Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 03 Oct 00 - 05:20 AM

Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers II

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: Bugsy
Date: 03 Oct 00 - 01:16 AM

Please Go To......"Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers II"

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: bseed(charleskratz)
Date: 02 Oct 00 - 12:56 AM

Spaw, I don't know how many hours worth of creative activity you have kept me from with these irresistable links of yours (lileks keeps me coming back--the 500 snacks stuff would fit in right here).

I have been trying to get some work done, but here you are with more of this...I must log off. i must log off. I MUST LOG OFF!

Maybe for the next six months so I can get some work done.

--seed

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: Barbara
Date: 01 Oct 00 - 08:21 PM

I dunno where the rest of you residents of the the ol' US of A live, but here in rural Oregon, there's a BIG jar of Vegemite on the kitchen shelf here even as we speak. My partner is addicted to the stuff, and I don't mind it myself, even spreading it occasionally as thick as a light helping of jam on buttered toast. Matter of fact I'd eat it more often myself, but I can't get around the fact that that partner leaves bits of butter in the unrefrigerated jar...
We found it at Trader Joe's for any of you -- seed -- that have them nearby.
You just have to LOOK for it.
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 01 Oct 00 - 08:12 PM

And here's another site about the little darlin's

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 01 Oct 00 - 07:42 PM

That chickenhead site doesn't seem to want to let you get away either, does it? I broke out in the end though.

Howzabout crubeens? There's a picture of one on this site, with other goodies. (It says you can get them deeep fried with chips in some Irish chippies... The tradition marches on.)

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: catspaw49
Date: 01 Oct 00 - 07:27 PM

Well............Sorry gang.....Chickenhead has changed their URL stuff and now "la Casa de Scrapple" is in their past features and you can go their if you want. Then again, if you haven't explored the Chickenhead site, its mildly bizarre and kinda' fun too.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: catspaw49
Date: 01 Oct 00 - 07:03 PM

Hellfire Lepus, let's get down to one of my favorite pig products.........Scrapple or Krepples as its called in some places. Fantastic stuff!!! It just ain't too appetizing to see it made...........Let's EAT!!!!! Luv' them pig lips....

Spaw

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 01 Oct 00 - 06:53 PM

Well, Lepus, if you're arguing as a veggie, that's fair enough. But otherwise, pretty well every part of a pig is edible. I remember, during rationing times, some Irish cousins sent us half a pig's head, and the wrapping came apart as the postman was delivering it. He had the same kind of reaction as Lepus. Good eating though.

If you kill it, you eat it. (I believe that slugs are especially keen on this basic life rule.) And if you worry about "the filth from beer vats", you'd never be able to bring yourself to drink another pint.

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: GUEST,Greyeyes
Date: 01 Oct 00 - 06:07 PM

Got something against pigs?

In parts of Spain they serve lard sandwiches as a Tapas dish, very nourishing.

Peasants who kept a pig but not a cow would probably have used lard for cake making instead of butter. I can think of ways to eat bits of a pig less palatable than a cake made of lard.

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: Lepus Rex
Date: 01 Oct 00 - 02:13 PM

Lardy cake... That is sick. Cake with pig fat on it? I mean, I eat fermented cabbage. I eat at White Castle, too. And those salted fruits sound good to me. But pig fat on cake?! The filth from beer vats, beef juice, pig cake... Why?!

---Lepus Rex

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 01 Oct 00 - 01:09 PM

It's been nice knowing you, 'spaw - but are you quite ready for this momentous undertaking?

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: GUEST,Greyeyes
Date: 01 Oct 00 - 07:28 AM

Lardy cake, though it admittedly sounds disgusting, is genuinely delicious. I've never managed to make it sucessfully myself but fresh from a real craft baker it is surprisingly light. Needs to be really fresh, but 10 seconds in the microwave perks it up if it's a bit stale. If anyone finds themselves in Salisbury, "Reeves the Bakers" in the market square make a very good one.

