At the risk of being deported from Australia immediately upon the publication of this article, along with the revocation of my American passport, and perhaps even having the welcome mat being pulled from the HM Customs & Immigration at Heathrow, I have to say something that I have been holding in for all these many weeks. It is probably going to shock and amaze you that I would be so brazen, but I cannot hold it in any further!

Before I do, though, let me go on the record: I like Vegemite – regardless of what President Obama has to say about it. But even so, I have to say: Vegemite and Marmite are the SAME THING!

For those of you not familiar with these wonderful breakfast foods, they are yeast extract that has been concentrated. A good source of some of the B-Complex vitamins, they are traditionally spread onto warm toast (often buttered toast – though the butter is not really necessary) and eaten for breakfast. Devotees of each will decry their deep and abiding love for the one and their irrevocable loathing (or at least dislike) for the other, while describing the imagined differences, but the truth is that they are the same product!

I can see why the supporters of each product like their product over the others… I mean they are really SO different!

Vegemite is a black paste made of fermented and concentrated brewer’s yeast. It is made (or at least was originally) from the yeast that would be discarded after the beer brewers were finished with it. It was invented in Australia at the early part of the last century as a way to use the yeast that was just going to waste and to serve as a vegetarian replacement for the nutrients they used to get only from meat.

While Marmite is a black paste made of fermented and concentrated brewer’s yeast. It is made (or at least was originally) from the yeast that would be discarded after the beer brewers were finished with it. It was invented in England at the early part of the last century as a way to use the yeast that was just going to waste and to serve as a vegetarian replacement for the nutrients they used to get only from meat.

So each insists theirs is better than the other because… well, because the two products are so different!

An international incident was almost started over the Aussie version of the product last year when the Australian Prime Minister, Ms. Julia Gillard were visiting a high school as a photo-op. One of the eleventh-grade school students asked exactly what Vegemite was. Ms. Gillard explained after which our president, in an indication that he was not a fan quipped:

"So it's like a quasi-vegetable by-product paste that you smear on your toast for breakfast.” said Obama. “Sounds good, doesn't it?"

Actually, yes! It does! Yum!

Wherever you are this morning I hope that you enjoy your breakfast, whatever you choose.

Don Bergquist – 19 April 2012 – Canberra, ACT, Australia