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#69793 06/16/02 01:02 PM
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Dear Alexis: I looked at the "Sao" link. I think a generic name for it might be "hardtack" a large unleavened bread that used to be naval and military ration chosen because of its superior keeping qualities. When I was a kid it was called "Pilot bread" and often crumbled into a bowl with milk for a quick breakfast of evening meal. Sometimes I ate them with peanut butter on them, but never as a sandwich. I haven't seen them in the stores for many years. They could still be handy to take as rations for long drive or camping trip. I can't think of anything we have comparable to Vegemite.


#69794 06/16/02 03:09 PM
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AhHa Bill ... you can still buy Crown Pilots "TheFamous Chowder Cracker" made by Nabisco - but only in New England area. Yes. The kind you crumble in milk or in soup! Or lightly toast and butter! Or cover with peanut butter and reall marshmallow FLUFF! Yummmmm.

About 10 years ago Nabisco decided to stop making Pilots and we New Englanders raised so big a ruckus that they put them back into production but distribute them just in the North East ...where people know what is *good!
If you want a box, send me a note and I'll be happy to dispatch a box ASAP!


#69795 06/17/02 07:52 AM
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Nope, I don't think Saos are like hardtack - not as you describe it, and as I've always imagined it anyway - they are pretty crumbly when bitten into, but I've never heard of anyone crumbling them up deliberately; they're always made into sandwiches. And while they are good for car trips - they do need a topping, because they are quite dry - they're useless for actually packing in a bag because they crumble everywhere!


#69796 06/17/02 11:50 PM
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Alexis, I loved what you said earlier about the worms! I've done this with some crackers, but not with Sao - never met the stuff, unfortunately.

You Aussies have some of the best food....sighhhh....

And Unca Bill, Vegemite is close to (but not the same as) Marmite, which you may have seen....? (does it appear in the US? it do in Canada) Dark spread, anyway, with yeast, carrots and onions and salt as the main ingredients (if I remember correctly - don't have a jar handy to check).

Let us go in peace to love and serve the board.

#69797 06/18/02 12:05 AM
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with a few exceptions, most US americans think marmite and vegimite is inedible. Bird's custard can be found in most places in US, but not marmite/vegimite. I have tasted it, and i think it awful. I would have to truly be starving to eat the stuff. (little chance of that happening soon)


#69798 06/18/02 12:25 AM
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I think quite a few Canajuns think marmite and vegemite are inedible, too, but my fambly has always loved 'em - but we are of British extraction (I'm the only first-generation Canajun in my fambly) so perhaps that explains it. Anyone from the UK care to comment? (and I 'speck they have marmite in Ireland, too? anyone there like/dislike it particularly?)

Let us go in peace to love and serve the board.

#69799 06/18/02 12:27 AM
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And, just to drag this back to words rather than food (but not, alas, the original topic): where on earth did they come up with the names "vegemite" and "marmite"? The "mite" is probably to show how good it is for you (good on the B vitamins, I think I remember reading/hearing somewhere), and "vege" from the vegetables in it - but "mar"?!

Let us go in peace to love and serve the board.

#69800 06/18/02 10:00 AM
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I don't like the "mite" suffix at all. Makes me think of little bugs, mites. The food sounds contaminated from the get-go. Gross!


#69801 06/19/02 10:54 AM
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Vegemite is delicious. No ifs nor buts about it.

There was, however, an American exchange student at my residential college who thought that the Vegemite was Nutella, and so spread it on rather liberally and took a large bite... tee hee hee. Given its salty rather than sweet nature, besides probably being an acquired taste, he was impressed! As for the origin of the name - I knew once, but have forgotten. Probably somewhere on the web, though, if you're that interested


#69802 06/19/02 11:03 AM
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mmmm, nutella, the true ambrosia.


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