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From:
Date: 01 Oct 00 - 03:28 AM

Sorry Bob. I must have gotten the information reversed in my mind. I did a lot of reading about Spiders when I first came to Australia and my memory must be degenerating. (Why not? The rest of me is!)

Murray

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 01 Oct 00 - 02:23 AM

G'day Murray,

Unfortunately the name "Tarantula" is used - widely, loosely and frequently inaccurately. I understand that the Funnelwebs (Atrax robustus and Atrax formidabilis) are closely related to American vemonous spiders known in their locality as "Tarantulas"> I don't have a good reference on spiders handy so this is off the top of my head.

The Italian Tarantula (Lycosa tarantula is obviously (from the Greek name) a wolf spider, however it is relatively harmless and the recipient of a bad rap. The actual spider that caused the agitation and 'dancing' symptoms amongst harvest workers in Taranto was not the Tarantula but a small black spider of the species Latrodectus - a 1st cousin of what we in Australia call a "Redback Spider" (Latrodectus hasseltii. Since we probably got our Redbacks from South America in a load of imported lumber, around 1886, when they first appear in Australia, this makes Latrodectus a very well travelled species.

BTW: Murray, I have just glanced at my old copy of the Australian Encyclopædia and it says, under "MYGALOMORPHAE" (the family that includes the genus Atrax): "The mygalomorph spiders of the family Dipluridae are termed "funnel-web tarantulas in the United States of America". As I understand it, this group is found throughout the Americas and generally known as "tarantulas"

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From:
Date: 01 Oct 00 - 12:55 AM

Bob: How I love to pick nits. The South American "tarantula" (bananna spider) is actually a huntsman and is relatively harmless. The funnel web's relative is the southern Italian tarantula (the tarantella) is a the one related to the funnel web.

By the way, for those interested, the funnel web has its fangs vertical whereas most spiders have them horizontal. This means the funnel webs rear up and press their fangs into the vicitm. Other spiders have to hold onto the victims whilst they "bite". This is why the family seems so agressive. Their natural defensive position is reared up with fangs ready to strike. Nonetheless, they do seem primitive and strike at the slightest provication. A colleague of mine had one in a jar with a piece of rock provided for it to climb under. If you approached the jar it would rear up. If you would so much as blow on it, it would begin striking the rock until you could see the venum dripping on its fangs.

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: catspaw49
Date: 30 Sep 00 - 09:19 PM

But the question still remains Bugs......Is it in fact "platypiss?"

Well, I sent Helen my addy and am now waiting in rapt anticipation of my first "dose" of Vegemite. After checking out that website and reading all of this, I will be sure to report back!!!

Spaw

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: Bugsy
Date: 30 Sep 00 - 09:03 PM

Actually McGrath of Harlow and Helen, Aussie Bovril is called "Bonox".

When I first came to Australia in the early 70's there was an advertisement on the TV where a guy was sitting in a plane and the stewardess came up to him and said " Coffee, tea, or Bonox?" to which he replied "BONOX!"

My wife Annie and I were talking at the time, and we both heard....

(Stewardess)"Coffee, tea or Bollocks?"
(Male passenger) "BOLLOCKS!"

Ever since that day we often ask each other when making a brew, "Coffee, tea, or BOLLOCKS!"

CHeers

Bugsy

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: Penny S.
Date: 30 Sep 00 - 02:14 PM

There was a good article in the Guardian Editor yesterday, copied from the Sydney Morning ?????, on the correct way to eat Vegemite. Not only should there be little Vegemite, mere "flecks", but also a good thickness of butter.

Penny

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 30 Sep 00 - 12:46 PM

another salty Chinese treat is salt cured plums - yum (in small doses)

Small doses, and not by surprise...My wife teaches Chinese students. One day one of them gave her and her fellow teacher what they thought were sugared plums. They stuffed them in their mouths. They'd never come across salt-cured plums before. They nearly choked. (A bit like someone on a previous thread who thought that Marmite must be some kind of Chocolate spread...)

