of Marmalade, Vegemite and Marmite

[R.Jones@mirinz.org.nz]

     Who would have thought Kate could kick up such a storm about these? 
     
     Vegemite(TM) is a yeast extract made by Kraft Foods. In New Zealand 
     (and Australia I think?) it is a cultural icon, along with pavlova - 
     the discovery of which our two countries still argue about. 
     Marmite(TM) is also a yeast extract and is made by the Sanitarium 
     Health Food Company (here at least). Marmite has a stronger flavour 
     than Vegemite, hence Vegemite is favoured for smearing thickly on 
     fresh bread and butter. Because of its stronger flavour, Marmite is 
     favoured as a stock (gravy flavouring). It is not a gravy substitute 
     as such, but because both Marmite and Vegemite have a 'meaty-ish' 
     taste you can put some into your gravy to give it a richer flavour. 
     Both products are popular with health freaks because they're 
     jam-packed with B-group vitamins (esp Niacin and Riboflavin). A yummy 
     way to eat Vegemite is to split a weetbix (weetabix in the UK), butter 
     it and put Vegemite on top. Of course the thought of smearing yeast 
     extract on bread may disgust some people. Then again I understand that 
     some cultures actually use peanut butter mixed with jelly ....blarg!  
     
     I doubt that anyone in their right mind would try to make gravy out of 
     marmalade unless they were looking for a sweet&sour sauce substitute. 
     Marmalade is a type of jam (as opposed to 'jelly', which in NZ is a 
     clear (strained) product) 'Jam' still has the seeds and/or rind in 
     it). Traditional marmalade is slightly bitter and is made mostly from 
     lemons and oranges and their rinds which crystallise in the jam (like 
     the crystalized fruit people put in fruit cakes). Nowadays you can 
     also get lemon and orange only marmalades, of various sweetnesses, 
     ginger and lime marmalades too. For those who like bitter things for 
     breakfast (eg coffee and grapefruits) I recommend you try bitter 
     marmalade on toast.
     
     By the way, as John Lennon correctly pointed out the sky is also made 
     of marmalade;-).
     
     Who sang "toast and marmalade for tea, sailing ships upon the sea"? 
     Who remembers the 70's band 'The Marmalade'? What were their hits?
     
     Can't wait to get my Kateopia!