The horror. Really. I couldn't live without it.

[AndyK]

Please give generously. Those poor Kiwis need our help in these trying times:

Panic buying in New Zealand as Marmite stocks run low.


I think we should petition Unilever to make a humanitarian airdrop of British Marmite.

[delthebike]

Is NZ Marmite the same as GB Marmite? The packaging is different but what about the contents.

I'm a Vegamite fan too!   

[hatler]

Or perhaps Unilever should simply set up a desk at Heathrow and offer a free jar to everyone getting on an NZ bound plane. Great PR.

[Charlotte]

Marmite's thin and runny and not nearly strong enough - a sad imitation of what it used to be like.

[AndyK]

Is NZ Marmite the same as GB Marmite? The packaging is different but what about the contents.

I'm a Vegamite fan too!   

I don't see the point of Vegemite. It has no taste or bite. 

[Kim]

Marmite's thin and runny and not nearly strong enough - a sad imitation of what it used to be like.

You think that's bad?  Have you've seen what they've done to Bovril?  It's made of Marmite these days rather than boiled cow.  Two wrongs don't make a right.

[clarion]

I would be very happy for all Marmite in the country to be sent to New Zealand.  All of it.  Everything.  Except what is needed for roofing tar, natch.

[Andrij]

I would be very happy for all Marmite in the country to be sent to New Zealand.  All of it.  Everything.  Except what is needed for roofing tar, natch.

The Honourable Gentleman makes a most excellent point.  I move that the House vote through emergency legislation to ship Britain's entire stock of Marmite to New Zealand.

[hatler]

I would be very happy for all Marmite in the country to be sent to New Zealand.  All of it.  Everything.  Except what is needed for roofing tar, natch.

The Honourable Gentleman makes a most excellent point.  I move that the House vote through emergency legislation to ship Britain's entire stock of Marmite to New Zealand.

I'd be quite prepared to talk this one out.

[Kim]

We'd need some in reserve for Kitchen Pr0n^[1] whenever someone gets an n+1, too.  But since that never leaves the jar, a small stock should last indefinitely.



_{[1] A uk.rec.cycling convention.  On acquiring or significant modification of a bicycle, it should be photographed in the owner's kitchen and shared with the rest of the froup.  Tradition dictates that a jar of Marmite be hidden somewhere in the photo, and that all follow-up posts be kitchen rather than bike related, until someone gives in and plays "chain's a bit slack" in a Mornington Crescent style.}

[clarion]

Objection!  An empty jar would serve the purpose.

[Kim]

Objection!  An empty jar would serve the purpose.

Our jar is about 4 years past its use-by date.  I've no idea if it's empty or not (a kind of Schrödinger's Marmite, as it were), but I'm not going to risk opening it to find out.

[Charlotte]

You're all shocking philistines and I accuse you of the most contemptible treason against the noble culinary tradition of the BRITONS.

[Kim]

noble culinary tradition of the BRITONS.

Namely boiling things beyond all recognition?

[AndyK]

Marmite's thin and runny and not nearly strong enough - a sad imitation of what it used to be like.

Try this instead then.

[clarion]

Marmite's thin and runny and not nearly strong enough - a sad imitation of what it used to be like.

You think that's bad?  Have you've seen what they've done to Bovril?  It's made of Marmite these days rather than boiled cow.  Two wrongs don't make a right.

Wrong.  Bovril contains real genuine unspeakable bits of cow boiled beyond recognition.

[Charlotte]

XO's okay - but still not really up to the job.

noble culinary tradition of the BRITONS.

Namely boiling things beyond all recognition?

You'll be telling me you don't like a thin scraping of Gentleman's Relish next, Kim.

[hatler]

Objection!  An empty jar would serve the purpose.

Our jar is about 4 years past its use-by date.  I've no idea if it's empty or not (a kind of Schrödinger's Marmite, as it were), but I'm not going to risk opening it to find out.

What ?   You actually think it degrades over time ?

I reckon it's degradation rate is on a par with granite.

[AndyK]

Marmite's thin and runny and not nearly strong enough - a sad imitation of what it used to be like.

You think that's bad?  Have you've seen what they've done to Bovril?  It's made of Marmite these days rather than boiled cow.  Two wrongs don't make a right.

Wrong.  Bovril contains real genuine unspeakable bits of cow boiled beyond recognition.

Wrong again. 

[hulver]

Marmite's thin and runny and not nearly strong enough - a sad imitation of what it used to be like.

Try this instead then.

+1. Marmite XO is what Marmite used to be. Fantastic stuff.

[clarion]

Marmite's thin and runny and not nearly strong enough - a sad imitation of what it used to be like.

You think that's bad?  Have you've seen what they've done to Bovril?  It's made of Marmite these days rather than boiled cow.  Two wrongs don't make a right.

Wrong.  Bovril contains real genuine unspeakable bits of cow boiled beyond recognition.

Wrong again. 

Note the date.  Happened briefly because of BSE fears.  Cows now firmly reinstated.

[Kim]

Have they changed it back, then?  I remember checking the ingredients a few years ago and being surprised that it was made from yeast extract (unlike the Tesco imitation - Beef-o - which was distinctly non-vegetarian in its composition).

ETA: Ahh, makes sense.

It's not something I really pay attention to, due to traumatic childhood memories of my younger brother stickily getting them (he used to eat both Bovril and Marmite on toast as a spread) on pretty much everything.   

[AndyK]

Can't beat Marmite or Bovril on a cream cracker - or original Ryvita - thickly spread with a layer of butter straight from the fridge.

[LEE]

Objection!  An empty jar would serve the purpose.

Our jar is about 4 years past its use-by date.  I've no idea if it's empty or not (a kind of Schrödinger's Marmite, as it were), but I'm not going to risk opening it to find out.

What ?   You actually think it degrades over time ?

I reckon it's degradation rate is on a par with granite.

Correct.  The "Use By" date on Marmite jars actually refers to the glass jar itself (as glass degrades over the centuries).  The Marmite contents are good for several more decades and should be transferred to a newer, safer, glass jar.

[Kim]

Actually, WTF is it with yeast extract being used as a sort of wildcard flavouring for things?  I can only assume there's a committee of hardened smokers somewhere making these decisions who can't taste anything other than Marmite.

Ever tried Marmite flavour Kettle Chips (or "Sea Salt and Black Pepper" as they call them)?  I did.  The bastards.