The Great Marmite Shortage and other things

[vilakins]

Axle grease of a certain flavour
There is this black axle-grease stuff called Marmite that we like to eat (sparingly in my case) on toast or bread and it's different from the Marmite they have in the UK. Unfortunately. Because the only factory that made it is in Christchurch and has been closed because of earthquake damage. It will be months before they set up elsewhere and this news sparked off a panicked run on Marmite. Luckily we have an almost-full jar so I didn't bother. Telling people to eat Vegemite instead however doesn't cut it. It's a whole other flavour.

Weathery weather
It's autumn equinox though we never really got a summer this year; it seems like we went from spring straight to autumn, and this week has felt like winter. It's not cold but it's wet, grey, dark, and depressing, a preview of the long months of gloom unrelieved by any bright spots that is our winter. There are of course the usual floods and our house is leaking again. Sigh. It was surprisingly lovely last week though. I think that was summer (and I will post about Thursday tomorrow).

TV
What new things has Vilakins been watching? My sister was saying how funny Modern Family is so we tuned in and caught one character telling another that "I could care less" meant he did in fact care a little. YES! Then they got onto the whole "literally" thing. YES! YES! We were in! We've been eating that program up at one or two a night. I adore Gloria, Manny, and Cameron to bits. My sister was right: it's a very funny show despite the title which had put me off. I do take exception to the "modern" though as each of the three family units has at least one child which seems pretty traditional to me.

We also started watching New Girl which recently started here. I like it; let's hope they keep it up. But what will they call it next season?

There was also the first ep of Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency which I loved. It had some great lines, the only one of which I can think of right now is "You stabbed my chair!"

Comments

[kerravonsen]

Telling people to eat Vegemite instead however doesn't cut it. It's a whole other flavour.

Yes, I gather that Marmite is sweeter?
Not that I've really been into axle grease on my toast anyway. I've tried it, but I don't like it. Thus demonstrating that I am not a True Aussie.

[vilakins]

It is, but I still wouldn't call it sweet.

I don't like either (and we stock both) by themselves but I do like them both in club sandwiches or on toast with tomatoes. They're basically nice taste-enhancers, also in casseroles.

I admit I wouldn't eat them at any cost as a kid but I never fit the NZ pattern anyway.

[labingi]

When I was in NZ, the lady who ran the hotel I stayed at gave me a free sample of Marmite, and I quite liked it--though, I agree, sparingly. I hope the shortage ends soon:)

[vilakins]

It'll be some months yet--and it's no longer a shortage but a complete lack. You were brave to try it! Most people don't like it unless they grew up with it.

I must send you the photos of you I took. They came out beautifully.

[labingi]

I would love to see the photos:)

(I told my dad I thought he'd like Marmite; he likes strong, salty things.)

[pebblerocker]

My marmite jar is almost full too. I think we'll last! When I want something dark and salty on a salad sandwich, miso will do just as well for me, and I have some of that left too.

Weather has been weird here. Some lovely sunny days, then a lot of dark rainy days, but I had trouble sleeping because it was too warm and muggy at night. Today it's the tricky sneaky weather that makes me hang my washing out, then run to bring it in again, then 'Just kidding!' and more fine weather for the rest of the day. Ha.

How's the sky scarf coming along?

[vilakins]

I can always resort to Vegemite if I run out. It's different but it'll do. You mean the miso paste you add hot water to for soup? I'd never have used it in a sandwich but that could work.

Yeah, it felt like winter earlier this week, so dark and miserable, but it was still quite warm and sticky. Today actually feels like summer again, WTH? I haven't put anything on the line for about three weeks. Apparently it's back to rain tomorrow, whoop-de-doo.

[jhall1.livejournal.com]

There was also the first ep of Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency which I loved. It had some great lines, the only one of which I can think of right now is "You stabbed my chair!"

Yes, great stuff. The second episode is, IMO, even better. Sadly, there are only three episodes in all. It's rather reminiscent of what Sherlock might have been like if Holmes had been totally incompetent.

It sounds as though I would like Modern Family. I think it's been shown over here, and I must look out for it.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Another thing I like about Modern Family is that it's nowhere near as predictable as most sitcoms. I now expect it to have a twist on what you think will be the usual set-up.

The music on Dirk Gently used reminded me a little of Sherlock too. I assume they'll be running an arc for the three stories with the two not yet terminating Dirk with immediate effect (and possibly extreme prejudice). We have the next one too but we're going to space them out a but more since there are only three.

[jhall1.livejournal.com]

I'd better not say whether your assumption is correct. I wouldn't want to be guilty of a spoiler. :)

There was one action sequence at the start of the third episode where the music prevented me from catching some of the dialogue, which since the witty dialogue is perhaps the show's greatest strength was rather annoying.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

At least it didn't drown out the dialogue in general. I hate it when music is intrusive, but good music in action sequences can work well as it dow for this and Sherlock.

