The municipal swimming pool where I came from (and JRJ will know well) had a small cafe that only appeared to sell Bovril accomponied with prawn cocktail crisps.

BTW it burned down. How the **** does a building made of water and tile burn down?

(Though recently we have re-discovered the intriguing delights of Patum Peperium)>>>

Shipphams in a posh pot.

Well if the many B&Bs i've eaten breakfast at are any indicator No - does not have to be refrigerated - indeed some Marmite jars seem to have been first opened years ago by the crust on their lids - this also testifies that very few folks care for the stuff.

"And the second (and this may just be me) is after a long swimming class"

Nah.

The REAL place where hot Bovril works is in an open-air swimming pool (like New Brighton or West Kirby) just after Easter. Where you got blue just by going in - but it was a lot warmer in than the 30-yards sprint to the caff once you got out.

Problem was: would a cup of Bovril warm you up enough to survive the 50-yd run, around the pool, through the teeming rain/sleet, to the changing rooms?

And you only hear the survivors' version.

"For those others too young to remember..."

Can you seriously imagine the Beeb these days allowing cut-glass crumpet like Sylvia Peters to advocate so gross a sexual perversion? While children are watching?

Talking of which: who's heard Fascinating Aida sing "Dogging"?

It lasts forever, unrefrigerated, even with crumbs and bits of butter in it.

When the human race comes to an end, and buildings fall down, and plants grow over everything (like that depressing documentary), marmite will still remain edible for millenia.

Winchester had an open air Lido when I was a puppy.

It was beyond even the reach of Bovril.

CW - Unashamedly southern. Is naturally blond. Looked wonderful after a few dips in Winchester College's pool - in fact looked like I'd spent my life on Malibu beach. In a burkha.

No wonder we invaded every other bugger.

Fascinating Aida? Shame on you. The real thing:

http://tinyurl.com/yezpdxq

BTW in an election year:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMMSSseKCmMI

I have to say I love this stuff more than almost anything else.

I used to swim in the open air pool at Wallingford.....

"When the human race comes to an end...marmite will still remain edible for millenia."

5/10

When the human race ends, every opened jar of Marmite will indeed stay round for millennia, and be totally unchanged. However many millions of degrees C it's warmed up to outside.

Every single one will just as inedible as it was when it came off the first petrie dish.

You must be part Johnny Foreigner, Flanner - all true Brits have the marmite-loving gene......

I don't think I've ever tasted marmite. Do I have to hand back my passport?

Bovril is best at the footie with loads of pepper and a pie to dunk in it.

Scouser innit - Borderline paddy.

No that I have learned that it cannot be destroyed and will outlive me, and all of the generations of my line, it is interesting that the jar has a "best before" date. I wonder what happens after?

>>I wonder what happens after?<<

It turns back into mice, or a pumpkin.

>>I think the thing with Marmite is you have to grow up eating it, from the age of around 6-7 months when you can just about hold a toast soldier in your fat little fist and shove a bit of it in your mouth.<<

However, foreigners can be converted when they try it as part of a turkey sandwich on whole wheat with butter and a bit of cranberry sauce.

Lee Ann

When I read this (and am sent scurrying to Google to figure out what in the heck you're talking about) I can't help but think of the supermarkets thread.

'Tis true that Marmite is a taste best acquired at a young age - 7 yo in my case, at boarding school. We also had an outdoor pool (this was Africa) but still very cold for 10.00am swimming classes in April. After 40 mins in freezing water, we were given marmite sammies and hot milk with Nesquik for elevenses, served on a covered table under a tree outside the school dining room. Yuck to the nesquik but yum to the sammies (sometimes substituted with bovril on buttered bread). Mem'ries.

I'm surprised nobody has even dared mention that Marmite twin called Veggiemite or maybe Vegimite?
I know Aussies can't live without it but one teensy little taste and I was back on the plonk.

Twin? There's no comparison, vegemite is much better than marmite.

Note that Walkinaround has not made a contribution to this thread. Ergo, he has never had Marmite. Ergo, he is not a true Brit.

We always mixed the Marmite with the butter before spreading it on the bread. You get a more even distribution that way.