Happy birthday vegemite
Now owned by the American company Mondelez International, Vegemite was born in 1923 and now a quite elderly 90 years old. Each year, 25 million jars are produced and mostly bought by Australians and New Zealanders. It appears that the rest of the world doesn't like or understand vegemite. Interestedly, the vegemite we eat today is the same recipe made 90 years ago - it has been a winner ever since.
Its not an unhealthy spread - one teaspoon of vegemite contains 50% of the recommended daily allowance of folate (great for women), its the world's richest known source of B group vitamins and it doesn't contain fat.
I grew up with vegemite and here are some of the way I eat it (or have eaten it!):
- On toast for breakfast, even better on crumpets with lots of butter.
- In sandwiches with a slice of cheese (when I was at school).
- Vegemite and cheese pinwheels/scroll - my children really liked these when young (and they are so easy to make)
- It is very good when feeling sick and you can't keep anything in the tummy, some women even eat it on toast when suffering from morning sickness.
- It can be added to stews and casseroles to make the gravy rich (my mother use to do this).
- As a child I would spread vegemite and butter on weetbix and eat it as a snack.
How do you eat your vegemite?
I like vegemite on toast or crumpets or weetbix best of all. It is nice spread on a stick of celery, too. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm VERY surprised to read that it's still the same recipe. Everyone I know who eats vegemite agrees that it doesn't taste as strong as it used to just a few years back. Why is that, then?? I used to have to have it spread thinly, but now I have to use quite a bit to even taste it (and the aforementioned people have told me the same). :/
Do you think with age our taste buds change rather than the vegemite? I still have mine spread thin, however my eldest son likes to plaster it one and its the only way he has ever had it. He goes through a litre quite quickly!!
DeleteI'm not a big vegemite fan, but I don't dislike it. I do use it in things like stew & casserole. It works a treat.
ReplyDeleteI don't eat it very often, but when I am sick its one of the first things I reach for!!
DeleteIt's good to know that it's useful when you're sick. I'll have to keep that in mind.
ReplyDeleteI like it on toast, crackers, American style biscuits, and sliced cheese. It was also good spread on cheese crackers with peanut butter filling.
You can also spread it lightly on chicken before baking it to enrich the flavor. I don't do this any more as it's a bit pricey in this country and so we use it carefully when we have it. :-)
My husband doesn't like it, but I grew up eating both Vegemite and Marmite. I don't like a lot of it, but I really enjoy a bit from time to time.
I'm not sure if it was the Vegemite or Marmite I used on the chicken, but either would work.
DeleteI have never tried vegemite on chicken - something different to do.
DeleteI think its the salt in the vegemite that makes it good when feeling sick and when you can't keep anything down. It appears to help a little.