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: Helen
Date: 30 Sep 00 - 02:51 AM

McGrath-o-H,

Aussie Bovril is called Bovril (grin)

Murray & seed,

another salty Chinese treat is salt cured plums - yum (in small doses)

'Spaw -> PM -> snail-mail address => Vegemite -> wing-mail -> your place.

No PM -> no s-n address => no Vegemite (and I'm sure you will regret that for the rest of your life - ???)

Helen

Helen

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 30 Sep 00 - 02:24 AM

G'day again Seed,

Thanks for the link. Your Brown Recluse is a lot smaller than our White Tailed Spider and a quite different shape. The technical name Lampona Cylindrata probably refers to the straight-sided shape of the thorax, quite different from the more common spherical shapes.

In regard to the snakes I can't see any sensible explanation for the estreme toxicity, unless it is the fact that the country can be bare and sparse and there would be evolutionary advantages in having a rapid acting toxin - so that prey did not get too far away before dying. Our Copperhead Snake,Austrelaps superbus (I grew up calling it Denisonia superba) is an elapid snake, related to the Cobra and, when encountered will often raise its head and flatten the neck in a characteristically Cobra style.

The one I mentioned to "Liam's Brother" did not get to exhibit any behaviour. A friend and I were clearing a camping area on his Blue Mountains property for a Bush Music Club camping weekend. We carted a load of rubbish to the tip (where I tripped, fell and broke a wrist ... but that is another story) and, when we unloaded a number of old sheets of corrugated iron we found a corrugated Copperhead! Apparently he had hidden in the loose stack of iron, which we then walked over, inadvertently killing him (all reptiles are fully protected in Australia).

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: bseed(charleskratz)
Date: 30 Sep 00 - 01:40 AM

Bob, like the rattlesnakes and the cottonmouth moccasin, the copperhead is a pit viper, arrowhead-shaped head with a pit between its eyes. Neither it nor the cottonmouth have rattles, and both are fairly limited in range, mostly in the southeastern US (northerners who favored the South in our civil war were called Copperheads).

I saw a story in the newspaper recently stating that western rattlesnakes' venom has become much more deadly in recent years, an evolutionary adaptation to human and domestic animal encroachment upon their range--the size of their enemies has greatly increased since the settlers came. I find it curious indeed that Australia should have the most poisonous snakes in the world: the native animals are not so large that the snakes would need it for defense, are they? Is it that they all evolved from the highly poisonous sea snakes, which, wherever they exist, are highly poisonous.

I don't know too much about the behavior of the brown recluse except that, as their name implies, stay out of the way, and are rarely seen. They are widespread throughout the US--a woman living on the penninsula south of San Francisco lost her leg to one a few years ago, but that's the only bite I've heard about, perhaps in my life. I just did a web search for it: it's much more common back east and south than here, but they are here. They're rather remarkable looking; the violin on the back of their thorax is very distinct and even looks like it has strings. For a picture, try this link:

Click here

--seed

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 29 Sep 00 - 11:41 PM

G'day Seed,

The White-tailed Spider is a mediun size; about 25mm/1" in the body and fairly narrow. It is aggressive, tending to rear up and wave its fangs at you, as does the Funnel Web Spider (which, BTW, is not "small and innocuous looking" as suggested in the initial post - it is a close relative of the South American Tarantulas and is large, black and rather hairy where it isn't shiny).

Anyway, does the White-tailed Spider sound anything like the Brown Recluse? I have a few photographs on file, as I had to photograph one found at the labs of Testing and Certification Australia when ran its photo lab. They wanted to kill it first, but I wanted it alive to show its characteristic aggressive stance. I kept it in the refrigerator as I set up the studio lights and camera, then photographed it as it warmed up and strutted its stuff.

