I expect most post-war 'bulge babies' (such as myself) will have been raised on these two products; Marmite and Bovril.
Marmite is a Yeast product, and Bovril comes from Beef. Both brands are owned by Unilever.
I just happened to spot a jar of Bovril whilst shopping last Saturday, and was tempted enough to invest.
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Bovril fell out of favour in the late 1980's, after a shocking outbreak of highly contagious BSE (Mad Cow Disease). Panic was everywhere, and sadly 4.4 million cattle were slaughtered. There were also almost 200 human fatalities.
My own memories of Bovril date back to when I was a small child. When it was cold, or if I was ill, a large steaming cup of hot Bovril drink (sometimes known as Beef Tea) was just about the most comforting thing on earth.
So, not having tasted Bovril for well over 50 years, how was it?
Verdict: Not quite as I remember it, but still good. 7/10. (Marmite, of course, still receives a 10/10)
At the first company that I worked at after graduating there was a very enterprising catering manager who, on cold winter mornings would set up a stall at the entrance from the car park selling cups of hot Bovril to employees as they came into work. Certainly set one up for the morning shift until coffee break!
ReplyDeleteAs a child I loved it. It always seemed like a special treat.
DeleteCan't remember the last time I had Bovril. Vegemite for me as it is gf and Marmite for Doug.
ReplyDeleteI had forgotten all about Bovril, then seeing it at Sainsbury's I just had to have some. It does seem slightly different, but it's been over 50 years since I tasted it.
DeleteWe drink it occasionally on cold, wet , miserable days. It seems more consoling than tea then.
ReplyDeleteI also put a generous dollop into meat stews.
Not a fan of Marmite though.
I can remember having it with the cooking water from Broccoli, Sprouts, etc. It added an extra 'edge'.
DeleteI have seen Bovril on our shelves in some supermarkets, but our Aussie equivalents are Vegemite and Bonox. I remember a television advertisement from many years ago, with a hostess offering hot drinks to her visitors: "coffee, tea or bonox?"
ReplyDeleteA primary school friend used to drink a cup of hot vegemite after school in the winter, made the same way as the bovril/bonox.
I've not heard of Bonox, but I have eaten Vegemite. Hot drinks made with any of these products is always comforting.
DeleteWe used to have Bovril sandwiches. I don't remember taking it any other way.
ReplyDeleteMy new jar has only had one outing as yet, and that was to be spread on toast. Nice but not wonderful.
DeleteI've heard of Bovril of course but never tasted it. Beef tea, it actually sounds appealing. I don't think I've ever seen it here, marmite now and again.
ReplyDeleteI shall put it on the visitors list just to try this new, for me , taste
Buy a SMALL jar, you probably won't like it. I think one needs to grow-up with such things.
DeleteYesterday's lunch was Marmite and egg mayonnaise on toast! I like Bovril too, but only as a spread. As a drink it is quite revolting in my opinion!
ReplyDeleteI had mine on toast a couple of days ago. That's normally how I would eat it.
DeleteI don't drink either but my favourite coffee shop buys small heart shaped portions of Marmite for my morning toast. I am the only customer that has them!
ReplyDeleteHow very chic of them. I've never seen that, but I've not visited a modern UK Coffee Shop.
DeleteWe love Marmite and have had these little heart shaped pots in bed and breakfasts and cafes. I've been vegan for many many years so have never tried Bovril.
DeleteAt halftime in most football grounds you could buy a beaker of steaming Bovril. Just what you needed on a chilIy winter's day. haven't seen it for sale in years now.
ReplyDelete...at football grounds I mean.
DeleteI thought half-time was Meat Pie time. I once heard a radio programme comparing Meat Pies from around the grounds, and Brighton's came top; but they were also the most expensive.
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DeleteI remember this too YP! Never drank it but it was widely available even at First Division (as it was then) grounds.
We were brought up with Vecon more than Marmite. Having been to NZ and met Vegemite..I love it!!
ReplyDeleteI'm not a huge fan of Vegemite. I like it but compared to Marmite it tastes a bit 'earthy'.
DeleteSame! I remember my aunt and cousins visiting from Australia when I was young and we all went on a caravan holiday. They brought Vegemite and I thought it was disgusting so carried on eating my Marmite. I have tried Vegemite again as an adult and it still cannot beat my lovely Marmite.
DeleteI think our parents must have been related in some way!
ReplyDeleteI used to be given Bovril or Marmite to drink, usually made with the cabbage, or other veg water. To be honest I loved a mug of cabbage water just as it came, drinking it at every opportunity, and, it may be coincidence, but I was about the only girl at my Grammar school to have no 'teenage spots'!
