Delighted! The Daily Mail (a leading British national newspaper for our non-Brit friends) has a great feature on Marmite XO, the new extra strong Marmite. Writer David Leafe, good man, ordered the book before making contact. What a rare breed of journo is he! The book gets a decent mention....and it was clear he 'lifted' quite a bit of stuff from it and the sub, edititing his piece, 'nicked' the secondary title of the book for the headline. Withouth getting too big-headed about all this, feel this has sanctioned Mish-Mash as the publication to consult when information about Marmite is needed. And, husband Gary - the number one hater in the world of M - is also pretty made up.With his first whiff of Marmite, 30 years ago, he christened it: 'Tar-in-a-Jar'!
But apart from all that David has written one of those articles that will go into the annals of Marmite writings. He did some terrific research - even going (lucky chap) to the factory for a full briefing on the process. Made a very informative and fun read. Go to: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/food/article-1256512/What-Marmites-new-extra-strong-spread-like.html
A FUN STORY
Should have posted this ages ago! It's a fun story in the Bucks Free Press - based on the book. http://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/news/4767334.Bucks_named_Marmite_central/
AMAZON DEAL
Amazon US is offering a package-deal on three Marmite items. Delighted to discover that the book is one of them. Twiglets is another - which, of course, anyone who reads the ingredients on packages, or has read the book cover-to-over, knows that contrary to popular believe Marmite is not used in the manufacture of Twiglets. The Marmitey taste comes from a generic yeast-extract. But who cares? They're one of the world's irresistible snacks! The third item is a Paddington Bear promotion - a jar of M in a suitcase and a tiny PB. The link between Marmite and one of the all-time favourite story book character is now so old hat I'm amazed there are any of these promotional items still left! The book has the back-story to the uneasy relationship between these two iconic British 'things'. See the Amazon deal at: http://www.amazon.com/Marmite-Paddington-Gift-Pack-7-05-Ounce/dp/B002MZFJ4S
WHY I HAVEN'T ANYTHING TO SAY ABOUT....
Easy to work out, of course. The commerative jar (see two entries ago) was awarded after I left for Honduras....so it's going to be a while before I taste the new M-sensation. Not because I'm going to 'go native' on Utila (though would be easy to do) but because the XO is languishing in Yorkshire (didn't, couldn't expect Unilever to send it to DC). So I will not get my greedy, make that needy (see last entry), mitts on it until I pitch up again on my real native soil! Which could be quite some time. Though that wait could be shortened, if any family/friends from 'Jolly Olde' turn up this Spring....better get the invitations to visit out!
MISS IT SO MUCH!
After spending a year with my head in a Marmite jar I decided I needed not only a break but a way of jump-starting my travel-writing 'career' again. So, just after New Year, husband Gary (he came up with 'Tar-in-a-Jar') and I headed off to Honduras. Well, more precisely, the little island of Utila. In a bid to keep our luggage down, the Marmite was left behind. Stupidly thought that because of the British influence on Utila - English is the first language - a dusty jar of the mighty-M might be found lurking on the odd bodega shelf. Wrong! And cannot believe how much I miss it. At first I wasn't bothered. Hey, I told myself, I've eaten enough Marmite lately to keep me going for a while. But every time I pick-up warm bagels from the bakery (which is just about every morning) I yearn to smother them in the stuff. As for eating bananas here - the country which gave the world that gem of a 'fruit' - I find it ridiculous that I left home without it! What, you've never tried lacing a mashed-up banana with Marmite? A favourite treat - only equalled by peanut-butter and M. But totally surpassed by mixing all three together and adding apple sauce. I think I need to get home.....
MARMARATI 'HONOUR'
The book has pulled-off a major triumph! A new Marmite is scheduled to hit the market later this year. It's going to be extra-strong. It will sell under the name Marmite XO - which stands for Extra Old. In a bid to promote the newcomer Unilever (manufacturers of M) held a competition via its Facebook page. It invited Marmite fans to prove their passion by taking the challenge to be dubbed a Marmarati. Entries were then voted on. Only 200 - of the 694 entries - would make the cut. And Mish-Mash did it! A sweet victory that I am savouring because...well see the penultimate sentence.
My entry - among the hundreds of very stylized, complicated and fanciful offerings - was very simple. It was a photo of the front cover along with one paragraph that said: Anyone who spends nine months with their head in a Marmite jar to write a book about the black-magic deserves the honour of being declared numero uno Marmarati!
An e-mail told me that a 'hand-crafted, commemerative' jar of the 'prototype' new-taste Marmite is on its way to me. The package will also contain 'instructions' for the next step in the fight for the Marmarati crown. I'm sure Mish-Mash has gone as far as it's going in this particular arena....but, what an honour to get this far. Particularly as it was produced without the 'blessing' of Unilever. But will keep you posted.
My entry - among the hundreds of very stylized, complicated and fanciful offerings - was very simple. It was a photo of the front cover along with one paragraph that said: Anyone who spends nine months with their head in a Marmite jar to write a book about the black-magic deserves the honour of being declared numero uno Marmarati!
An e-mail told me that a 'hand-crafted, commemerative' jar of the 'prototype' new-taste Marmite is on its way to me. The package will also contain 'instructions' for the next step in the fight for the Marmarati crown. I'm sure Mish-Mash has gone as far as it's going in this particular arena....but, what an honour to get this far. Particularly as it was produced without the 'blessing' of Unilever. But will keep you posted.
The Sheffield Tel - Tells All, Twice!
The good old Sheffield Telegraph (where I once nearly got a job but flunked the final interview because the editor didn't like the fact I hesitated when asked what book I was currently reading!) finally came through. Nice piece about the book - but primarily about Dave Jeffery, illustrator extraordinaire, whom is orginally from the great steel city. Read it here: http://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk/arts/Spreading-love-and-hate.5961486.jp And then several days later its sister paper The Star happily got in on the act: http://www.thestar.co.uk/diary/Marmite-book-you39ll-either-love.5973445.jp
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