A further drift: I had an email from "Liam's Brother" a while back after I mentioned a brush with an Australian Copperhead snake. He had been surprised when I suggested it was more dangerous than any American namesake. Later his email mentioned seeing a TV program that stated that "of the world's ten deadliest snake species ... ten of them live in Australia"!

I have never counted ... but I don't wander about the bush in shorts and sandals.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: bseed(charleskratz)
Date: 29 Sep 00 - 09:10 PM

The most dangerous spider in the US, contrary to popular belief, is not the black widow, but the brown recluse, sometimes known as the brown violin spider. It must be related to the Aussie white tail--its bite becomes the center of a growing necrosis that can force amputations to save lives.

And Murray, for salty, try salt cured pears from Japan.

--seed

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: catspaw49
Date: 29 Sep 00 - 05:54 PM

From the sound of it, probably platypus piss.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 29 Sep 00 - 05:43 PM

Bovril is more for mixing up with hot water and making a kind of drink. More or less the way you make instant gravy. That's why "The Bovril's with the gravy and the Marmite's with the jam".

You used to be able to get Bovril drinks in late night caffs and that. Very warming. Marmiote wouldn't be any good for that. But it's better than Bovril on toast, I reckon.

What's the Aussie equivalent of Bovril?

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: Bert
Date: 29 Sep 00 - 04:15 PM

Yup, it's cholesterol heaven.

You start off with a sweet, rich bread dough, something like you'd use for cinnamon rolls.
You take that dough (dough only, no cinnamon and stuff) and roll it out fairly thinly, spread it thickly with lard (kinda like you were making puff pastry) and sprinkle it with golden raisins and roll it up into a loaf.
Spread the top with lard and a heavy sprinkling of sugar.
Bake it in a hot oven. Take it out a few times during cooking and baste the top with the melted lard in the pan.

I think I need to make some this weekend.

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: catspaw49
Date: 29 Sep 00 - 04:04 PM

As if drawn like a buzzard to a rotting, maggot infested, piece of roadkill, the dumbass Spaw asks, "So what the fock is a Lardy Cake?" knowing full well the answer will be something from the "Coronary Disease Almanac."

Spaw

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: Bert
Date: 29 Sep 00 - 03:57 PM

'Spaw, you should be able to get Marmite at an East Indian Grocery store. Most of them have that or Bovril.

BTW, how come no one has mentioned Bovril yet? Bovril is the REAL stuff - it's beef extract and is OK for hot drinks. The yeast extracts are just vegetarian substitutes for Bovril and they're not as good.

And anyone who goes 'Yuk' at the thought of lard has not tasted 'Lardy Cake'.

Bert.

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: Dave (the ancient mariner)
Date: 29 Sep 00 - 01:23 PM

Guest Murray: It would get rid of everything else within a five mile radius LOL....Aye. Dave

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From:
Date: 29 Sep 00 - 05:27 AM

When I moved into my present house in Sydney there was a small poster on the inside of the door of the medicine cabinate which classified various vermin. The classifications were:

safe, painful bite, necrosis around bite, severe pain and vomiting, turning blue and collaping, dangerous.

That shows how us macho Australians look at these minor details like the white-tailed spider.

If you are into really salty, fermented things, try the Chinese To Fu Yeh. They are fermented bean curds floating in a sea of salt. I'm told they are popular with poor Chinese because a little bit goes a long way. I like them myself.

Murray

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: catspaw49
Date: 28 Sep 00 - 11:03 PM

Well...........I've been on the Net long enough that I should have figured....................

CLICK HERE

I'll take you up on it Helen!! It doesn't seem to be imported here much.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Sep 00 - 10:57 PM

'Spaw,

PM me with your address & I'll send you some if you like. Only a small jar - just so that you don't still have it when you are a hundred years old and have to will it to your kids.

