Many may not know me as one to appreciate the culinary arts. Indeed, I have stated on more than one occasion that I could do without the concept of eating food if it were only practical to sustain bodily functions in its absence. My experiments with cooking in the past have only led to terrible disasters which I need not elaborate on. However, my newfound discovery of tofu marks a culinary turning point in my life. No longer am I content to rely on tasteless dried junk food or frozen microwavable sides for my nutritional needs. I can now realize just how supremely awesome a healthy and delicious home cooked meal really can be.

Okay, admittedly, the taste is pretty bland by itself. Not bad or anything, just tasteless. But tofu acts much in the manner of a sponge, capable of absorbing whatever flavor it touches when cooking or marinating. I myself prefer teriyaki as a flavoring, when mixed in a stir fry of rice and veggies.

The health benefits of bean curd cannot be over exaggerated. Tofu is an excellent source of protein and fiber, and after having consumed an entire family-sized block of it two days, I feel much more confident in my intestinal health. Now I am not only a man of high moral fiber, but of high dietary fiber as well.

Tofu has always been one of those foods that I have never tried, but have heard of and have always maintained a mild disposition of curiosity. It has never been considered to be a part of the typical American cuisine that I grew up with, but there are references in popular culture everywhere. In Monkey Island 3, tofu had to be carved into a mask to get past a certain part of the game. Who could forget the player model turning into a big block of tofu in the original Pirates, Vikings, and Knights? Now, the word of tofu can now be heard in the form of a song by The Beets.

One fact that many people do not know is that tofu has many application beyond just consumption. Because of its unique consistency and molding capability, it can for example, be chiseled into a statue or an abstract piece of three dimentional art, as demonstrated by the artist David Shapiro I myself have been considering becoming a ‘tofu artist’, if you will. This could easily replace clay as a meant to make maquets for 3d digitizing.

I would recommend tofu to anyone, as it’s health benefits are compatable even to those who adhere to the most stringent dietary guidelines.