Tofu - by Russell Thomas (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

The surprising, spicy story of this globe-trotting vegetable protein staple.

To the untrained eye, there's nothing as unexciting as tofu, normally regarded as a tasteless, beige, congealed mass of crushed, boiled soybeans. However, tofu more than stands up on its own. Reviled for decades as a vegetarian oddity, the brave, wobbly block has made a comeback. This global history of bean curd stretches from ancient creation myths and tomb paintings, via Chinese poetry and Japanese Buddhist cuisine, to deportations in Soviet Russia and struggles for power on the African continent. It describes the potentially non-Chinese roots of tofu, its myriad types, why "eating tofu" is an insult in Cantonese, and its environmental impact today.

Warning: this book actually makes tofu exciting. It's anything but bland.

Review Quotes

"People curious about how tofu came to be so essential to plant-based cuisine, as well as the sceptics out there, will find Thomas's book doesn't linger on the bland bits. Instead, it builds an enchanting and slightly eccentric history of tofu and the role it's played in society for centuries."-- "The Grocer"

"A well-researched book, full of wonderful facts with many pictorial illustrations to keep the reader interested all the way through including a very interesting recipe section at the end. . . . Tofu: A Culinary History by Thomas will change your perspective of tofu forever and hopefully encourage you to incorporate this delicious ingredient into your culinary repertoire."-- "Foodie Explorers"

"Thomas's encyclopedic culinary history reveals a history and archeology of meaning that stretches back millennia, well before tofu became the imagined domain of eco-warriors and hippie co-ops . . . Far from leaving me sated, the enticing descriptions of tofu, chilled, stewed, fermented, fried, and made into everything from ice cream to mozzarella shreds, launched me on a tofu-eating bender that has yet to subside. Tofu skeptics, consider yourselves warned."-- "Petits Propos Culinaires"

"I loved the journey Tofu: A Culinary History took me on. From its beginnings in Asian kitchens to its often misunderstood status in the West, this book celebrates tofu's versatility and benefits. It's packed full of knowledge and passion. As a food enthusiast and educator, I savoured every page!"--Sam Linford-Platt, COOK! with the vegetarian society

"Tofu: A Culinary History is a wonderfully quirky discourse on the subject. For readers who have a penchant for anecdotal history and love tofu--or those interested in discovering more about it--Thomas's well-researched, imaginatively conceived mini-tome is sure to delight!"--Elizabeth Andoh, author of six books on Japanese cooking, including "Washoku," and director of the culinary programme A Taste of Culture, Tokyo

About the Author

Russell Thomas is an author and journalist currently based in Tokyo. His writing has appeared in the Japan Times, the Guardian, and the South China Morning Post, among others.