Did you ever watch Babylon 5? It had wonderful music but they did it so well it never intruded and you often didn't realise it was there unless you listened for it.

[jhall1.livejournal.com]

No, I missed Babylon 5, which I regret as lots of people seem to think very highly of it. It's ideal when you don't consciously notice the music at all. I remember that quite recently (it might have been an episode of Sherlock) someone said on LJ that the music was good, and I hadn't noticed that there was any.

[sallymn.livejournal.com]

Telling people to eat Vegemite instead however doesn't cut it. It's a whole other flavour. I'll vouch for that, having had Vegemite cravings while in the UK...

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

And people from the UK yearn for their Marmite when they're here.

There's still Vegemite on the shelves and we do eat both, but they're quite different.

[lolmac]

There's a TV show of Dirk Gently? Srsly?!?

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Yes! There was a one-off in 2010 and now there's a three-ep season with all new stories.

[elmey.livejournal.com]

Marmite? Vegemite? what language are you speaking :D

Now I'll have to go look for Dirk Gently--it sounds like fun.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

English / NZ / Australian!

Dirk Gently is great; heaps of fun! There was a one-off in 2010 and now there's a three-ep season.

[vjezkova.livejournal.com]

Hahaha, I did try that English Marmite, thank you but never ever:-)
I wonder in what way is yours different?
Also I agree that the weather doesn´t behave. I am sorry your house is leaking.
As fot the TV programmes, these are unknown here but we have some our shows and very good ones ( real life stuff):-)

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Ahahaha, sucked in, were you? My sister used to make Vegemite sandwiches for unsuspecting Europeans which I considered mean. No one likes it if they didn't grow up with it.

Ours looks the same but all three - Vegemite and the two Marmites - taste different.

The house always leaks in heavy rain from a certain direction, just over the couch in the living room. :-( We've tried several time to find where the rain's getting in but so far no luck.

[jomacmouse.livejournal.com]

It made the Sydney Morning Herald, here (http://news.smh.com.au/action/printArticle?id=3144694). The manager was more concerned by possible panic buying than that people would change to Vegemite. Did someone really suggest that? I rather think that sort of person isn't a fan of either.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

There was definitely panic buying here, made worse by all the news items. Yeah, they're quite different but if we run out of our nearly full (but fairly small) jar, I don't mind using Vegemite instead. We have that in the house too. I just prefer Marmite. :-P

[jomacmouse.livejournal.com]

I like that icon. Very definitely says "Awwhat!" :-)

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

have you seen Miranda? Her talking to the camera shouldn't work but it does, very much so.

[jomacmouse.livejournal.com]

No, I haven't. *makes note to do some research after work*

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

I heard about the Marmite! I gather yours is more sugary?

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I heard yours was! Ours isn't exactly sweet. I'd say it's a savoury taste, just less so than Vegemite.

[quabazaa.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately we have an almost empty jar of marmite :( I went to 5 supermarkets yesterday an couldn't find any! Pablo reckons they didn't have any last week either so I wonder if they stopped shipping to Aus before they released the news.

I am one of those weirdos that can eat vegemite too (grew up eating it thanks to my family's love of it) and Pablo is actually the one who converted me to marmite! Haha! Still I will miss it if we won't have any until July :(

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I grew up with both too* and we stock both but I prefer Marmite. I'm not too worried as I can eat the Vegemite instead but it's not the same, that's all, and some people won't make the switch.

* As a kid I thought Marmite was made with meat and Vegemite with vegetables which is why I used to chose Vegemite in those days. The weird thing is, Greg thought the same; maybe it was a things back then?

[quabazaa.livejournal.com]

Ah I've heard that as well, I don't know if it was ever true though, maybe it just came from the name "mar" vs "veggie". The wiki article calls marmite a meat free version of bovril so perhaps that's the origin!

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I think it was because of the name, and kids like passing on stuff like that rumour which was unfounded but very widespread.

U kids at my primary school used to chant, "Yum yum, pig's bum makes good chewing (or chuddy) gum", and it appears it was true. :-P I'm glad I never liked gum.

[zoefruitcake.livejournal.com]

If it is different I won't offer to send you some of ours then! Having said that I had to buy a jar two weeks ago and I was shocked at how the price had rocketed since I last bought one, it was £5 a jar!

I've got Dirk Gently recorded :0)

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's quite different. Wow, that's expensive! How big a jar was it? We usually buy smallish ones as we don't eat that much of it (not like a friend who puts it on half-inch thick).

Ha, I've now heard the word "Marmageddon" used. :-D

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

BTW I wanted to tell you about seeing another icon of your corn-eating cat but I couldn't find it. Then it popped up today on a comm:

It's so cute the way her eyes close in pleasure.

[zoefruitcake.livejournal.com]

awwww :0)