[Akita Prefecture] What is tofu castella? Detailed explanation of tea ceremony loved in the southern part of the prefecture

If you ask someone from Akita Prefecture what they think they would like to order for tea, they will most likely answer pickles.

We would like to introduce tofu castella served with sweet tea, which is a rare favorite of the people of Akita Prefecture, who love things to eat.

What is tofu castella

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Tofu castella is one of the local sweets that is often eaten with tea in southern Akita Prefecture, and is introduced as the ``original tofu sweet''

Since it is made by adding sugar, eggs, salt, etc. to squeezed tofu and baking it, it will last longer than tofu if stored in the refrigerator.

In addition, Akita residents have long had the idea that sweets are a delicacy, so they are also used as snacks at places where people gather, such as ceremonial occasions, Obon, and New Year's.

Since the Heisei era, the number of products incorporating walnuts, black beans, chocolate, cheese, pumpkin, etc. has increased, and you can now enjoy a wide variety of flavors even with the same tofu castella.

Furthermore, it is unusual to season tofu with sweet flavor and eat it as a snack, so it can be said that it is a local sweet with a strong individuality.

It is relatively easy to get at supermarkets in Akita Prefecture, but when ordering online, "Akita Prefecture Tokyo Antenna Shop Akita Bisaikan" does not carry it, and "Akita Prefectural Products Promotion Association Rakuten Market Store" sells it in 2021. As of December, it is sold out, so we recommend purchasing from Fujikura Foods Co., Ltd. or Sato Foods Co., Ltd.

History of tofu castella

It is said that tofu castella already existed at the end of the Edo period.

The reason behind the creation of tofu castella is that eggs and sugar, the main ingredients of castella, were not easy to obtain at the time, and that soybean production was popular in southern Akita Prefecture. That's what is being said.

There is also a theory that after the war, people started making tofu castella by copying what they had seen, after craftsmen made tofu castella at morning markets for ceremonial occasions, and it gradually became popular.

About tea that goes well with tofu castella

Tofu castella is a sweet that is often eaten as an accompaniment to tea, but what kind of tea should you prepare to make it delicious?

Tofu castella is a sweet treat, so it goes well with dark roasted coffee or high-temperature brewed green tea.

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

Among these, dark roast has the longest roasting time, is dark brown in color, has a strong aroma of roasted coffee beans, and is characterized by the bitterness caused by roasting.

When purchasing coffee beans at a store, it is a good idea to check the color of the beans and ask the store clerk to tell you which beans are dark roasted.

Dark roasted coffee has a strong flavor, so it is recommended for people who want to enjoy the taste of their drink while suppressing the sweetness of tofu sponge cake.

In addition, green tea is extracted at high temperatures, and when green tea is extracted at a high temperature of 80 degrees or higher, the amount of catechin and caffeine leached increases, making the astringent taste of catechins and bitterness of caffeine stronger.

Even though green tea has an astringent or bitter taste, it has a refreshing aftertaste, so it is recommended for people who want to soften the sweetness of tofu sponge cake and eat it refreshingly.

summary

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

Since it is a sweet with a strong sweetness, it is recommended for people with a sweet tooth, but it is also recommended for people who want to try a simple traditional sweet from the local area, so please give it a try.

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