said do you speak my language.
he just smiled and gave me a vegemite sandwich.

LOL, actually, a "Scrubs" episode had that song in it and that is what sparked our conversation. :p

And as always, thanks Phalanx for your foodie comments. If I ever try the stuff, I'll take your advice as to how to eat it! :)

Anyone else ever try it?

glasseye
11-25-2007, 02:23 AM
I sometimes eat it real thin on a slice of toast.. more of a Peanut butter man myself though. You have some zany ideas for eating Vegimite, Disease. I'll definitely be trying some. For some reason I have a craving for an ice cold can of refreshing Coca-Cola