🍱 Tofu Castella
”Tofu Castella” is a confectionery made by taking tofu that has been squeezed and had the water drained from it, mixing it with sugar and eggs, and baking it in to the shape of a “castella” sponge cake. As a tofu dish that has been handed down in the southern region of Akita Prefecture, it has long been eaten as a side dish at ceremonial occasions, as a snack, or as an accompaniment to tea. While the standard castella is famous in Nagasaki, it was originally based on so-called “nanban” confectionery introduced from Portugal, and developed through a recipe unique to Japan. During the Edo period, Akita Prefecture was a prosperous trading center on the Sea of Japan. It was an environment to which the latest fashions from Osaka and Hokuriku easily made their way. However, since sugar and eggs were expensive for the common people, and since tofu was a precious ingredient, it is said that they first made Tofu Castella to eat only on special occasions. It is a confectionery that is characterized by its unique, moist texture that retains the flavor of tofu.