Vegemite In The Land Down Under

On our trip to Australia recently, I just discovered what a bad wrap Vegemite undeservedly gets.  Visiting the amazing "Land Down Under," I had the privilege to try this savory, yeasty concoction the correct way. 

Starting with some good bread we got from our friends at Brasserie Bread in Sydney,  we smeared on the yellowiest butter I’ve ever seen (butter in Australia is phenomenally rich, sweet and creamy) and then topped it with a thin layer of Vegemite.  The result was creamy, slightly salty and robust!  To make a real Vegemite sandwich, we just topped it with another piece of buttered bread.  Some Australians also add a slice of cheese - since Kraft owns Vegemite, their Kraft single seems to make a perfect partner to this savory sandwich. It’s quite good! 

So why the bad wrap?  I think many people unfamiliar with Vegemite make a mistake by treating the product like peanut butter or jam and spreading it on too thick.   To me, Vegemite tastes a little like a beef bullion and meripioux spread.   I’m going to try Vegemite in a beef stew - I think it will add depth to the flavor.

Cool Vegemite trivia for ya':

• Vegemite was invented in 1922 by Dr. Cyril P. Callister.  He developed the spread from the used brewer’s yeast being dumped by breweries.  Concentrating the extract and blending it with salt, celery and onion extracts formed the sticky black paste now known (and loved) as Vegemite (Oh yeah, I’m way ahead of you if you’re thinking an ice cold beer would pare perfectly with a Vegemite sandwich!).
• In 1939, Vegemite was officially endorsed by the British Medical Association as a vitamin B rich food.  During WWII, Vegemite was included in Australian Army rations and by the late 1940s ,Vegemite was used in 9 out of 10 Australian homes.
• Today's Vegemite is virtually unchanged from the original recipe and Kraft Foods' Port Melbourne manufacturing facility produces more than 22 million jars annually.
• Vegemite far outsells other similar spreads (like Marmite) in Australia. The billionth jar of Vegemite was produced in October 2008.

With converts like me, Kraft is well on their way to their 2^nd Billion!

Hungry for more vegemite info? Try: http://www.vegemite.com.au/

G'day!!!

-Dawn