Would you believe that Australians don't know what Marshmallow Fluff is?
Fig. 1: Marshmallow Fluff
Marshmallow Fluff is great stuff. You, obviously, can't make rice krispie treats without it. Well, you can melt down standard marshmallows...but why go through the trouble. My mother has some friends in Australia and on one of their many phone calls, she mentioned that she was making something (I forget what) in which one of the main ingredients was "Marshmallow Fluff".
They asked what Marshmallow Fluff was.
Mother was silent for a minute. She could not believe that they did not know what Marshmallow Fluff was. Dad was shocked, too. She tried her best to explain what it was. They do have regular marshmallows in Australia, and they also have rice krispies and know what rice krispie treats are. They just don't have the fluff!
As a gesture of international good-will, we decided to introduce Marshmallow Fluff to Australia.
Mom bought three tubs of the fluff, and boxed it up and FedEx'd it off to her friends. In about a week we got a phone call. It was "J" and his wife calling from Australia. They received the package OK, and opened one of the tubs with some trepidation. They were afraid to try it because they didn't know what to expect.
The fluff did not last long.
They thoroughly enjoyed the Marshmallow Fluff. They said that their rice krispie treats were better. The fluff tasted better than their standard marshmallows. They introduced it to all their friends in Australia, and they all enjoyed it as well. They even shared one tub around at a party, raw! They thought sharing unusual foods like this was a great idea. It helps to introduce a little something of other cultures to others. They decided to reciprocate by sending us something that we don't have.
Fig. 2: Vegemite
I have seen Vegemite before. They stock it regularly at a large grocery in Cincinnati called Jungle Jim's...a great store with tons of foreign foods. The store complex covers 6 acres!
They FedEx'd us three jars of Vegemite. We got it with in a week, and were really excited. They said to just eat it like a typical peanut butter sandwich, and that we will absolutely love it! So, we got it and opened it and slathered it on some bread and munched it down.
We are now at war with Australia.
Vegemite is the most vile, awful tasting substance that I have ever eaten. It was a poor trade for the Marshmallow Fluff. Dad, who has eaten plenty of strange stuff, even had problems with it. Mom called her friends and they asked how we liked it. She didn't quite know what to say because she didn't want to offend them or their Australian heritage. They goaded her into telling them what she really thought, and she had to admit that we all didn't like it and that it was the worst thing ever.
They said they didn't like it, either. In fact, no one in Australia actually eats this stuff.
We all had a great laugh about that! Even though it was a wholly unpleasant substance, it was great fun to try something from another country. Every country has something different, or a lot of something different, that people from other countries would find alien and strange. People should be much more willing to try strange and wonderful stuff, especially foods, from other cultures. Obviously I don't mean stuff that would make you physically ill just seeing it...like bugs...but branch out and try something different. You never know what you might like.
For example, I love sushi, especially sushi rolls. My favorite restaurant, Thai9 in Downtown Dayton's Oregon District, serves a great sushi roll called a "JB Roll". This is a seaweed and sticky rice-wrapped piece of raw salmon with a piece of cream cheese and scallions. I know it isn't really totally Japanese, but it is absolutely terrific. One evening, mom and dad and I went to a local restaurant that serves food hibachi-style, and they also have an extensive sushi bar. I ordered their version of a "JB Roll", which was great. I coaxed my mother into trying one. She has an aversion to raw fish, and would never try anything raw and "strange". She really liked it! She was shocked and never knew that sushi could be so good. Now she doesn't go out of her way to get sushi, but she will eat it.
I think the best way to experience another culture is to eat what they eat. Food truly is a great way to bridge the gap between different cultures.
Fig. 1: Marshmallow FluffMarshmallow Fluff is great stuff. You, obviously, can't make rice krispie treats without it. Well, you can melt down standard marshmallows...but why go through the trouble. My mother has some friends in Australia and on one of their many phone calls, she mentioned that she was making something (I forget what) in which one of the main ingredients was "Marshmallow Fluff".
They asked what Marshmallow Fluff was.
Mother was silent for a minute. She could not believe that they did not know what Marshmallow Fluff was. Dad was shocked, too. She tried her best to explain what it was. They do have regular marshmallows in Australia, and they also have rice krispies and know what rice krispie treats are. They just don't have the fluff!
As a gesture of international good-will, we decided to introduce Marshmallow Fluff to Australia.
