Marmite is a shiny tar-like spread made out of the residues that come from brewing beer. It is black, thick, pungent, very salty and sublime on hot buttered white toast.

Bovril is a similar spread, but thinner and made from beef residues. It's made to dilute in boiling water for a hot mug of a beef bouillon the French wouldn't recognize.

Both come in similar small black glass pot-bellied jars.

The Australians have their own version which they think is better, called Vegemite, a vegetarian version which they seldom travel for long periods without.

Want to know even more? Go to The Marmite FAQ, a whole site dedicated to it and its cousins.

The mind boggles.