My Love For Marmite Recipes

I can remember my very first time, well I think it was. I might have had it before this and not realised or perhaps I wasn't paying proper attention, so I can't be absolutely sure. My mind has always tended to wander off on it's own at times. Anyway, I was at my Great Aunt Ella's house, not exactly where I wanted to be - especially on my own. I was told I had to visit, so I did. She was OK, needed a shave, but was very kind in an abrupt, no nonsense sort of way.

"I suppose you want something to eat and drink?", she said without a flicker of a smile, hands thrust deep into the pockets of her cross your heart pinny.

"Yes please", I answered meekly, thinking of fizzy coke and cream cakes - silly me!

A few minutes later she returned carrying a rose patterned tray, a pot of tea, two rose covered cups, saucers and plates, a small pink pot of something and bread. I was only about seven or eight so the sight of bread didn't exactly make my heart leap with excitement, especially when Aunt Ella took a knife and smeared it with some light brown gunge out of the pink pot. "Pooh!" I thought, in more ways than one.

The plate was passed to me with the offending bread cut into four squares, she obviously thought I was still a baby. There was nothing for it, I shut my eyes, crossed my fingers, thought of England (as I sometimes do nowadays) and popped it into my mouth and shuddered. Surprisingly it tasted alright, kind of like - well I wasn't sure, but definitely not jam, much more savoury. I took another bite, this time with my eyes wide open. It was nice, I liked it.

I had two slices and asked for more but Aunt Ella decided that I'd had enough. I didn't want to argue with her just in case she did spells like the witch I had been reading about. She also had warts and whiskers.

When I got home I told my Mum about my adventure and asked her to buy me some Marmite, just like I had at Great Aunt Ella's house. Sure enough the next week there was a pot of Marmite on the table at tea time - but there was something wrong. This was a black pot with a yellow lid and the stuff inside was black looking.

"You've got the wrong colour", I said grumpily, "I want the light brown Marmite, not this."

"You wanted it, so you'll eat it my girl." I could tell from my Mum's expression that this wasn't the time to throw a wobbly. I sulkily spread the black stuff onto my bread and butter and mashed it about with my knife. The strange thing was, as I kept spreading and mixing it with the butter, it changed colour. Suddenly it looked just like it had before. It was the right sort after all, good old mum!

Later Mum explained to me that Aunt Ella always mixes Marmite and butter together before she spreads it onto bread or toast. Toast?! Next morning that's what I had for breakfast instead of my favourite cereal.

I've loved Marmite ever since, there's always a jar in my cupboard. It is, after all, an ingredient of my absolute favourite sandwich, other than slightly mashed banana and peanut butter that is. I seem to have simple tastes in food, perhaps it's because I'm a veggie. Here's how to make me happy follows:

Slice some very strong, mature cheddar cheese into just the right thickness so you can taste the full flavour. Sometimes the slices may crumble but that's alright. Have a pot of coleslaw at the ready, together with plenty of butter and Marmite.

Slip two slices of white medium cut bread into the toaster, pour a mug of tea and prepare for action.

As soon as the toast pops up immediately cover it with thick butter, so the heat makes it go all runny. On top of this spread the Marmite in a quantity that suits (thick!) Place the waiting cheese on one completed slice of toast, scoop coleslaw on top of this and put the remaining slice of toast on top. Cut in half and start munching straight away. If that doesn't make your juices run and give you sticky fingers then I don't know what will.

The warm toast, oozing with butter mingled with Marmite, the cheese now very slightly warm and the crunchy coleslaw completing absolute perfection. Mmmm! Must stress though: this is most definitely not to be confused with a toasted sandwich, this is a sandwich made with hot toast.

I also like cheese, cucumber and Marmite sandwiches, this time with wholemeal, healthy bread.

They have to be eaten straight away, however, as the cucumber can react to the Marmite after a while and go all wet and slimy, but freshly made - lovely.

Or maybe a Marmite, cheese and salad roll like the Polaroid photo below might tickle your fancy

Then of course there is the obvious: Marmite on hot toast or cut into soldiers with a boiled egg or perhaps scrambled egg on Marmite toast. Scrumptious!