Also, if you guys want to make lamingtons and also want to play a good practical joke on people: Make extra chocolate icing (runny, to coat the lamingtons) and cut some yellow sponge rubber to the right shape & size, then dip the pieces into the chocolate icing and roll them in the coconut. Offer them to people at a party and you can do an on-the-spot survey on how polite they are about other people's cooking. If they are too polite they will keep smiling and keep trying to bite into it, if they are resourceful they will chuck it away when they think you aren't looking, and if they aren't polite at all they will probably start a (pseudo-)food fight. Helps to have the video camera handy too.

Helen

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: Bugsy
Date: 28 Sep 00 - 10:31 PM

Yes, unfortunately Vegemite is another of those Little Aussie Icons to be sold off to a Multi-National. (sob sob)

(I must stop this weeping, It's watering my beer down!)

Cheers

Bugsy

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: catspaw49
Date: 28 Sep 00 - 10:25 PM

WHAT???? The same good folks who give us Miracle Whip and Macaroni and Cheese kits make THIS STUFF????

GREAT ZOT!!!!!!!! I gotta' check this out.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: Bugsy
Date: 28 Sep 00 - 10:20 PM

'Spaw, you Must be able to get it over there. It's made by Kraft for chissakes, and they are a US company.

Cheers

Bugsy

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: catspaw49
Date: 28 Sep 00 - 10:02 PM

far out Mac....Thanks for the site. After all of this, I gotta' give the stuff a try!

Spaw

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 28 Sep 00 - 09:42 PM

And I've just checked, and they do Vegemite as well.

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 28 Sep 00 - 09:22 PM

Well spaw, I dunno about Vegemite, but a href="http://www.britsabroad.co.uk/">here's a website that claims to supply Marmite to anywhere. Live on the Edge....

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: catspaw49
Date: 28 Sep 00 - 08:39 PM

That's because no one let's it rot and then claims its yummy. Why do we indulge ourselves in rotting, fermented cabbage?

Then again, how much worse can the spider be than this Vegemite stuff? Christ, I gotta' get hold of some of this goo.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: Bugsy
Date: 28 Sep 00 - 08:32 PM

I noticed that through all this, no one has mentioned the White Tailed Spider. A harmless looking, tiny, scrawny looking thing that can cause you to lose limbs.

CHeers

Bugsy

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From:
Date: 28 Sep 00 - 08:42 AM

Alan, you are wrong! I learned to like Vegemite at the age of 35. I was a bit shocked the first time; but loved it the second time on.

Dave, why shouldn't spaw light a match whilst farting. That should get rid of the 'roids.

Once when I was in a non-'mite country, I discovered that hacho miso is a great substitute for Vegemite or Marmite. In fact, I think I am starting to like it better. BTW I spread my Vegemite pretty thick.

I am a great fan of Kim Cheee. My late wife tried her hand at teaching violin (she was an orchestral player). She got these Korean students and once one of their parents taught us to make Kim Chee. There are actually several kinds--some made with daicons and some with cabbage. The ones with daicons (those great big radish-like things. I think daicon is the Japanese name) smell like garlic flavored dirty diapers; but it tastes good.

Murray

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: bseed(charleskratz)
Date: 28 Sep 00 - 02:26 AM

I've heard a couple of stories reputed to be true about people (older men in both cases, i think) who thought that wasabi was sushi and stuffed a big pile into their mouths. Ever try that, Spaw?

--seed

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: Helen
Date: 27 Sep 00 - 07:32 PM

Penny,

No, definitely not lard. Ick!! Yuk!! It's not sweet exactly but it tastes vaguely of coconut. It is hard like lard but definitely not a good substitute.

Do you make Coconut Ice? It's used in that too.

I just did a Google search on Copha and it said that it looks similar to shortening but that isn't a good substitute either.

"There is no equivalent of copha, but a mixture of butter and coconut is better than nothing. Crisco has the right cooking properties to substitute for copha, but the wrong flavor." http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/docs/books/usenet-recipes/choc-cake-2

I think you would be best to substitute cooking chocolate for the copha and cocoa in the Chocolate Crackles, and white chocolate for the White Christmas or Coconut Ice. Actually, the copha/cocoa mixture is a cheap form of home made chocolate. It would make the recipes a lot richer - you may have to leave out a bit of the sugar, depending on how sweet the chocolate it - but it would be very nice. I think I have tried a White Christmas made with white chocolate. Yummm!

