15 Comments
Sep 18, 2023Liked by Emiko Davies

I love tofu -happy childhood memories of eating fresh tofu in syrup at food markets in Singapore growing up. So enjoyed reading your beautifully written description of tofu making. Looking forward to getting your new book!

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In syrup! Yum. Having watched and done cheesemaking often in the past, I was so struck at how similar it was but how they both developed so far apart from each other. Fascinating.

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I shall have to try tasting my freshly made tofu this way too (with sesame oil, though, as I don't know if egoma oil can be found in Rome)

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I haven't seen it here either, from what I understand it's expensive because it's so labour intensive! But good Japanese sesame oil is next best!

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Sep 18, 2023Liked by Emiko Davies

Happy to have come across this today as I have a small wooden tofu mold that I never figured out how to use. As an exchange student in Nagoya years ago I frequented a small tofu shop that sold small mounds of tofu with umeboshi or karashi filling inside which were wonderful.

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Ah that's perfect for this! I think I will perhaps put a sort of step by step in stories so people have some more visuals to help them. Today I posted some videos on instagram of the tofu making process with Kobayashi-san! Love umeboshi, that must have been so good!

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This is so beautiful and special; my daughter (a mostly vegetarian) adores tofu and even though I’ve been cooking it for 20 years, I’m inspired this year to level up and being it a new life in our kitchen. Here for all the ideas 🤍

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That's wonderful. I have a few tofu recipes in the book, I love it cold in the summer and braised in the winter, in soup, in stews... and when you make it by hand like this you have all the leftover pulp from the soy bean (it's called okara in Japanese) and you can make delicious warm salads with it or even turn them into delicious fluffy doughnuts!

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I loved this.

My dad used to work at a tofu factory (in Cleveland, Ohio!). I think a copy of your book will have to be under the Christmas tree for him this year!

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Oh wow! I wonder if it's much different from this little tofu shop!

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I'll have to ask my dad more about it!

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Sep 18, 2023Liked by Emiko Davies

I always wonder how hard it would be to make tofu at home. I remember eating tofu bought from the barrels of tofu sold in the food departments of the Japanese department stores (Saikaya?), and it was so good. Also, it’s frustrating here in the states that the vast majority of tofu is sold in plastic tubs and I would really love to avoid adding to the plastic waste stream.

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It's so different to have it fresh isn't it! And yes, homemade means less waste -- I just use a cheese cloth and a wooden tofu mold for this (both of which you can wash and reuse over and over)!

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Ah, you do have a recipe for homemade tofu in Gohan! I can’t wait to try it. (I thought I had pre-ordered Gohan back in July, but when pub day came and went and no sign of my copy, it became clear I somehow failed to order it. But now I finally have a copy and I can wait to read and cook from it. ❤️)

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Loved reading this and I’m definitely adding “make tofu” to my list!

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