I could only avoid it for so long. That dark brown, thick, slightly smelly yeast spread that Aussies spread on toast. That Aussies *love* to spread on toast. After eight weeks in the country, it was time to give Vegemite a go.
Aussie dad Darren volunteered to both host and film the experience. When I woke up in a nice, toasty bed, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to get up on a chilly Ballarat morning for a toasted piece of bread with the brown stuff.
Before a shower or coffee, I handed Darren a slice of my gluten free bread, which he toasted til it was pretty crunchy around the edges. I rarely consume butter, but we started with a moderate base before adding a thin layer of Vegemite (because apparently that’s how you’re supposed to do it).
He handed it to me. I smelled it. Not horrible. I took a bite. He starts filming. Something happened while it was recording…the audio is fine but the video freezes quite a bit.
Now I must admit, I had been sick with a bad cold for a few days prior to this, so I was afraid the lingering stuffiness may have masked the taste and thus not resulted in a pure Vegemite experience. When he stopped filming, I asked Darren if he’d used enough Vegemite. After all, I didn’t want to come across as a wuss! “No wonder she didn’t think it was bad,” you’d say. “She didn’t have enough to register the taste!”
“Darren, is that how much you’d use?”
He shook his head, prepared a piece his way (i.e., a thicker layer of Vegemite), and I took a bite. The taste was stronger and more salty, but still not bad. Of course we didn’t film this bit!
Not convinced that I had a proper Vegemite experience to share with you in video one, I felt better when I saw the amount in this photo from Wikipedia.
Still, I asked Darren if we could give it another try this afternoon so I could test myself once again. On the day that marks eight weeks since I arrived in Oz (and for the second day in a row), I had Vegemite! Nearby is another piece of gluten free bread, only this one has natural peanut butter and jam, with a glass of rice milk on the side (yay food sensitivites!). Hmmm…somehow the last 12 seconds aren’t on there, but it was more of the same.
Why I popped 1/4 of the slice into my mouth at once I have NO idea! But, the GF brand I get *does* have significantly smaller slices than regular bread. Just saying.
I guess my verdict is “not great” (after all, I prefer sweet to savory in case you didn’t have that sorted yet), not even necessarily good (I don’t plan on buying it for myself), but definitely “not bad” (I’d eat it again) and far from disgusting.
If you’ve never tried Vegemite and would like to (or at least you’re up for the challenge), be sure to tell me and Chris of The Aussie Nomad about it. We’d love to feature you 🙂
Anything else quintessentially Aussie I need to try?
Featured image by Sarah Ackerman via Flickr & Creative Commons.
Twitter Updates
You finally did it…
I’m sure the build up lessened the impact.
Personally I don’t like the stuff. Marmite is the one for me. It’s the one part of my English heritage I just can’t shake. Having said that, I’d eat a jar of the stuff rather than even smell that peanut butter stuff.
That’s a great shot of you modelling the jar. You should think of taking it up as a career 😉
I rather like that shot myself! Perhaps I will…
I’m honored to be the first to comment, since I am the one going on about how gross vegamite is. All I can say is congrats, you did it! I personally do not like myself. It tastes like a salt lick. 😉 Think ya might get a bottle of it yourself to take or send home?
Who knows…maybe by year’s end I’ll love the stuff… 😉
I love vegemite. I don’t quite have it smeared across but rather I have it with little bits here and there.
You should also try extreme fresh bread, vegemite and margarine and chicken flavoured potato chips (preferrably Samboys). Untoasted and in a sandwich. That is some great tucker there.
Nice photo!
Ah, so proud of you! Now you have to get a crumpet with melted butter and add vegamite. It is the BEST!!!
Yay for videos of Heather! 🙂 Glad you got to have a new experience and that wasn’t too bad.
I agree with Evan…’Yea for videos of Heather’…Got to see you and hear your voice.
Hey, if I get to come to Australia, I would try vegamite.
I agree about the videos – it’s great to hear your voice! The name “Vegamite” reminds me a little of “Vitameatavegamin” from “I Love Lucy.” Of course you didn’t get drunk & start slurring your words from consuming too much “Vegamite!” 😉
I don’t think any of these vids will convince my taste buds otherwise. It tastes like salty beer.
The girl I filled in for at my job in NZ had a jar of it in her drawer and she and my boss got the biggest kick out of watching me eat the tiniest little bit. Not for me!
I could list forever my favorite AU/NZ foods (mainly junk): Harry de Wheels pies (Sydney), TimTams (everywhere!), Lamingtons (packaged from Coles supermarkets in Australia, Burger Fuel burgers and fries (Sydney and N. Island, NZ)…and that is all that is coming to me at the moment….
My first Lamington was also the best one I’ve had! Sadly I’ve had a few dry ones.
REALLY missing the variety of Tim Tam flavors they had 4 years ago. I’ve only found 4 this time.
Now I at least better understand the lyrics of Men at Work’s “Down Under”. 😀
Hi heather, I actually had some Vegemite recently with my roommates and I liked it very much 🙂 Tho, I was prepared to the saltiness of it. We had it on a toast with butter and some cheese on the top. Our Mexican guest suggested to add some hot sauce on it which made it even better 🙂
Maybe I’ll try it with cheese — someone else said I’d have to do that! And I’m sure hot sauce wouldn’t hurt, haha!
We have Marmite over here (England), but I don’t think we have Vegimite.
Have you had Marmite before? How do they compare?
Amy loves Marmite, but I don’t like it.
I haven’t had Marmite, but a few friends I’ve met on this trip from England say it’s the best. I think I may have seen it in a store here too, but I don’t think it’s manufactured exactly the same and therefore tastes a little different. If I come across some, I will try it! And of course the next time I come visit you all, it’ll be on my to-do list.
Miss you all!
Next time we will have “truckie scones” which is weetbix with butter, and strawberry jam!! Maybe some more chips and gravy too!
I’ll try a truckie scone if we can have flourless chocolate cake from the Boatshed again!
I love Marmite! If Vegemite is like salty beer I’m not sure it’s for me but I’ll give it a go when I’m there, wrong not to!
I enjoyed your guest post on hostel characters as well heather!!
I really want to try Marmite now because my English friends are raving about it!! Need to compare the two for sure.
And thank you for checking out that post!
Remember that day in World Market over by Best Buy? We discussed this very day. Way to go.
It was nice to see you and hear you alive and well too.
Haha, that was a good day! And here I am on the video.
Yes, we keep missing our Skype times. I got back after 10pm last night — so sorry!
Uhm, it’s just not good. Try the musk sticks. Blechy!
Heather,
I had my first Vegemite experience a few weeks ago and not only did the smell gross me out, but I thought it tasted disgusting. I’m gonna have to stick with peanut butter for now!
How people don’t love peanut butter is beyond me!!
Great to finally get to see the vegemite videos you talked about! I’ll have a go at that challenge myself one day 🙂