Marmite

Be careful what you say about my beloved Marmite. As a true New Zealander, it is a staple part of my daily diet!

 

Sorry for the delay in replying. I am in a Marmite-free Beijing, and am run off my feet. This is the first time I've had a few minutes to myself since I got here.

The fact that beer leads to Marmite, and that Marmite on toast is perfect for a hangover suggests to me that there is some sort of divine thingy planning how the universe works. Nothing else does - just that.

My family is split on the whole patriotic Marmite vs Vegemite thing. I think Vegemite is rubbish. It doesn't have the sweetness or gloopiness that make Marmite such an great thing. It's too stiff, and it tastes of rancid butter mixed with salt, whereas Marmite tastes of happiness and joy. My younger daughter sides with me on this issue; my elder daughter and my wife swing the other way, which, frankly, disgusts me.

This event a few years ago caused great hilarity in Britain.

Marmite M1 spill: Lorry crash spreads 20 tons across motorway closing carriageway | Daily Mail Online

All the radio traffic reports said that the emergency services were desperately searching for enough toast to clear up the mess.

@booke02, is this the Kiwi Marmite you're talking about, or the proper British stuff?

 

I am a purist - Marmite from any source is good stuff. No Vegemite for me!

 

Yes, @tochatihu, it looks like the very stuff that we lived off when I grew up.

 

Irony Of The Day:

Is Marmite Halal?

 

Oh, I am so relieved. And is it kosher too?

 

Shhhh!
Don't tell them, but one pretty much assures the other.

Sorta.

Comparison of Islamic and Jewish dietary laws - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

To answer your question, yes.....it's kosher too.

I'm a Mar/Vegemite noob, so I'll have to try it out sometime.

I'm not optimistic...

 

Sorry for the silence. I've had terrible trouble getting into PC in Beijing over the last week, although things seem to have settled now. Looks like there were no such problems in Kunming.

@7 - yes, I can live without Marmite when there are so many compensations. Duck is one. But decent Sichuan and Chongqing food - for which Beijing is a fine source these days, and which you just can't get in Sydney - is always a highlight for me. I have been gorging on Mapo Tofu for the last few days. But @11, while Mapo Tofu delights me, stinky tofu does not. As a lover of things like blue cheese, I understand the appeal, but I just don't like it.

@9 and @10 - I do wish they'd realise just how similar they are. But I say that as a person with an Irish Catholic name (my full surname is O'Hkmb, obviously). So I know that two religions having lots in common doesn't actually help.

@5 and @6 - That's not Marmite. That is an antipodean abomination. This is Marmite.

https://tse3-mm.cn.bing.net/th?id=OIP.M81707b7d9c370be57cd0bd58e0f15243H0&pid=15.1&P=0&w=300&h=300

Given the vocabulary of American politics, "Sanitarium" is not the best brand name for a brown sludgy substance.

 

Mapo Tofu is the food of the gods. It's the fermented bean sludge and the huajiao that make it so perfect. Along with a lot of ginger and quite a lot of garlic. I have recently rescued the previously-dull life of my wife's vegan colleague by teaching her how to make it (but with finely-chopped mushrooms replacing the minced pork). I was moved to do this after she instagrammed a picture of her dinner, which was two cobs of sweetcorn.

I must admit that, after one day having Chongqing chilli dumplings for lunch and Mapo Tofu for dinner, I did have, as the British say, an arse like the Japanese flag. But it was worth it for the deliciousness of the meals.

I have very varied tastes. My other big thing when I'm here is those Baxi green tea chocolate-and-ice-cream bars. Mmmm.

I don't like durian at all. Not just the smell, but the taste. Mind you, I do also hate bananas, and I find durians have a kind of banana-y nastiness to them.

Fugu.... I can't see myself taking the risk.

Australia has the same pseudo-Marmite abomination as NZ. Proper Marmite is British. Because Sanitarium had the Marmite trademark in Australia and NZ, British Marmite is sold in Australia as "My mate" (because of the "My mate Marmite" advertising campaign in Britain). For similar reasons, Burger King is called Hungry Jack's in Australia.