Vegemite is a popular Australian food spread made from yeast extract. I think I only know about it from the different travel shows I've seen. Other than knowing that it's an Australian thing I didn't know anything much about Vegemite until the day I decided I would try it.
I've seen Vegemite in Säntis Delicatessen but I'm not sure where else it is sold in Manila. I've seen it every time I went to Säntis but have never seriously considered buying a bottle. One of Jex's friends asked about it before we left for our trip and after knowing about his curiosity I thought I'd give it a try before I brought home a bottle.
Vegemite is made from brewers' yeast extract, a by-product of beer manufacturing, various vegetables, wheat and spice additives. It is salty, slightly bitter and malty, and rich in umami – similar to beef bouillon. source
That description doesn't sound too appetizing, does it? Vegemite looks a bit like a darker version of Philippine coco jam. It also smells salty. It's not viscous or sticky like jam, but has a more solid consistency like chocolate spread.
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| Overkill |
Now, I went into this taste test head on. It was a very stupid move. See that amount of Vegemite on my bread in the photo below? Experienced Vegemite-eaters (?) will tell me I'm stupid for doing that and that I'm wasting very precious Vegemite. I bit into that corner of the bread with high hopes and I ended up swearing out loud. I swallowed the bit of bread with the help of a glass of water. It tasted like salty earth to me. How do people like this stuff?
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| How NOT to eat Vegemite |
Then I did my research, which I should have done before my suicide mission. There is apparently a proper way of eating Vegemite. Yes, yes, there is a
proper way. I've seen the same or similar instructions from different sources around the internet so I guess it's common knowledge among people who love Vegemite. I tore out the corner of the bread I incorrectly treated with Vegemite because I know I'd be crazy to eat the rest of it.
Toast
First, you MUST toast your bread. It doesn't matter what kind of bread it is as long as you toast it. Though, I read in one blog entry (
"How To Eat Vegemite Like An Aussie (Fair Dinkum!)") that sugary bread doesn't go so well with Vegemite, so Philippines'
tasty won't do so well here. I think some fresh
pan de sal would be great.
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| Butter it up |
Butter
Some people say butter some people say margarine, I say just go with what you have or whatever works for you. I'm a butter person so I used butter. Use unsalted butter, if you have it, since Vegemite will bring all the saltiness you need. Spread it on generously and let it melt on that lovely piece of toast. This part reminds me of kaya toast, a Singaporean snack (well, except kaya jam is sweet).
Vegemite
A little goes a long way. Get a small amount of Vegemite and apply it thinly across the toast. Traumatized by my first encounter I applied a really really small amount onto the bread. Some people apply a bit more, but it really just comes down to how salty you want your snack to be or how used you are to the taste of Vegemite. For noobs, I recommend the same amount I've applied in the photo above. For braver people, you may apply more.
The Verdict
After attacking my taste buds the first time I wasn't sure about giving Vegemite another try. But I already bought a small bottle and I didn't want it to go to waste so I followed the recommendations online. After all, I did eat it the wrong way the first time so I should at least try eating it the proper way. And you know what? It's not that bad. The taste of the butter goes well with Vegemite. I'm not sure if I could learn to love it as much as a lot of Aussies claim to, but I can say that I would gladly consider having it for breakfast or a snack every now and then (especially on lazy days or when there are no leftovers in the fridge).
