Tofu

I am trying to remember when I first tasted tofu, and why I love it so much. I probably tried it first after hearing about it from my sister Ruth, and likely Gary and I first bought at the First Alternative Coop in Corvallis, OR in ’76 or ’77 when I was pregnant with my firstborn. Soon, we were making our own tofu from the basic elements of soybeans, water and nigari , a type of sea-salt used as a coagulant for the soy milk. It seems to have gone through an era of unpopularity which perplexed me. Maybe that reputation is fading, as the need for we humans to eat a more plant based diet grows more and more evident. And the association of soy with good health is surely evidenced by its long historical consumption in Asia. It has been consumed for over 2,000 years in China and at least a thousand in Japan. Those of us who know the tender freshness of just pressed tofu know it as a homey, delicious taste. I liken the difference between store-bought and homemade, to the difference between store-bought and freshly made bread. The use of nigari brings the aroma of the ocean to my senses. The process of making tofu is described best in The Book of Tofu, by William Shurtleff and Akiko Aoyagi My sister Ruth recently posted a pic of her own return to tofu making and I am inspired ( as I am so often by her good example ) to bring out the basic equipment necessary and to spend the early morning hours of a snowy morning to practice one of the best of my cooking skills.