Vegemite

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Image:Vegemiteontoast large.jpg Vegemite (pronounced "VEG-ee-mite", IPA: Template:IPA) is the registered brand name for a dark brown, salty food paste made from yeast extract, mainly used as a spread on sandwiches and toast, though occasionally used in cooking. It is popular in Australia and is known as one of Australia's national foods—it can be found in many Australian Diaspora communities such as London. Food technologist Dr. Cyril P. Callister invented Vegemite in 1923 when his employer, the Australian Fred Walker Company, had him develop a spread from brewer's yeast after war had disrupted the supply of imported yeast spreads.

The brand is now owned by Kraft Foods, an American multinational that is part of the Altria Group of companies.

Vegemite's name was picked at random out of a hat by Fred Walker's daughter, Sheilah. Faced with growing competition from the similar British Marmite, the product was known from 1928 to 1935 as "Parwill", allowing a convoluted advertising slogan that said "Marmite but Parwill"—that is, "Ma (mother) might not like the taste but I'm sure Pa (father) will." This attempt to expand market share was unsuccessful and the name was changed back to Vegemite. Today Vegemite far outsells Marmite and other similar spreads in Australia.

Vegemite is made from leftover brewers' yeast extract, a by-product of beer manufacture, and various vegetable and spice additives. The taste is difficult to describe but is extremely salty and slightly bitter, and as might be expected, malty. While highly popular in Australia and New Zealand, it has never been successfully marketed elsewhere. It is notorious for the dislike it generates amongst some foreigners. Vegemite is not liked by all Australians - some find it far too salty to be palatable - but it remains an iconic symbol of Australia. It is available at some supermarkets and specialty food shops in a number of other countries.

Vegemite is often spread very thinly, with liberal amounts of butter first to help to soften the strong taste, or with sliced or melted cheese. A variation on vegemite toast is 'tiger toast' - where after spreading with vegemite, strips of cheese are melted onto the toast, creating a striking visual effect. It is also a key ingredient in the popular "Cheesymite Scroll" or "Cheddarmite Scroll" produced by bakeries in Australia, a savoury spiral pastry which includes cheese spread and Vegemite. A teaspoon of Vegemite can also be used in place of stock in some recipes.

The high salt level in Vegemite, serving as a preservative, has helped build its reputation as a long lasting product, leading to popular phrases such as "Vegemite will only go bad once the lid rusts through", hinting that an original tinned Vegemite could still be edible today.

Image:Vegemite jars timeline.jpg

Vegemite's rise to popularity was helped by marketing campaigns in the 1940s, using groups of smiling, attractive healthy children singing a catchy jingle entitled "We're happy little Vegemites". Indeed, many Australians still use the phrase "happy little Vegemite" to describe such children. Re-edited versions of the advertisements and jingle continue to be used for their appeal to patriotic nostalgia.

The lyrics to the Jingle are:

We're happy little vegemites

as bright as bright can be,

we all enjoy our Vegemite

for breakfast, lunch, and tea

our mummies say we're growing stronger

every single week

because we love our Vegemite

we all enjoy our Vegemite

it puts a rose in every cheek

Trivia

Vegemite is mentioned in the lyrics of Down Under by Men At Work:

I said, "Do you speak-a my language?"

He just smiled and gave me a vegemite sandwich

but its effect was lost for many non-Australians since the artist's elocution is so poor, that it sounds as if he's singing "... gave me a bit-of-my sandwich".

Legend has it that if you smear Vegemite behind your ears, it will deter the drop bear.

Products similar to Vegemite

• Bovril
• Mightymite
• Marmite
• Promite
• Cenovis
• Dick Smith Foods' Aussiemite (created because Vegemite is now owned by an American-based firm)
• Vitam-R (especially popular in Germany, but available in health food stores in the UK)
• Viandox a liquid form of marmite-like, sold in France

External links

• vegemite.com.au
• Foster's Group, Brewing - source of Vegemite Yeast

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