I love Marmite either on toast, or as a drink, and the Marmite Peanut Butter is divine! I have been known to open a jar of Marmite and Peanut Butter just to 'pinch' a teaspoonful!
At Easter time M&S do Marmite and Cheese Hot Cross Buns, they're delicious too! In fact, anything containing Marmite is fabulous, cream cheese, chocolate, the lot, I'm an addict!
I'm not fussy on Bovril as a spread, but do have it as a hot drink at any time between October and March (ish). I also pop a good spoonful of Bovril into a beef stew, chilli, or when making a big pan of bone broth! X
You may not be surprised to hear that at our house in France we have about 6 large pots of Marmite. Every time people visit; guess what they bring me? I'm pleased to hear that it's not just me who drinks that cooking water. I never had spots either!!!!
DeleteYou wouldn't like Vecon then..like Vegemite but more green in colour and taste!!
ReplyDeleteI'll stick with the Marmite and Bovril.
DeleteI'm very much in the Vegemite camp. Marmite has an odd sweetness that I don't like.
ReplyDeleteI recall sending The Swede to get me Vegemite at The English Shop once and he came home with Marmite, having been assured by the guy at the shop that they were identical. I marched him back to the shop and the British guy behind the counter said to The Swede "But you didn't say that your wife was Australian. They are so unreasonable about Vegemite" Hah!
I was also somewhat appalled that it appears in the Disgusting Food Museum in Malmö. Apparently some Australians have been quite vocally aggressive about it :)
Hello Marie. We have plenty of Swedish connections in our family; my wife is half Swedish. I am a huge fan of ABBA Sill, and always have several jars in the fridge. However, one of the things that really ought to go in that museum is that awful BROWN CHEESE, which I think may be Norwegian. Also there are some disgusting rotten tinned fish that must already be there.
DeleteI can't agree about Vegemite, to me it tastes of earth.
Oh, you mean Gjetost! Is it cheese pretending to be fudge, or fudge pretending to be cheese?
DeleteWhichever it is, it's repulsive!
My mum loved the stuff, and would consume it in in vast amounts, but I can't even bear the smell of it!
I love cheeses of all types, but Gjetost is an abomination! X
I don't think I have tried either.
ReplyDeleteIf you weren't brought-up with them, you probably would find them 'not to your taste'.
DeleteListening to a P.G. Wodehouse story the other night, B. Wooster used the term 'dekko.' I had never heard of that word before. Now I know it means a quick glance. Always something new on the horizon! Cheers
ReplyDeleteRather an old fashioned word these days, but it used to be common parlance.
Delete@ Tim,
Delete'Decko' is still an often heard Liverpool word meaning "look".
As in "Let's have a decko at your new car".
It is from the Anglo-Indian word, "deck", meaning "look" or "peep".
However, it ultimately derives from the Hindi word "dekhna" - "to see, look at".
Decko still in common usage in Norfolk.
DeleteI'm not familiar with either product. Reviews above seem mixed. I think I'll pass.
ReplyDeleteMarmite's advertising strapline is "you'll either love it or hate it"!
DeleteYou need to be fed it as a child. Not something you take-to later in life.
DeleteI think so too!
DeleteWell we've been through the Marmite posts before and obviously Marmite is superior to Vegemite of any other usurper (including New Zealand Marmite). However I regard Bovril as a separate product largely because, so far as I'm aware, it's usually a drink (as a child I had it too) or a stew etc additive. Marmite is principally for toast (every lunchtime with soup for me) or on toast (often with with peanut butter).
ReplyDeleteI've always had Bovril on toast just like Marmite, but my childhood memories are of it as a hot drink. I shall have one quite soon.
DeleteWe always drink the vegetable water. I boil the potatoes and sweet potatoes first then use the same water for the greens and carrots. It is delicious.
ReplyDeleteIt must be our upbringing, I always drink it; usually with some Marmite.
DeleteI've never had Bovril so never connected this with the mythic "beef tea" that crops up in so much old literature. I imagined that was beef broth from the stockpot. Just checking to see if it can be bought here, Bonox crops up in it's stead. "Coffee, tea or Bonox?" is a well-remembered advert but, again, not something in our pantry for some reason.
ReplyDeleteI expect Bovril commandeered the term 'Beef Tea'. It must have had its origins elsewhere, and more than likely in the stockpot.
DeleteI'm not familiar with either marmite, vegemite, or Bovril... but the last one sounds a bit like a beef or bone broth. When I think about the days after the war that my parents talked about, they mentioned Spam a lot and evaporated milk. (I love evaporated milk! and use it in my tea and cooking)
ReplyDeleteI can remember having Spam Fritters, and liking them, but I don't think I shall be buying any. We post-war children were fed some strange things. I still have my ration book.
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