It’s been a pretty exciting week for us for a couple of reasons; firstly because we’ve arrived in Rome (more on that later) and, secondly, because there’s been an important addition to our travelling pantry … Vegemite!

Since we’ve arrived in Italy we’ve enjoyed some really wonderful meals, occasionally in great restaurants and often in small family-run trattorias. For the most part, though, we tend to cook at home. The local produce market and a good deli are usually the first things we seek out when we arrive in a new location. Fresh fruit and veg, local cheese and crusty bread – sorted! In summer we ate mostly salumi, salads and fruit and now, in the colder weather, it tends to be pasta and vegetables.

Over the months we’ve gathered together a few items that are good to have on hand; coffee and tea of course, but also a few dried herbs and spices, a bit of flour and our delicious balsamic from Modena. Most often we arrive to a pantry well-stocked with staples, but the travelling pantry has proven to be a good back-up.

Of course the food here in Italy is amazing, but from time to time we just want to cook up a steak. And then this week we spotted Vegemite and peanut paste in the ‘specialty imported goods’ shop in Rome and, like them or not, it seemed they really did belong in the travelling pantry.

So now, when we’re hankering for a taste of home, it’s just a skerrick of Vegemite or a slather of peanut paste on the morning toast and Bob’s your uncle.