Homemade Tofu and Eucalyptus Honey

Yesterday, after dropping off my cosmetically challenged cookies to Bakesale for Japan (which raised $1032.46 over $3,000 at the Berkeley location!!!), I kept myself amused by making tofu. I forgot how I came across using Epsom salt to coagulate soy milk, but knowing that fresh tofu could be in my belly in a matter of hours nagged at me. Dried organic soybeans are easy to come by, and cheap to boot.  A lifetime supply of Epsom salt is even cheaper. Why haven't I made my own tofu before?

My initial attempt was tasty, but the texture was grainy. More experimentation needs to be conducted before I can achieve the custardy tofu of my dreams. Once I can master that, the variations I can make are endless. And of course, I found another gadget I want: a stainless steel tofu press from Japan. Do I need it? No. Will this stop me from talking about it to the boy until he'll have no choice but to make me one? Definitely not. (That's how I got my swift!)

The boy's biking beekeeper buddy relayed a message to me: he'll trade me some local eucalyptus honey in exchange for some kimchi. I'm no dummy, so I gladly accepted and got to fermenting. Yesterday, we exchanged the goods - oh boy, I really hope he likes my kimchi because I adore his honey.

There is some thing smugly satisfying about bartering goods and skills with friends. Maybe because it's like dipping my pinky toe into being off-the-grid, or perhaps it reminds me fondly of trading stickers in the 1st grade? (Clearies were the best; even better than scratch and sniffs.)

I'm not doing so hot on keeping the dogs off the couch. Vespa looks just a little too cozy here, and it slays me that she is propped up on the pillow. All our pets seem to put their heads or shoulders on pillows! At least the couch is easy to wipe off and vacuum, unlike our last horrifically hairy couch. I still cannot believe that someone took that couch off our hands for free.