Categories: British cuisine | Spreads | British cultural icons

Marmite

The correct name for a large pot usually with legs with a lid for cooking and holding soup.

Now more commonly known as a brand of savoury spread made from a by-product of the beer brewing process, the yeast extract Marmite is a popular UK sandwich and toast spread similar to Australia's Vegemite and Switzerland's Cenovis.

Contents

1 Introduction

2 What's in Marmite?

3 Mosquito Control

4 Serving suggestions

5 Nutritional Information

6 External links

7 See also

Introduction

The Marmite Food Extract Company was formed in Burton-upon-Trent, Staffordshire, England, in 1902.

Marmite is a rich source of the vitamin B complex; vitamin B12 is not naturally found in yeast extract, but is added to Marmite during manufacture.

Advertised variously as "The Growing Up Spread" and "My Mate, Marmite", Marmite tends to be an acquired taste, with no middle ground. It is the food item most commonly missed and imported by British expatriates in other countries. People tend to love it or hate it, and this was used as a major advertising campaign for the company. Two websites have been set up where either camp are invited to leave their comments: I love Marmite and I hate Marmite. The snack food Twiglets is flavoured with a substance resembling Marmite.

The spread is packaged in a distinctive bulbous brown glass jar. The shape is meant to resemble a cooking pot, for which the French word is la marmite; the label has a picture of the cooking pot. An occasional surreal sight on British roads is a large tanker lorry (presumably taking yeast to the factory) with the round end of the tank painted to resemble the Marmite jar and label.

A common mistake made by those new to Marmite (almost invariably non-Britons) is to spread it thickly, like the chocolate spread it resembles. In fact it should be thinnly spread as it has a very concentrated taste.

Some British supermarket chains now sell their own brands of yeast extract.

In advertising Marmite, the 'love it or hate it' element of it's popularity has often been accentuated and even encouraged. In one infamous 2004-2005 UK TV advert which plagarises the Steve McQueen film 'The Blob', people run screaming from a huge brown/black slime monster until some realise that it is actually Marmite and then jump headlong into the sticky mess with glee. Of course the subtext of the advert being a 'don't knock it until you've tried it' message. The advertisment was dropped after being screened on childrens television, concerned parents reported the advert after it traumatised children into having nightmares and vowing never to watch TV again.

What's in Marmite?

Mosquito Control

Some people believe that consuming Marmite wards against mosquitos. The (untested) reasoning being that the skin gives off a scent, unnoticeable to humans, which mosquitos find unappealing. British travellers to tropical locations sometimes take Marmite with them to eat during the trip.

Serving suggestions

The following is a list of great uses of Marmite - please add more if you have them.

Marmite on toast, plain and simple. Obviously. Probably best appreciated with a cup of tea.
Marmite on toast (spread slightly more thickly than you otherwise might) with grilled tomato squashed on top, with black pepper (a crucial ingredient).
Marmite and cheese "toastie"; marmite, cheese, and often tomato, all grilled on a slice of bread. Add oregano, pepper, mushroom, ham as you please. Make a meal of them.
Marmite on toast with iceberg lettuce on top. Sounds too simple for words, but try it.
Marmite on toast with scrambled egg on top is another delicious combination worth trying.
Marmite with peanut butter.
Marmite, Philadelphia Light (soft cheese) and cucumber sandwiches (not toast, but this also works well) - a brilliant combo.
Marmite and Cheddar cheese sandwich.
Marmite on toast with slices of Avocado, Lemon juice and Black pepper.
Marmite on toast with slices of banana (or mashed banana) on top. Sounds odd, but it's another brilliant combo (and hangover cure?)
Marmite can be used to add flavour to soups, stews and casseroles, in the manner of stock.
A small amount on a spoon, dipped into dry Tang powder.
Marmite on buttered toast, with orange marmalade. The two moderate each other's strong tastes.
Marmite on biscuit/cookie. This is good for those who want the good properties of marmite and would like to wash it down with tea/coffe/milk.
Marmite dissolved in milk and heated to about 50 degrees Celsius. Add some sugar or honey for sweetening and it makes a very healthy drink.
Marmite spread on a toasted crumpet with grated cheddar cheese on top. Toast for a few seconds longer to melt the cheese.
Marmite spread on toast with avocado on top. Delicious!
Marmite on toast with Tahini.

Nutritional Information

Per 100 g

Energy - 996 kJ/234 kcal
Protein - 43.0 g
Carbohydrates - 14.8 g
of which sugars - 2.7 g
Fat - 0.4 g
of which saturates - 0.1 g
Fibre - 2.6 g
Sodium - 4.5 g
Thiamin - 5.8 mg - 414 % RDA
Riboflavin - 7.0 mg - 438 % RDA
Niacin - 160.0 mg - 889 % RDA
Folic Acid - 2500 µg - 1250 % RDA
Vitamin B12 - 15.0 µg - 1500 % RDA

Per 4 g serving

Energy - 39 kJ/9 kcal
Protein - 1.7 g
Carbohydrates - 0.6 g
of which sugars - 0.1 g
Fat - trace
of which saturates - trace
Fibre - 0.1 g
Sodium - 0.2 g
Thiamin - 0.23 mg - 16.6 % RDA
Riboflavin - 0.28 mg - 17.5 % RDA
Niacin - 6.4 mg - 35.6 % RDA
Folic Acid - 100 µg - 50.0 % RDA
Vitamin B12 - 0.6 µg - 60 % RDA

RDA = Recommended Daily Allowance

Suggested serving 4 g for adults, 2 g for children.