TOFU MISOZUKE

It's really important to me to find foods that keep us in the line with the vegan diet.  A texture & flavor depth that I crave the most is the kind that a good, soft cheese, like Humboldt Fog, provides. Creamy, fatty, savory. This desire can lure me off the path that I choose and want to be on, and I always get so disappointed in myself when I cave to my whims. I do that more than I care to admit.  SMDH

I stumbled across tofu misozuke while researching miso pastes.  Tofu misozuke is a miso-cured and aged tofu.  It's a traditional Japanese delicacy from the Fukuoka district, a near-forgotten specialty that is pretty difficult to find, even in Japan. It's been compared to a cross of butter and foie gras and it's the closest thing to cheese a vegan can get!  I immediately ordered two kinds from Rau Om, the only place you can get it in the United States.  I ordered it before the holidays and then promptly forgot about it.  It arrived yesterday.

I didn't bust open the package and grab the nearest cracker.  We'd eaten so much earlier in the day that I didn't want to mar the tasting, so I waited until this morning, on an empty stomach. ATM and I opened the beautiful little package and schmeared some on a saltine.  

It's good.  It's really, really good.  It's bloody divine is what it is, and it totally lives up to it's reputation.  But, at $7.50 (+S/H) for 2.5 oz, tsk, I have already assembled the ingredients to make it myself.  Between this kale and tofu misozuke, I'll go broke if I don't DIY.

If I can successfully produce tofu misozuke, whatever I don't keep myself, I'll sell.  First, I'll offer it to my friends, my people.  From there, I'll offer to chefs and restaurants.  It's that good.  If I'm successful, and you're interested in having some, please let me know.  Price is TBD (definitely comparable to Rau Om) and locals only, as it's perishable.

I've already pressed my tofu and now I'm going to mix the marinade.  We'll see what happens in two months time.  Here's to success!

I nearly forgot to mention that this is an open source recipe!