Vegemite On Toast

Day 75: One of my personal mottos came up in discussion yesterday: Life is too short not to try new foods. Indeed, I will try anything once. I may never eat it again, but on the other hand, I may decide I like it. Many years ago, I decided to try that Down-Under classic, Vegemite on toast. None of the local grocers carried the Vegemite brand, but they did have Marmite. I bought a jar for my experiment. I'm not sure what I was expecting. I knew it was a savoury topping as opposed to a sweet one, but that did not prepare me for the strong salty taste and a flavour reminiscent of beef bouillon. It might have gone better at a different hour of the day: breakfast fare, it was not. If memory serves, I wound up using the remainder in soups. Even then, its merits were dubious. Still, I could not conclude the test until I found some real Vegemite which, thanks to my Kiwi friend Rob, arrived as part of his Christmas gift. At lunchtime, I spread one packet on a slice of homemade sourdough and hesitantly took a bite. By the time I had finished the toast, I had decided it was edible, although in that first moment, there had been some doubt in my mind. It is less salty than Marmite, less "beefy" (there is no beef in it, or in Marmite), and I think I will probably grow to like it by the time I've used the other three packets, allowing for a hefty serving of cultural difference on the side.

Medlars, Phase Two

Day 67: I have now processed four small batches of medlars (10-13 at a time) into juice, and the house is scented with a strangely rose-like fragrance. Another two dozen will be ready to process over the next few days. I am determined to create a jelly from this fruit which uses commercial pectin, as opposed to boiling it down. The taste of medlar jelly is reminiscent of honey, citrus and rose combined. I am hoping that by using commercial pectin, it will not lose too much of its flavour. Striking the proper balance between juice, sugar and acid (lemon) is critical, and so far, I have been unable to find any helpful formulae or tests to determine the ratio. My kitchen has become a laboratory, albeit a deliciously aromatic one, and the one saving factor here is that even the mistakes are usable. If my jelly winds up as glaze for my Christmas ham, I won't mind a bit.