The copha is very high in saturated fats anyway so you wouldn't be making it any worse for your arteries. (grin)

Helen

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: catspaw49
Date: 27 Sep 00 - 01:44 PM

Reminds me of a hot sauce. As I get older, my tolerance for spicy peppers is becoming unbelievable. I've always liked them and the sauces, but lately my tolerance seems to know no bounds. But about 5 years ago we picked up a bottle of "Endorphin Rush" from one of my favorite "blenders," the makers of "Dave's Insanity Sauce."

When we got home, I spread a tiny bit on a piece of French bread and cut it into three pieces, one for Jason (a foster son who loved hot stuff), Karen, and me. I handed them each a piece and we popped them into our mouths. There was a 2 second delay as the Habenero's went to work, and then, almost in unison, there was a uproarious coughing/choking/gagging. I think actual flame shot out of my mouth about 4 foot. We were in the garage at the time and we damn near killed each other getting through the door, up the hall, and into the kitchen, where we ate almost 2 sleeves of soda crackers and downed 3 quarts of milk. Karen's face was bright red and the tears were streaming down her cheeks. This stuff is HOT!!!!

Having an assortment of these type of sauces around the house was always an amusement to my teenage kids who thought it great fun to slip some of it onto a friend's sandwich or something. One night we had a bunch of the friends staying here so they could leave early for a basketball camp. One of the regulars, Jimmy, who knew the sauce thing well, attempted to slip some on one of the other's sandwiches which they were taking along. All well and good....except Jimmy got some on his hands, and just as he laid down to go to sleep, he scratched his nuts, as teenage boys boys are wont to do. I woke up at 3 oclock in the morning to find the shower running and waited to see what the hell was going on. Jimmy emerged about a half hour later and the tale was told. And I've told it a lot ever since!

Any of you in Oz or England want to trade some yeast glop for some fine habanero sauce?

Spaw

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: Penny S.
Date: 27 Sep 00 - 01:13 PM

Copha cannot be got. The recipe I saw it in was for White Christmas. The Aussie Shop shop assistant suggested lard, but I don't see it, somehow. Like vegemite on Danish.

Penny

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: Helen
Date: 27 Sep 00 - 05:19 AM

Oh Lena,

What a hoot!

Helen

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: Lena
Date: 27 Sep 00 - 12:14 AM

I was struck and scared in the beginning from the amazing quantity of dangers in Oz.hen you come from tamed,safe Europe you're not used to dangerous spiders,dangerous storms,whatever.But yes,Vegemite was one of the most dramatic moments in my life.Besides,Guinness beer to me tastes like melted Vegemite.Anyway.I was wandering in Adelaide Domestic airport,waiting for a friend to arrive with another plane.I decided to have some breakfast and bought a huge danish pastry thingy.Walking towards a table,I spotted this basket full of vegemite portions,and I thought:mmmh.Must be some sort of jam.As you know,you spread a pinch of vegemite on a huge quantity of bread and butter and that's already hard to eat.But I stuck TWO FINGERS of that terrible thing on a mouthful of cake,and ate it.In a second,I was cracked from the taste in my mouth-a taste so amazingly bitter that you can't believe to it.I became pretty much purple ,and started running around looking for a bin to spit it out,or some toilets,or whatever.I kept on running and running with tears in my eyes.
It was also the occasion I found out that in Adelaide Domestic Airport there are-could you believe it?!- no bins

Subject: RE: Vegamite and other Ozzie dangers
From: GUEST,Greyeyes
Date: 26 Sep 00 - 05:37 PM

The shape of the Marmite jar is based on a particular type of French casserole dish called a marmite or marmetout. There is a picture on the label of the jar.