Tofu: A Culinary History
Russell Thomas
Reaktion Books: 2004
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The saying “豆腐之玉 (jade of the blessed bean)” was coined by Yue Yi many moons ago in China. His aged parents were no longer able to chew on soybeans, so Yue gave them soy milk instead. When the doctor prescribed them gypsum, Yue put it into their soy milk. The gypsum acted as a coagulant that made the soy milk curdle into tofu, which was how this staple came to be. Or so the story goes.
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- Tags: China, Issue 39, Nick J. Freeman, Russell Thomas