Tag Archive: Marmite


MY MARMITE DISCOVERY IN ITALY

Filed under: Health and fitness, Italy — Leave a comment
May 31, 2013


As an Englishman abroad, I have depended on the good will of visitors and frequent trips ‘home’ to ensure that I don’t run out of Marmite.

Those in the ‘I love it’ camp will appreciate why it is important to maintain a stock of this spread.

In 17 years of living in Italy, I have never found anywhere that sells it but a tip-off from a work colleague led me to Scaramagli in Bologna.

This amazing shop has existed since 1912 and is now in the third generation of owners. From the outside, it doesn’t look anything special; just another well stocked store in a city that justifiably prides itself on its range of gourmet food stores.

Inside, the lavishly stocked shelves are a paradise for ex-pats and foodies. “Look they even have mincemeat!” said my wife; to which a passing English gentleman dryly commented “It’s not in season”.

The fact that it also boasts having 2813 different types of wine, 275 brands of whisky and 268 varieties of grappa, it would also keep any wealthy alcoholic permanently sozzled.

A newspaper clipping on the wall from La Repubblica describes the shop as the city’s answer to Harrods. This is not entirely accurate as it doesn’t have to elaborate decor or fancy trimmings of the London store but it does reflect the shop’s unique and historic character.

I intend to become a regular customer.

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LIVING WITH YOUR VEGAN FAMILY MEMBER

Filed under: Books, Health and fitness — 1 Comment
May 30, 2013

This free e-book from Vegan publishers by Casey Taft aims to destroy the common myths about veganism and promote domestic harmony on the basis that “the more we are able to communicate about the things that matter to us, the closer we will be as families and as a society”.

The nearest he gets to propaganda is when countering the malicious accusation that vegans care more about animals than people. Taft explains that veganism is about much more than just food but is a lifestyle choice which “emphasizes kindness and compassion toward all living things and bettering one’s health and the environment to improve conditions for humans and other animals now and in the future”.

The thrust of his argument is that this philosophy can be likened to a form of religious belief : “It is important to be mindful of the fact that the diet of a vegan may be important to them in the same way that a kosher diet would be to an Orthodox Jew”. Continue reading →

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THE MASTER, MADNESS AND MARMITE

Filed under: Movies — Leave a comment
February 27, 2013

THE MASTER directed by Paul Thomas Anderson (USA, 2012)

I was prematurely dismissive about There Will Be Blood, Paul Thomas Anderson’s previous movie. I only really appreciated its quality and power on second viewing. I strongly suspect that the same will be true of The Master and certainly feel inclined to reserve final judgement until I’ve had chance to see it again.

The film’s opacity and lack of plot mean that there is a temptation to dismiss the universal critical acclaim it has garnered as hype and it is clear that,beyond the smart press, it has already divided ‘ordinary’ punters. It has been branded as a Marmite movie, something you’ll either love or hate.

If asked the question ‘what is it about?’, the most typical reply would be that it is a veiled study/satire of the birth of scientology but this seems a bit reductive to me. As it raises philosophical issues about the nature of madness, rationalism and existentialism, dismissing it on the grounds that there’s no narrative arc seems to me to be a superficial reading. Continue reading →

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MARMITE NEEDS LOVE

Filed under: Good causes, Italy — 2 Comments
May 25, 2011

As a Brit abroad, one of tastes I miss most is Marmite – I’m a lover not a hater.

I haven’t found anywhere to buy it near where I live so anyone who visits me here in Italy has to buy a jar in lieu of rent.

Every time I go back to England I stock up (the last time I discovered that at Stansted airport they even sell small jars in the newsagents in the duty-free shop area – something that even surprised the shop assistant).

I can therefore only imagine the trauma of ex-pats who live in Denmark after it was announced that Marmite is now an illegal substance on the grounds that it contains too many vitamins.

Checking this story online  at CNN, The Guardian, The Telegraph and The Daily Mail, one curiosity is that the wording of the story, and the people quoted, is practically identical. This means that they are all working from the same press release and none of these papers has bothered to get a reporter on the ground to cover this emergency. This is shameless negligence that all smacks of a conspiracy.

Someone suggested that some form of civil disobedience is called for. What form this would take is unclear. Maybe protesters could stage a march with Marmite spread on their faces like war paint; what about making stink bombs with the distinctive aroma of the yeast spread and throwing them into supermarkets or government buildings, other countries could support the Danes by banning the import of Lego or Carlsberg.

Something has to be done, that’s for sure  – today it’s the Danes, who’s going to suffer next?

A Marmite Eaters Against Denmark (M.E.A.D) group is needed NOW and while we’re about it The Love Party in the UK needs your support as this ad explains:

Related links:

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MODERATION IS A FATAL THING

Filed under: Music — 2 Comments
February 23, 2010

Joanna Newsom certainly knows how to create a buzz.

Love her or hate her (and I’m totally with the former) she is impossible to ignore. Like Marmite, it’s impossible to remain neutral on the issue.

Her last album, the magnificent Ys from 2006, drew massive attention through its originality, complexity and duration.

‘Folk’ artists just don’t make records like this and now, as if to up the ante, she has just gone and released a triple album – ‘Have One On Me’ – whose 18 songs have a total playing time of an immense 2 hours and 4 minutes.

Ms Newsom once again acts in accordance with Oscar Wilde’s famous aphorism that : “Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess” .

Snap judgements as to whether it is up the same high standard set by Ys should be treated with a pinch of salt not because they can’t be true, but simply because it is impossible to digest such a vast collection of songs immediately; hers are records to live with and dip into rather than consume whole.

On first listening I picked the tracks Esme and California  for their sheer gorgeousness but I fully expect these favourites to change with each listening.

Amazingly, Joanna Newsom is still only 28 and heaven knows where she’ll go for here. Even if she never makes another record, she’s already produced a rich body of work to last for years to come.

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