Who's a Happy Little Vegemite?

We all have foods we remember from our childhoods which we revert to when we need a little comfort. One of mine is Vegemite, something we have mentioned on the blog before.

Vegemite was created in 1922 by chemist Dr. Cyril Percy Callister. In response to the disruption of supply of imported British Marmite after World War I, Fred Walker & Co. commissioned Callister to develop a local alternative. Using leftover brewer's yeast, he created Vegemite, a rich source of Vitamin B. It was initially marketed as a health food, but struggled to gain popularity until the 1930s when a marketing campaign boosted its profile. By the 1940s, Vegemite had become a staple in Australian households, further enhanced by an advertising campaign and jingle in the early days of commercial TV.

Compared to Marmite, Vegemite is thicker and more of a spreadable paste. The name was chosen as a result of a competition.

After I came out of hospital I mentioned that Vegemite on toast would be really nice, but buying it it France was twice as expensive as in Australia. Jean piped up to say that she was in England, her local Tesco's sold Vegemite, and that she was returning to France soon.

A couple of days later she popped round with 2 jars. I instantly made myself Vegemite on toast and had a Proustian rush.