SE4:
Think of a recent meal that you've eaten. Identify one ingredient from that
meal or otherwise interests you. Using at least two sources, and at least one
academic, describe the history and or production of that ingredient. What did
you learn in your research? How might that knowledge affect your relationship
with that food?
Vegemite
A
recent "meal," if it could be called a meal, that I have eaten was a
toasted sandwich filled with vegemite. Having known nothing about it, I was
instantly taken aback by the sheer saltiness of what I had eaten. Although I
had been duped into eating something that my friend knew I would not like, I
also took it as a chance to learn something about this brown paste spread
across the bread.
It
turns out that Vegemite is a well-known Australian delicacy, and that North
Americans like myself seem to have an aversion to its taste that makes it a
perfect tool for mischief and pranking for poor souls like me who did not know
beforehand what it was they were eating. In fact, Vegemite has evolved into a
marker of cultural identity for Australians since the early exposure leads to a
preference to its taste.
The
history of Vegemite began with the ties that Australia had with Great Britain.
The heavy influence the British had on Australian food culture changed after
World War I and the beginning of the Great Depression. The Australians could
not afford to buy Marmite nor could British cargo ships ship them over, so the
Australians wanted to create a "wartime substitute" (Kennedy). Vegemite
was created with a yeast spread by chemist Cyril P. Callister as an alternative
spread to the English spread Marmite. Brewers yeast is the main ingredient
which adds vitamin B to the spread, and it is processed by centrifugation.
After the cell membrane of the yeast has been removed, the paste is seasoned
with salt, celery, and onion to yield Vegemite (Richardson 60). It was
initially marketed with advertising pushing its high nutritional value of
Vitamin B. The British Medical Association took it one step further when they
endorsed Vegemite as a "Vitamin B-rich supplement for patients"
(Kennedy).
Since Fred Walker, the "cheese
entrepreneur" who hired Callister, realized that the paste was unappealing
to the eyes, he held a naming competition for a £50 prize to boost support
(Richard 60). This is where the name Vegemite was chosen. To increase sales of
Vegemite, the product was "repackaged in a fancy opal glass jar" as a
marketing tool that even the jar could be useful after the Vegemite was eaten.
The Kraft Walker Cheese Company released coupons for Vegemite in their cheese
which drew in people who wanted to save money from buying Marmite (as they were
still suffering from the Depression). For a small portion of the time,
Vegemite's name was changed to Parwill with the slogan "If
Marmite...Parwill," however, it backfired and the name was changed back to
Vegemite. It was with the creation of the toaster that Vegemite sales increased,
and it became a common breakfast food. Australian housewives noted in their
surveys that it was a "quick and easy" breakfast food (Seigal). More importantly, Vegemite turned into an
object of patriotism. It became an "expression of heartfelt national
fervor" for Australian soldiers who requested it be with them in World War
II. Vegemite was changed to be included in the rations to allow the soldiers to
have a "taste of home" with them as they fought for Europe (Kennedy).
What
this research brings up is the idea of "conservatism of cuisine"
(Seigal 63). In his article, "Vegemite as a Marker of National
Identity," Seigal discusses how Vegemite is a prime example of "food
imprinting" (Seigal 63). While most people will admit that Vegemite has a
pronounced taste, Australians have grown accustomed to eating it every day. In
the correlational study at University of Queensland in Brisbane, Seigal sees a
positive correlation with the association of Australia and Vegemite, as well as
a positive correlation with the Kraft company brand (Seigal 65). When he
conducted his free association study, the words most associated with Vegemite
were "toast (102), Australia/Australian (44), good taste (40), usually
brown (39), and breakfast (28)" which shows how prominent Vegemite is in
Australia's history. Vegemite has become such a part of Australian history that
the National Museum of Australia in Canberra featured Vegemite as one of
Australia's iconic symbols. There is even an unofficial anthem from Australia
that goes: "I said 'Do you speak-a my language?' He just smiled and gave
me a Vegemite sandwich" and a national song called "Happy Little
Vegemites" (Kennedy).
This
research is enlightening to me as a food consumer because it allows me to be
introspective of how I choose the food I eat and decide if I like it or not. My
preferences for food have come from my earlier exposure to American food as a
child. I have been imprinted with different food than Australians have which is
why I reacted so differently after my first try. I never knew what a rich
history Vegemite had, especially the influence for the soldiers in World War II
whose only semblance of home could be achieved from eating Vegemite within
their rations. It is amazing how it branched off from a British product to
something that ties Australians together, like what was seen in the results of
the correlational study. The new information affects my relationship with this
food item because I have learned that enjoying Vegemite is an acquired taste,
so I know to take the initiative to try and enjoy it more. While I am not
Australian, I will be able to understand my Australian friends' culture more by
being more accepting of the foods that mark their cultural identity.
Works
Cited
Kennedy,
Duncan. "The Slow Spread of Vegemite." BBC News. BBC, 17
Oct. 2012. Web. 5 May 2013.
Richardson, Kay. "Vegemite, Soldiers,
and Rosy Cheeks." Gastronomica: The
Journal of Food and Culture. Vol.
3, No. 4 (Fall 2003) p. 60-62. Web. 5 May 2013.
Siegal, Michael. "Vegemite as a Marker
of National Identity." Gastronomica:
The Journal of Food and Culture. Vol.
3, No. 4 (Fall 2003) p. 63-67. Web. 5 May 2013.
