Tried marmite for the first time...

[Star555]

Having been an expat for most of my life, I had not tasted the mystery that is marmite before yesterday. I had heard and read about it, and knew that I would "love it or hate it". I thought that lockdown would be the perfect time to try something new, so I ordered a jar and spread a THIN layer on my buttered toast yesterday. I took a bite anticipating some bizarre smell/taste, but surprisingly the only thing I tasted was SALT. It was overwhelmingly salty, and nothing else (no good/bad smell, texture, etc.). I'm afraid I've fallen into the camp of heretics who dislike marmite, but I'm curious: is it just my taste buds or has anyone else felt exceedingly overwhelmed by only the sheer saltiness of even a thin layer of marmite, with no other reactions to the smell, texture, etc?

Oh it's one of my favourite foods!
Tiny tiny amount mind.
Maybe it really is love it or hate it!

Life is nothing without marmite.

Cream cheese, marmite and cucumber sandwiches are a delight. Marmite and peanut butter is amazing.

What else haven’t you tried?! Where do you stand on English mustard?

You need less than a thin layer, really - about a fingernail size smeared into the butter.

I am evidently very odd. I occasionally eat it straight out of the jar. (Clean spoon each time, obviously - although I'm the only person in the house who likes it, so who cares).

If you're not keen on Marmite, you'd hate the XO... mwahahahaha!

@AnneLovesGilbert you should never stand on English mustard. Sacrilege. Also, I imagine, slippery.

It definitely tastes like more than salt. It’s proper umami, nothing else like it. I don’t want toast dripping in it but more than a thin layer. On eggy bread (French toast) is my favourite

Yes, it's impossible to spread it thinly enough without butter. Or peanut butter. Or cheese. Or cream cheese.

Enough to spread without butter is way too much, and I'm the sort who has it every day.

Now I really want some marmite on toast!

I also love a nice jacket potato with marmite and cheese. In fact I think that is definitely going to be my lunch tomorrow.

SisyphusAndTheRockOfUntidiness

What’s all this ”spread it thin” stuff? You want your toast completely covered in the delicious salty stuff. At least two knives worth. Don’t sell yourself or marmite short and skimp.

Genius! I had never thought of it on eggy bread. That sounds amazing.

@BuffaloCauliflower do you marmite it then dip it in egg and cook it, or cook it then marmite it?

Marmite and boiled egg sandwiches. Food of the gods.

Thank you, friends! Perhaps I did use too much marmite after all, even though I'm quite sure I spread a thin layer. (I even compared with Google images.) If anyone would be kind enough to post a picture of their toast with butter and a true thin layer of marmite next time they have it, I would really appreciate it as a reference! Or just a picture of the amount of marmite (in a teaspoon/on a knife) and the amount of butter that is appropriate for one piece of toast to enjoy without being overwhelmed by saltiness. I know this request sounds silly, but I want to make sure I don't unfairly reject something so cherished as marmite ...thank you!

My first time? I was 43.

My pusher said 'you'll either love this or hate it'. I wasn't fooled. I'd seen the adverts. I knew that was what she was supposed to say.

I buttered the toast. She passed me the marmite, I stuck the knife right in.

'NO!' She cried. 'Not like that. Never like that. Tippie tip of the knife. Smeary smeary. Leave a bit of space. Let it breathe.'

And that was it. I'd found my new mistress.

(And I really want some toast and marmite now!)

I find it a bit bitter as well as salty. Much prefer Bovril personally, which gives the delicious saltiness but with a beefy aftertaste instead of bitterness. Marmite is yuk!

Well i was tucked up reading my phone in bed, now I'm in the kitchen making crumpets with butter & marmite and a cuppa for me & the old man. Give it another go op

Mmm. Marmite on buttered toast with scrambled egg. That's what I'll be having for breakfast!

I too can eat it by the teaspoon. I put at least a teaspoon on each slice of toast.

I'd say start with no more than a quarter of a teaspoonful, and apply it before the butter has all melted into the toast so it mixes in. If that doesn't taste of much (but isn't too salty for you) then add more. Of course, it maybe best to use unsalted butter to allow for more marmite.

Am I the only one now drooling?
Lonny your post was sublime

I'm wishing I had some Marmite cashews.

Do what Nigella does and mix the marmite (a teeny smidge) into the butter before it even goes anywhere near the toast. Also google marmite pasta (Nigella again) A-fucking-mazing.

I’ll just leave this here.

It’s salty-savoury-umami deliciousness. Yum.

I second Nigella's marmite pasta. It's wonderful.

Also roast potatoes tossed in marmite. They just have this incredible deep savoury umami flavour and are wonderful!

I thjnk it might have to be something you grow up with to like it. It is very salty but I love salty food. I think there is more to it than salt though as I can taste the difference between brands. Both my small children love it too.