How to enjoy an Aussie classic Vegemite toast?
It is salty, close to black in colour, thick as peanut butter and a rich source of Vitamin B.
Made from leftover brewer’s yeast extract and various vegetable and spice additives is an Australian icon called Vegemite. It is salty, close to black in colour, as thick as peanut butter and is a rich source of Vitamin B.
I was one of those who grew up without this dark, salty condiment and I observed that Australians have a deep connection to this spread. Going back a few years, I tasted this spread straight from the jar when my son was nearly two years old and I hated it with all my heart and the entire of my tastebuds. My colleague has a jar of Vegemite on her desk at all times and I wondered whenever she used to relish her toast during some lunch times how she could eat that black, gluggy paste with so much joy on her face. One day she made a drastic move and said to me with a twinkle in her eye “I am having Vegemite toast for my lunch and I will make a slice for you too” and I looked at her with a twinkle in my eye and said words to the effect “Don’t bother”. She persisted and, in a few minutes, plonked a Vegemite toast on my desk right under my nose. Again, with that twinkle in her eye! One look at that toast, I looked at her and said, “I don’t think I can eat this toast”. She was not disappointed, but I knew she really wanted me to taste it and, in a way, I did not want to disappoint her too. Then, something happened, I took the dive for the first time in my life to taste this well buttered toast with a very thin smear of Vegemite on top of the butter. My first glance told me there would have been nothing more than ¼ tsp. Vegemite. For my good luck, at the time I took my first bite, my colleague was not looking at me. To my great surprise, the first bite tasted rather nice and I guessed at that time that I was making the greatest mistake of either eating it on its own or putting 1 tsp. on top of the toast without butter. Funnily, that’s exactly what I used to do to my son and of course as he was born and raised here, he did not mind a thick spread of Vegemite on his toast.
I am proud to say that by the end of this toast, I began to like Vegemite a tiny bit and not long after that tried my second toast. I now actually eat Vegemite toast and get a craving for it every now and then. Thanks to my colleague for introducing me to this great new Australian taste which I will enjoy just like most Aussies.
Now for those readers who have been wanting to taste Vegemite for years, here’s a tip. For that ultimate Vegemite toast experience, you want to start with a slice of toasted white bread that is nice and hot straight from the toaster. Next, spread a teaspoon of butter over the toast. Here’s the trick, spread only about ¼ teaspoon of Vegemite evenly over the butter as this amount of Vegemite will spread easily with the butter. Remember the rule of thumb, less is more.
Enjoy it open faced.
Tom Hanks used his isolation period in Australia to learn how to spread Vegemite the correct way and you can too! Get the Vegemite to toast ratio right and you are off to a great start of enjoying this delicious Australian spread like never before.
I am glad I tasted my first Aussie taste of Vegemite toast and am eternally grateful to my colleague for introducing me to Vegemite the correct way. I can safely say, I would have missed out if I had not tried it.
Go for it, you’ll love it. I do!
Stay tuned for a brand new umami-rich beef recipe with Vegemite coming to Deliciously Indian soon!
