Product Review: enter in the world of Marmite!

If you have been following closely the wonderful Vegan Lunchbox chronicle, on Aussie day (or something of the like), you should have read about Jennifer's Vegemite sandwich and how Mrs Shmoo herself had a few doubts about serving this typical Aussie spread to a kid.

Instead that reviewing the Australian spin-off, for the love we feel for all vegans out there, we got ourself to review the first and original yeast spread: the proudly English-produced all-mighty Marmite.

If you have never heard of this, Marmite is a thick, dark, brown spread, which looks very much like Nutella, but which has a totally opposite taste and smell. As the really lovely website states (for the more delicate of you, keep away from their viral films), the payoff of Marmite is indeed "Love it or Hate it" since there seems to be no middle ground for this exceedingly strong flavoured spread. And "TO BE USED VERY SPARINGLY" should be written on the packaging.

Those Brits who love Marmite like it on warm toast. The one who hates do not even want to open the lid ever. Since the taste is well... really particular. To say the least.
Marmite, which is incidentally totally vegan (or 100% vegetarian as the packaging states clearly) is very meaty in taste and in your mouth will make you think of strong meat stocking or some kind of super thick (possibly rotting) meat sauce. It is slightly bitterish as well and so dense and flavourfull in taste it is, well, hard for me to swallow it up on toast. Right out impossible to lick what's left on the spreading knife! It's not only the meatish flavour (totally natutal by the way: it comes fromt he yeast, no artificial ingredients added), but the foul smell and sticky texture as well...

However, do not think this is a bad review: on the contrary! Marmite is a very old, typically British product, which has always been vegan (the historical value of this vegan food is in iteself worth a story: it was packed with soldiers rations in WW2 given its nutritional values) and it is definitely worth for you to hunt it down whenever you may live: even if it may be disliked by half of the vegan population on bread due to the taste, it is pretty extraordinary in cooking. Diluted properly, it's excellent for marinading, roasted seitan, tofu cutlets, even as a savoury glue to hold together your veggie burgers (and indeed, I believe a very similar ingredients is what makes some fake meats so meaty in taste)!

So is that all? No, there is more that should definitely convince you to try Marmite out: the vitaminic content is so great it is hard to believe! Each 4 grams (told you it can only be used sparingly!) serving has:

• 9 kcal
• 1.5 grams of proteins (!)
• 16.6% RDA Thiamin
• 17.5% RDA Riboflavin
• 35.6% RDA Niacin
• 50% RDA Folic Acid (!!)
• 60% RDA B12 (!!!!!!!)

That's right! In 4 grams there is 50% of your needed daily intake of Folic Acid and no less than 60% of your recommendad daily intake of B12!!! Amazing! B12 supplements, goodbye!

Now, go get it, experiment with recipes, post them back to us and let's all join the Marmite lovers club! This lovely British tradition definitely deserve all our love!

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Ladies and Gents, all your attention please: we did not get another person in the club. We got a super lovely family all contributing to these two lovely blogs, posted to you directly from Quebec, Canada! Pay a visit to Gaia and her super family at Live It Up Vegan! (in English) and Vivez Végé for the French speaking of you (I am so excited! French vegan bloggers are soooo creative!): you won;t be disappointed!

And to Gaia + Family, a great and warm welcome to The Vegan Club family!