sweets

[Akita Prefecture] What is Tofu Castella? A detailed explanation of this tea snack beloved in the southern part of the prefecture

If you ask someone from Akita Prefecture what their go-to tea snack is, they'll likely answer pickles

We will introduce tofu castella, a sweet tea snack that is unusually popular among the people of Akita Prefecture, who are known for their love of shoppemon

What is Tofu Castella

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Tofu castella is a local sweet that is often eaten as a tea accompaniment in southern Akita Prefecture, and is introduced as the "original tofu sweet"

It is made by adding sugar, eggs, salt, etc. to squeezed-out tofu, mixing it, and then baking it, so if stored in the refrigerator it will last longer than tofu

Furthermore, since the people of Akita Prefecture have long considered sweets to be a treat, they are also served as sweets at gatherings such as weddings, funerals, Obon, and New Year's

Since the Heisei era, there has been an increase in products incorporating ingredients such as walnuts, black beans, chocolate, cheese, and pumpkin, making it possible to enjoy a wide variety of flavors with the same tofu castella

Furthermore, since it is unusual to season tofu with a sweet flavour and eat it as a snack, it can be said to be a very unique local confectionery

It is relatively easy to find in supermarkets in Akita Prefecture, but when purchasing online, it is not available at the Akita Prefecture/Tokyo Antenna Shop Akita Misakan, and as of December 2021, it is sold out at the Akita Prefecture Products Promotion Association Rakuten Market Store, so we recommend purchasing it from , Fujikura Foods Co. or Sato Foods Limited

The history of tofu castella

Tofu castella is said to have already existed at the end of the Edo period

It is said that the reason why tofu castella was created is that eggs and sugar, the main ingredients of castella, were not easily available at the time, and soybean production was thriving in southern Akita Prefecture

One theory is that after the war, artisans began making tofu castella cakes at morning markets for special occasions, and it gradually became more common after people started imitating the process

Which tea goes best with tofu castella

Tofu castella is a sweet that is often eaten with tea, but what kind of tea should you prepare it with to make it taste even better?

Tofu castella is a very sweet treat, so it goes well with dark roast coffee or hot-brewed green tea

First, regarding dark roast coffee, coffee can be divided into three types depending on the roasting time: light roast, medium roast, and dark roast

Of these, dark roast has the longest roasting time, is a deep brown color, has a strong aroma of roasted coffee beans, and is characterized by a bitter taste due to the roasting

When buying coffee beans at a store, it's a good idea to check the color of the beans and ask the store clerk which beans are dark roasted

Dark roast coffee has a strong flavor, so it is recommended for those who want to reduce the sweetness of the tofu castella while still enjoying the taste of the drink

Furthermore, when green tea is extracted at a high temperature of 80 degrees or higher, the amount of catechins and caffeine extracted increases, making the astringency of catechins and the bitterness of caffeine more pronounced

Although green tea has a bitter and astringent taste, it has a refreshing aftertaste, so it is recommended for those who want to tone down the sweetness of tofu castella and enjoy a refreshing taste

summary

Tofu castella is a local sweet that is often eaten as a tea snack in southern Akita Prefecture. It is made by adding sugar, eggs, salt, etc. to tofu and processing it into a castella-like cake shape

It is a very sweet treat, so it is perfect for those with a sweet tooth, but it is also recommended for those who want to try a simple, traditional local sweet, so be sure to give it a try

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