Thursday, August 9, 2018

Out and about

Last Friday, Mrs. Paco and I went to the "big city" of Wilmington to pick up a chandelier that we had rewired. It was around noon, and we were hungry, so we had lunch at a place near the lighting store called "Tazy's Burgers and Grill". The place has an Australian theme - the logo is a cartoon Tasmanian devil riding a surfboard - but the theme is a very thin veneer, as the food is strictly American; the "Australianness" only extends to giving the individual items Australian names. For example, the "Joey Burger" is not, as you might imagine, a sandwich made from the ground meat of a baby kangaroo, but a quarter-pound beef hamburger. The "Sheila" is a smoked turkey sandwich, and so forth. I opted for the "Aussie Burger" (a half-pound hamburger), and Mrs. Paco went for the "Joey". The food was outstanding, the service great and the people friendly. I had to ask about one curious item on the menu: the "Vegemite". It is, in fact, a sandwich that consists of grilled vegetables - eggplant, zucchini, peppers, etc. When I inquired of the person at the counter if the sandwich actually included Vegemite, to my great amusement she gave me a horrified look and said, "Lord, no!".

14 comments:

RebeccaH said...

I have tasted Vegemite. It's not bad in minute quantities, but you really don't want to spread it on a sandwich.

Steve Skubinna said...

They really ought to get a jar or two of Vegemite and at least offer it.

It's a prime example of "making do" becoming an icon. Scrapple in PA, for example.

bruce said...

No beetroot on the burger?

Mike_W said...

'she gave me a horrified look and said, "Lord, no!"'

Lol, Paco.

Paco said...

I thought my Australian readers would get a kick out of that.

bruce said...

Thanks I did enjoy reading that.

Deborah said...

she gave me a horrified look and said, "Lord, no!"'

That's how you knew it wasn't authentic Aussie.

Paco, does that qualify as cultural appropriation?

Deborah said...

Paco, no pictures of your travels? How far is Wilmington? Are the storms hitting you?

Anonymous said...

Aussies not only like pickled beets (which they insist upon calling beetroot) on their burgers, but also what they call "grilled onions." They're actually sauteed, typically in margarine. For whatever reason they love them some margarine.

Maybe it helps get the taste of Vegemite out of their mouths.

Mike_W said...

Vegemite actually tastes pretty good, when thinly spread on buttered toast, or bread.

An American once asked me what Vegemite tastes like.
I replied that it tastes a little bit like what's left over in the bottom of the pan after you fry a steak.
He said, "Ah, Teflon".

bruce said...

Food fight! Food fight! Looks like some NY food critic is a reader. Well true Aussie tucker is billy tea and damper cooked in the ashes of the campfire. No wonder diabetes is rampant. I grew up eating 'lamb' and potato. Lamb chops, leg of lamb... can't beat the smell of lamb cooking.

bruce said...

What's this 'thinly spread' business? I suck on spoonfuls of vegemite. Great hangover cure. For the gourmet, mix vegemite with mashed avocado, olive oil and fresh ground black pepper. An entree or a snack.

Paco said...

Deborah: No, nothing picture-worthy, this time. Except for my half-pound hamburger; I should have snapped a photo of that.

Wilmington's about 30 miles north of Southport.

Irobot said...

It is an acquired taste. After my brain exploded and I was suffering the worst headache ever, all I could stomach was Vegemite on toast and Earl Grey tea. It did not cure me, the neurosurgeon fixed that, but it is great to settle the stomach if you have a migraine. Despite what Bruce says the secret is not to slop it on like peanut butter but a thin smear is enough. I use it in my meat pie mix too. If I ever get over to your neck of the woods I'll bring you a jar.