And what about the pics above! They were done by artist Dermot Flynn out of Marmite on toast (no I'm not pulling your thingy) and they were displayed at a London gallery. You may recognise the likes of Simon Cowell (he's bottom left) and Victoria Beckham amongst the pics.

Just look: a 4g serving will give you 35.6% of the Recommended Daily Allowance of Niacin, 16.6% of Thiamin, 17.5% Riboflavin, 60% B12 and 50% Folic acid which, I believe, is important in pregnancy.I mean, can you really believe that there are people who don't actually like Marmite? My boyfriend for one, no taste you see - yes, yes that's why he's with me, I've heard it before - often! Him and me are a bit like the Marmite ad.

There's no kisses if I have Marmite chops (chops meaning face/mouth, not the animal variety). It's more a case of no mate Marmite, than my mate Marmite.

I still put Marmite into my veggie stews, casseroles, gravy and add it to soups. What he doesn't know won't hurt him! I'm just thinking of him as it's full of goodness (and perfect for vegetarians like me).

Marmite is a little jar of health, so I use it whenever I can.

For a nutritious lunch try some Jacket Potatoes or maybe you call them Baked Potatoes. When hot and ready cut them in half and scoop out the middle. Mix all together with butter and Marmite and return to the potato skins. Top with grated cheese and pop quickly under the grill. Serve with a splodge of baked beans on top.

Marmite also does the near impossible and makes mashed spuds interesting, try adding some.

I have one quick recipe for you flesh eaters from my Mum.

Mix up 3 tablespoons of natural yoghurt with 4 teaspoons of Marmite and the juice and rind of half a lemon. I'm vegetarian so I can't believe I'm writing this. Anyway, marinate two chicken breasts in the mixture, in the fridge, for several hours. Then grill the breasts until golden brown, about 15 -20 minutes. It's supposed to be very tasty. Mind you, I've been told golden breasts usually are.

Not sure why the photo on the right came up, must have got confused. To be truthful I didn't want to show cooked chicken as I'm a veggie. So here's Pam's golden ones instead.

I'm not sure why I can't remember Marmite prior to being seven or eight years old, I forgot to ask my Mum about it.

Marmite though has been around for years. The original company was started in 1902 in Burton-on-Trent in England, which was then the centre of the brewing industry. There was a reason for this. Marmite is made primarily from spent brewers yeast.

What for many years they didn't know what to do with is now made into Marmite. It's really a concentrated yeast paste with a few bits and bobs added such as vegetable and spice extracts plus a few vitamins previously mentioned.

Mustn't forget, of course, that Marmite can be made into a warming, low calorie drink by mixing to taste with hot water. Just think of all of those B vitamins, from the yeast, coursing through your body. B12, for example, prevents anaemia and is good for healthy cells.

And did you know :
25% of British people take Marmite with them when they go on holiday!

It's said that eating Marmite can ward off those pesky mosquitoes. Yes, honestly!

The reasoning behind this is that the skin gives off a scent, unnoticeable to humans, but which mosquitoes find unappealing (and I would find appealing!)

Another theory is that the vitamin B content wards off the flying pests.

British travellers to tropical locations sometimes take Marmite for a couple of weeks before they set off and then carry a supply with them to consume during the trip.

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I just had to include the following as it was a comment left in the Squidu forum for me by The_Bard. It shows the lengths us Marmite lovers will go to get our Marmite fix. I'm rambling, so this is what he said:

"I first took a jar of Marmite to the Philippines in 1981.

The response was one of absolute horror, and my mother-in-law thought I was a barbarian from the west trying to poison her!

She's dead now, rest her soul (not because of Marmite), but ever since, Marmite has been a regular staple of my kitchen cupboard there. You can't buy it in the Philippines, so I always ship a few jars across, and none of that imposter stuff called Vegemite!

Indeed, only last month I went through 250mg of the stuff.

Yes, I know I have an abundance of tropical fruit, fresh fish, and freshly baked bread, but astonishing as it seems, it's the comfort of Marmite which sees me through.

I'm the only one who eats it - a whole population of 800 villagers are bemused by my adoration of it, and still today, they regard that wonderful black bottle as "the evil stuff which the Englishman eats!".

Ah bliss!"

I think The_Bard has said it all!