Mom bought three tubs of the fluff, and boxed it up and FedEx'd it off to her friends. In about a week we got a phone call. It was "J" and his wife calling from Australia. They received the package OK, and opened one of the tubs with some trepidation. They were afraid to try it because they didn't know what to expect.
The fluff did not last long.
They thoroughly enjoyed the Marshmallow Fluff. They said that their rice krispie treats were better. The fluff tasted better than their standard marshmallows. They introduced it to all their friends in Australia, and they all enjoyed it as well. They even shared one tub around at a party, raw! They thought sharing unusual foods like this was a great idea. It helps to introduce a little something of other cultures to others. They decided to reciprocate by sending us something that we don't have.
Fig. 2: VegemiteI have seen Vegemite before. They stock it regularly at a large grocery in Cincinnati called Jungle Jim's...a great store with tons of foreign foods. The store complex covers 6 acres!
They FedEx'd us three jars of Vegemite. We got it with in a week, and were really excited. They said to just eat it like a typical peanut butter sandwich, and that we will absolutely love it! So, we got it and opened it and slathered it on some bread and munched it down.
We are now at war with Australia.
Vegemite is the most vile, awful tasting substance that I have ever eaten. It was a poor trade for the Marshmallow Fluff. Dad, who has eaten plenty of strange stuff, even had problems with it. Mom called her friends and they asked how we liked it. She didn't quite know what to say because she didn't want to offend them or their Australian heritage. They goaded her into telling them what she really thought, and she had to admit that we all didn't like it and that it was the worst thing ever.
They said they didn't like it, either. In fact, no one in Australia actually eats this stuff.
We all had a great laugh about that! Even though it was a wholly unpleasant substance, it was great fun to try something from another country. Every country has something different, or a lot of something different, that people from other countries would find alien and strange. People should be much more willing to try strange and wonderful stuff, especially foods, from other cultures. Obviously I don't mean stuff that would make you physically ill just seeing it...like bugs...but branch out and try something different. You never know what you might like.
For example, I love sushi, especially sushi rolls. My favorite restaurant, Thai9 in Downtown Dayton's Oregon District, serves a great sushi roll called a "JB Roll". This is a seaweed and sticky rice-wrapped piece of raw salmon with a piece of cream cheese and scallions. I know it isn't really totally Japanese, but it is absolutely terrific. One evening, mom and dad and I went to a local restaurant that serves food hibachi-style, and they also have an extensive sushi bar. I ordered their version of a "JB Roll", which was great. I coaxed my mother into trying one. She has an aversion to raw fish, and would never try anything raw and "strange". She really liked it! She was shocked and never knew that sushi could be so good. Now she doesn't go out of her way to get sushi, but she will eat it.
I think the best way to experience another culture is to eat what they eat. Food truly is a great way to bridge the gap between different cultures.
6 comments:
The Marshmallow Fluff-Vegemite War of 2007. :-)
This was a very good piece. I laughed out loud. Then, I got hungry.
Japan doesn't have decent marshmallows, let alone fluff. Their marshmallows are too firm, rubbery, and there's something odd about the taste. The stickiness you expect from the center is missing and they don't puff up right if you toast them.
I haven't had any marshmallow fluff for ages. If I did, I'm probably just eat it out of the jar with a spoon until I became ill. It's so yummy.
Unfortunately this was a few years ago. Trust me, if my mouth and tongue could handle sushi, I'd be all over it! One of these days, when I finally get up to eating Thai food again, I will be spending a large amount of cash eating all the sushi and Pad Thai that I can.
If you ever get the desire for real Marshmallow Fluff, just let me know...I'd be glad to send some along. Just please, please don't send back any Vegemite. LOL! :)
I may take you up on that offer. ;-)
I could send you back some "peanutsu curimu" (Peanut cream). It's this incredibly vile Japanese take on peanut butter which is glossy, the texture of tar and just really nasty. :-)
Oh, gee...well...uh...hmmm...
That is SO tempting, really, thanks! LOL!
I eat Vegemite all the time. Heaps of people in Australia do! haha.
Vegemite is meant to be spread thinly, very thinly. otherwise the salty taste overwhelms you.
Try a thin coating on some toast, if you find that too dry spread the toast with butter first.
Vegemite and cheese sandwiches are nice, try spreading it on a chicken before roasting it, produces a great tasting skin.
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