Customer Reviews

The Book of Tofu

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Last year I purchased The Book of Tofu, by William Shurtleff and Akiko Aoyagi. Half recipe source-book, half cultural anthropological look at the history of tofu-making in Asia (Did you know that tofu has been eaten in China for thousands of years? Tell that to Newsweek, who listed tofu as a fad that would die out in the new millenium!), it soon convinced me of the importance of soy in the human diet. This book is fabulously researched, has excellent recipes and TONS of interesting information. We learned about more uncommon types of tofu, like Yuba (bean curd skin). (We soon hunted some down at our local asian market, YUM!) We haven't yet attempted to make our own soy milk or tofu, but this book covers these topics in easy to follow, detailed directions. Read this book! Eat Tofu! Be Happy (and healthy)!

Want to know more than just how to stir-fry tofu? This book has just about everything you'd want to know about that bland little block, including the history and manufacture of tofu. It even tells you how to make it yourself. Well, I tried it and got perfectly fine tofu (and a heck of a lot of okara, the bean residue left from straining the soymilk.) I nearly destroyed the kitchen, but it was fun and I learned to appreciate going to the store and buying a refrigerated pack.

If you don't care to try tofu in its Japanese guise (they even eat it cold with a dash of soy sauce) then you can try scrambled tofu. This is a real God-send for people who mustn't eat eggs and who miss a good mushroom omelet.

And did you know there were so many kinds of tofu, from kinugoshi, which is custard-like and can be used to make a good pumpkin pie, to extra-firm, which can be barbecued with sauce (just the thing if you have a summer grill party and can't serve meat. Grill some eggplant, zucchini, corn and tofu instead.)

Not every recipe in this book is useful for everyone (yuba, or the dried skin of soymilk) sounds yummy but is not found outside of good Chinese groceries in urban centers. However, this book will give you new ideas to use tofu.

This is an excellent book for anyone interested in making their own Tofu at home. Not only does Shurtleff describe in detail the history and making of tofu he also gives recipes for using the tofu you have made. The book also describes how to use other components of soybeans such as fresh soybean puree, okara, soymilk whey, etc... The illustrations included in the book are also entertaining and informative.

BTW, homemade tofu is by far superior to store-bought.

I found the Book of Tofu a very thorough book - interesting even though I'm not that keen on tofu! As the other reviewer says, it has recipes and instructions to make tofu, but what I found very interesting was that the author had spent quite a lot of time in Japan (some years, in fact) researching his subject and visiting many small family-owned tofu shops which disclosed their secrets. Well worth reading.

All you ever wanted to know and more you didn't even think to ask!

This book goes from fresh soybean to the end result. There are tables and illstrations on everything from the differences of each type of tofu to how it is made in different countries and the tools used to do so. There are recipes for every part of the process. And instructions for making 7 varieties of tofu at home. It addresses traditions, culure, history, nutrition, every aspect of this subject. Whether you're going to make it or eat it, if you're curious about it, this is the book for you.

Well, I have decided to return to vegetarianism... if that's the proper term. I gave up meat once before in college and enjoyed the many benefits of doing so. However, with a busy schedule and little time for eleborate meal planning, I always had difficulty finding the right things to eat. I have decided this time to better educate myself on what my choices are. I read this book because I had looked over a few vegetarian cookbooks and they are filled with recipes containing tofu. I kept asking myself... Just what the heck is it??

Well, EVERYTHING you ever wanted to know about tofu is to be found in this volume, including the reasons why tofu is a better choice not only for your health, but for the sake of world resources as the population of our planet increases.

I am not an environmentalist, not even close. If people want to eat animals, I don't mind. So, I do not generally agree with those who say that eating meat is "wrong"... But, I do have a genuine respect for any argument that champions efficiency over waste. After reading this book, I was surprised at how much grain it takes (in pounds) to produce just one ounce of red meat... which tastes mighty fine, but is not exactly the perfect source of protein and really shouldn't be eaten on a daily basis. (Texans forgive me.)

So, all in all I recommened this book if you are thinking changing your lifestyle, or perhaps pondering the possibility of cutting back on your intake of saturated fat etc...

Ben Franklin was a vegetarian... If he could do it 200 years ago, then we cetainly have no excuse.

Call me weird, but tofu has always been one of my favorite foods, and I love trying any recipe that calls for it, from tofu ice cream, tofu mousse, to tofu noodles and tofu fishcakes. So when I came across this book, I was naturally intrigued.

Its lack of color photos was initially a turnoff, but the book more than makes up for that with its deep exploration of tofu's history, cultural significance throughout the world, and many, many recipes. A good majority of the recipes are Japanese influenced, but the ingredients are pretty common and should be available in most major supermarkets. Other recipes have a western bent, like pizza toast with deep-fried tofu, or tofu tartare sauce.

Shurtleff and Aoyagi discuss the different types of tofu in sections. They discuss where to buy them, their nutritional value, how to store them, and most importantly, how to cook them. Perhaps most charming about the book is the section on the 'traditional craft' of tofu, which illustrates how tofu was traditionally made. For those not inclined to making their own tofu, however, there is a helpful (though possibly outdated) index of tofu manufacturers throughout the world, and a short list of reputed tofu restaurants in Japan.

This book is very comprehensive in detailing how to make soymilk and manufacture tofu at home. It is quite easy -- maybe a little time consuming for the modern American. But, the benefits of soy far outweigh the two hours (or less) that it takes to make soymilk. My wife has been cleansed of her hayfever and allergies since we have completely switched to drinking only soymilk. Our children are thriving. Simply put: soy products are good for the heart, mind, and soul.