Love it or hate it … ?

Cherry

By Rhiannonw

Sat, 01 Mar 2025
  • 639 reads
28 comments
 

Thinly spread
on your bread,
or you may like it most
on buttery toast,
with a little cheese
to please;
a nip in a soup or stew
may add to its flavour –
a zingy taste new:
a vitamin feast
made from yeast:
love it or hate it? –
I like it.

[IP: toast]

Certificate U
Poem
Miscellaneous
Humour
Inspiration Point (work that responds to our weekly writing cue)

Comments

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

Marmite is wonderful!

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Yes! though as I concluded I like it rather than love it! I have a grandson who is extremely keen!

I think those who dislike may have nor realised how thinly it should be spread?! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

thank you for the cherries on marmite! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

yes, you are so right about it needing to be very thin! Wish I had understood that before the first time I made Marmite sandwiches - I put way too much on and had to spread it round lots more bread to be edible, then had to persuade everybody else they wanted Marmite sandwiches, then explain to my Mum where all the bread had gone...

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

!! It is useful in gravies and stews too though! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by airyfairy on

Marmite is a great and wondrous thing. Sadly, I have failed to convey this indisputable fact to my children, one of whom hates the stuff while the other will tolerate it to be polite when visiting a marmite household. It is a necessary part of my food cupboard. In my view, however, it doesn't really go with cheese, but does provide a lovely base for eggs on toast.

Enjoy your marmite as you will!

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you. Tastes differ! But as you say, a very useful foodstuff. (I like it with cheese, but then I like cheese on its own or with lots of things!) Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Turlough on

I can take it or leave it.

Turlough

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Can you get it in Bulgaria, or is it one of those things the ex-pats bring out for boot-sales? Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Turlough on

It is indeed a car boot sale commodity Rhiannon, apparently changing hands at three or four times the price of what it would cost in Asda. The immigrant Marmite runners understandably have to make it worth their while. 

Turlough

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

! Then there are obviously many who really love its unique taste in Bulgaria! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Turlough on

I think it might be more accurate to say that there is a demand for Marmite here but only within the British and Irish poplulation. If it was very popular I think the supermarkets would start to stock it, but they don't. It's the same with things like tomato ketchup, peanut butter and prepared mustard.

Bulgarians don't go in much for processed foods. Whilst stocking up for my first winter I was amazed to discover that it's not possible to buy tins of soup in Bulgaria. They always have the ingredients for homemade soup in their kitchens and most condiments and pickles are ones they have made or preserved themselves. Even the mayonnaise sold in supermarkets is fresh. It comes in a small pot like yoghurt does in Britain, it has to be kept refrigerated and has a best before date only a few days after the date of purchase.

From June onwards almost all food shops and hardware shops sell shrink wrapped trays of glass jars with lids as people start the preserving process. Almost every household makes its own lutenitsa which is a delicious spicy-sweet relish made from roasted red peppers and tomatoes and goes with almost everything. It's even nice mixed in to a bit of boiled pasta. 

Food shopping, especially in the early days, has been quite an education for me.

Turlough

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Interesting. One thing about marmite though is that is something that can be added in just a small amount to other things in homemade cooking .Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Turlough on

It would be handy.

Even stock cubes are difficult to get here because most people make their own. Big supermarkets (Kaufland, Billa and Burleks being the main ones... all German chains) usually have them hidden away on a shelf where nobody would expect to find them.

Turlough

Submitted by Ed Crane on

 

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

! So they are unavailable where you live, then? I really like thin marmite and cheese oatcakes that are now available, especially when they are 'on offer'! They aren't too heavy on the marmite, quite delicate. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Ed Crane on

They might be available in specialist shop in cities like Brussels. If Lidl do their own version it might pop up on British food weeks, but I doubt they have them.

Big supermarket chains used to have a lot of British food in their foriegn section, but since Brexit they very rarely have UK stuff except fresh meat, veg and fruit and even that is pretty uncommon now. 

You might find Twiglets in Dutch shops, they tend to have a wider range of foriegn foods;

it is more likely to find Bovril/Marmite type products, but I haven't looked. Bisto is popular here though and also Worcestershire sauce. 

You made me curious, I'll have a look around next time I go to a big chain supermarket (if I remember)

actually I didn't know twiglets were still made;.The last time I bought a pack in he UK they seemed smaller than I remembered

 

 

Submitted by Ed Crane on

Marmite is available here in Del Haize 5equivalent to (Sainsburys) 125ml €5.95 (+/- £4)

WOW Twiglets from Jacobs are in Carrafour supermarkets (a French chain with shops in Belgium) and of course on-line 

I'm surpised I must admit!!

 

 

 

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

Ed, Twiglets aren't as long anymore (just as nice though) - and you can get pretty much marmite flavoured everything nowadays. Marks and Spencer even did marmite hot cross buns which I didn't try but one of my sons did and he said they were surprisingly lovely. Also, marmite crumpets and marmite peanut butter - loads more!

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

You have enjoyed your bit of research! Rh

 

Submitted by Tom Brown on

Usually I have marmite on toast before bedtime. Do you have Bovril there Rhiannon? I think it is also made from beef extract. Good nutirion and helps with the digestion.

Our late stepdad had a saying, "pa won't but marmite".

All the best! Tom

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Ha! Ha! I grew up on marmite not bovril, bit recently I had to do a starvation/liguids only day before a scan, and was allowed to have bovril as a drink, and now I am a bit hooked, it is very relaxing to go to bed. I'm not sure marmite would wrlk as a drink.. Marmite is yeast extract, bovril is beef extract. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Another perfect idea for the I P Rhiannon. Your imagination always manages to come up with a great poem. I have to admit to loving the zingy flavour too, but like you say, not too much as you can overdo it and find yourself with a sore mouth.

Hope you're having a good weekend.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you, Jenny. Yes, too much gives a too strong flavour, and too salty I would say. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Jane Hyphen on

Marmite on toast isn't for me, Rhiannon but I might try a nip in a soup or stew, that's a good idea. I wish I did like it on bread because it's a very useful product. Recently I've got a thing for Horlicks and that seems to divide people too, Horlicks with a nip of hot chocolate mixed in before bed.

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

thank you, Jane. I haven't tried Horlicks for years. I did at one time a little and quite enjoyed but not taken to it enough to continue, but as I said above I have recently fallen for a drink of half a Bovril cube in hot water! But on bread or toast I'd prefer marmite, - but not too strong! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by onemorething on

I love marmite. And Bovril. I make Marmite cashews quite often...I put a couple of spoonfuls with a splash of water in a pan, heat just enough to make it all liquid, add loads of ground pepper, mix in lots of cashews until they are coated, spread them in a baking tray on a baking sheet then roast them in the oven until browned. Delicious and much better than the bought versions. Happy to buy marmite crisps though...also delicious. Neat little ode to Marmite too, Rhiannon.

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

thanks for the recipe! Sounds lovely! Rhiannon