Black Gold Banned!
If you're an Australian or know someone who is then I'm sure you've heard of Vegemite before. That foul smelling, tar-like colour, Vitamin D packed spread that has made so many Australian's "happy little Vegemites"! Having lived in Australia for 5 years and having my first son there I know a thing or two about this country phenonmenon. It's a breakfast staple for kids on a piece of toast with melted butter. Or as a "cure" for one too many ales for big kids! In fact I think there was a time when my then 2 year old son wanted nothing more to eat than vegemite and toast for breakfast, a vegemite and cheese sandwich for lunch and vegemite on mashed potatoes for dinner! And his wish was my command!
So it was with some concern that I read recently in Maggie Ruggiero's blogpost in Gourmet's Choptalk that Kraft had ceased the importation of this black gold into the U.S. Apparently since 1999 Vegemite has been fortified with folate which is a no-no according to the Code of Federal Regulations 172.345. For those of you who are addicted to this stuff then this is serious business. Both my two sons are hooked (one of which wasn't even born in Australia - go figure the addiction!) Vegemite as part of their staple diet! I'm not panicking yet as I have not heard whether or not Vegemite will be banned in Canada (stay tune you little Vegemites as I try to find out) and I still have my 3 HUGE jars of the stuff that my Aussie visitors so kindly (ok so I threatened them!) brought to me this summer but my supply is dwindling.
Apparently there is no issue with personal importation so I may have to start saving up those airmiles in the event that I need to fly over to OZ to keep the pantry stocked. Sounds extreme but you try explaining to my two boys why a $2500 plane ticket is not a good spend for this $4.99 jar. Now you know why I call it Black Gold!