I hear this stuff was developed in your city. I also hear it is like spreading tractor grease on two slices of bread. Taste so bad only tough Aussie can eat it. Illegal to bring into the United States. I also understand it can make invisible possums visible again.
I first saw the word in Land Down Under by Men At Work. I sort of get the idea there could be other slang meanings I am unfamiliar with.
As you are the closes thing we have to a Aussie language expert it falls to you to answer the question he said trying to keep a straight face.
Billy
Last edited by Planobilly; 08/14/2112:56 PM.
“Amazing! I’ll be working with Jaco Pastorius, Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, and Buddy Rich, and you’re telling me it’s not that great of a gig? “Well…” Saint Peter, hesitated, “God’s got this girlfriend who thinks she can sing…”
In South Africa it is sold as Marmite. Same stuff. It is a yeast extract and has a strong yeasty taste. Great on toast.
We also have a meat extract called Bovril. Strong, meaty, salty taste. Can be eaten on toast or diluted in a cup full of hot water to make a soup.
I enjoy either of them on toast sprinkled liberally with biltong powder. Biltong is the equivalent of your jerky. Biltong powder is the powder produced by a biltong slicing machine.
Firstly, Slight correction needed. Marmite is definitely not Vegemite.
According to Wikipedia, 'Marmite is a food spread made from yeast extract invented by German scientist Justus von Liebig and originally made in the United Kingdom'
Vegemite is jet black with a thick texture similar to other pastes like peanut butter. (Yeah!)
Marmite has more of burnt brown color and a more syrupy consistency, like molasses. (Yuk, who'd eat that?)
Yes, Vegemite. The REAL STUFF. Made in Melbourne. It has been mentioned that it makes Vegemite virgins’ eyes water. Get tough or get out, I guess.
True story: I once worked with a Sax player from Sacramento. He stated that he could look at it, but could never come to eating it. I've got no idea why? There's always a jar of it in this household.
Yes, the song: 'Down Under', the band: 'Men At Work', and the lyrics say it all: "Buying bread from a man in Brussels He was six-foot-four and full of muscles I said, "do you speak-a my language?" He just smiled and gave me a Vegemite sandwich"
Maybe you've got to live here to understand the toughness involved. Aussies don't even think twice.
There's nothing slang about Vegemite. No innuendo at all. Aussies just eat it. VEGEMITE is rich in B Vitamins including B1, B2, B3 and folate to help kick start your day. Vegemite - Tastes like Australia. Get tough!
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Yes, Marmite! It precedes Vegemite by about 20 years and was first made in England around 1900. I wouldn't say it it has a syrup consistency - it spreads more like butter. It's a by product of beer brewing and it's no accident that Marmite is made in Burton-on-Trent which is also a major brewing area. It's a legend in the UK and it's very much like it or hate it - there's no in between. Full of vitamins but high in salt, so not so good for your blood pressure. Like Kevin, I love it spread thinly on toast or crackers.
Edit- Makes a great snack whilst playing guitar. (Just to keep the thread musical.)
To me, the best food to come out of Australia is Macadamia Nuts. In my 5 weeks there, I'd go into Woolworth's and bring out bags of Macadamias to put in the camper van. Road food supreme.
The very best cheese I've ever tasted was Bega Heritage Vintage Reserve Cheddar. I wish someone would import that to the USA.
I didn't eat the Vegemite, and in the UK I didn't eat the Marmite. They just didn't appeal to me.
I was pretty sure Video Track would set us straight on the subject. It was never my intent for this to be much about food, just to poke fun at the Aussies for their repetition of being tough.
Vegemite was never Illegal to bring into the United States. That is an urban legend. The possums thing is a reference to a book. The first time I ever saw the word was in the song.
My interest in all this is about art, language and how it gets used in music. I am always looking for double entendre and words to use that otherwise would be too socially awkward, sexually suggestive, or offensive to state directly.
Vegemite has a very unusual history and is perhaps much more meaningful to someone from Australia than other countries. I have read other uses of the word that I can not repeat here.
If you write a song and use that word, it pretty much screams Aussie. I also like the term "Vegemite virgins"....may need to find a way to use that in a song...lol
Billy
Last edited by Planobilly; 08/15/2103:58 AM.
“Amazing! I’ll be working with Jaco Pastorius, Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, and Buddy Rich, and you’re telling me it’s not that great of a gig? “Well…” Saint Peter, hesitated, “God’s got this girlfriend who thinks she can sing…”
I agree with Videotrack... vegimite is not marmite.
The ONLY way I can eat vegimite is on freshly baked bread that's spread with butter and then the vegimite is just lightly smeared over the butter. It's like a glaze. That works for me.
I also don't mind half-a-teaspoon of vegimite stirred into hot water. It's a kind of instant soup.
As for a thick layer of vegimite on toast.... nope... it's beyond my ability.
Just about every supermarket here in the UK has their own version of Marmite. I once found a jar of Vegemite here in the UK and bought it to see if there was a difference. I prefer it to Marmite, but have not been able to find it in the UK again. Both are the same though, you either love them or hate them.
King Gizz is honestly one of my favourite bands, though I'm not a big fan of that particular song. Check out their album Flying Microtonal Banana, excellent stuff.
Last edited by Simon - PG Music; 08/16/2111:20 AM.
King Gizz is honestly one of my favourite bands, though I'm not a big fan of that particular song. Check out their album Flying Microtonal Banana, excellent stuff.
Yes, Simon, I would have liked the video much better back when I actually had a pair of 3D glasses and other "special effects" I was using at the time...lol
Billy
“Amazing! I’ll be working with Jaco Pastorius, Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, and Buddy Rich, and you’re telling me it’s not that great of a gig? “Well…” Saint Peter, hesitated, “God’s got this girlfriend who thinks she can sing…”
Vegemite :- the real thing. The yeast extract :- from the beer vats. Yep that’s it the black gunk left behind dried out. Tastes alright once you have it a bit. The trick is not to overdo it.
I like in on toast with a slice of cheese. We’re happy little vegemites la la la la.
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When I started this thread I only was thinking about the meaning of the word. I was certainly unaware this Vegemite thing was a British/Australian cultural phenomena. The Australian national dish as it were.
I not sure if we have anything equivalent in the United Stated. There are some amazingly memorable musical sounds from commercials of the 1950's. Here is one that sticks in my mind. https://youtu.be/BWEYjEQ75ZM
Billy
Last edited by Planobilly; 08/16/2111:26 PM.
“Amazing! I’ll be working with Jaco Pastorius, Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, and Buddy Rich, and you’re telling me it’s not that great of a gig? “Well…” Saint Peter, hesitated, “God’s got this girlfriend who thinks she can sing…”
Let me explain. I worked for a university and we had visiting faculty from Northern Ireland. They were asked where they would like to go here in Northeastern Ohio. They wanted to see Amish people. I live near the Amish so I got the honors of a road trip.
Got a van and took them to a town noted for their Amish community. The trip included dinner at an "Amish" restaurant. Menu had root beer on it. The folks gravitated to it. I explained it wasn't beer but soda much like Pepsi or Coke.
All ordered root beer.
Everything was fine until the taste testing. It was obvious it was not a hit.
I asked and one lady explained it tasted like a drug I was not familiar with. I asked what was that and she rubbed her elbow like she was putting ointment on her elbow. I said "It tasted like Ben-Gay?" They all said yes together.
To this day I do think of "Ben-Gay" whenever I see or hear of root beer.
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