On the subject I'd never thought I'd write about

What sounds like the BEST thing to eat in the middle of winter amongst the hoards of cookies and fatty meaty meats and booze galore?

(I cannot believe I'm saying this)

Tofu.

I know incredibly little about tofu, only that it's a sort of form of soy coagulate that resembles feta in looks, custard in texture, and tofu in taste. Well, it doesn't taste like chicken anyway. So really, it can taste like anything you want it to. I think.

"How did this happen?" asked the parent of the disobedient child, knowing full well how it happened and yet eager to hear the story.

With the coming of Fall, the Husband and I had been over indulging in heavy meals full of meat and potatoes and not many veggies, but it was tasty and fulfilling. One night we met up for dinner at Joy's Noodles and Rice on Broadway in Chicago. And all I could think about was eating tofu. Some may think this is strange, I will agree. I mean, I've had tofu in soups against my choosing and so forth, but I've never EVER said to myself: If I don't eat tofu tonight I will be unfulfilled.

(Is this how people become vegetarians???? Do I want to be thinking about that?)

I ordered their garlic chicken coconut curry, except with tofu (another classic Vegetarian move, heaven help me). It was PERFECT. No tendons, pieces of gristle, nor the heavy gross feeling after. I felt wonderful, though in my head it felt wrong, but yet completely right. CONFLICT. It was however in fantastic counterpoint to all the corpulent plates of goodness consumed in the weeks previous.

Confession: a Japanese friend of mine turned me onto Agedashi tofu last year. A simple dish but really cravable, and one of my now favorite things to order when available on the menu. So. Technically, I have been moving toward tofu for months. It's like some kind of odd butterfly into cocoon thing... Tonight we cook tofu for the first time ever at home stir-fried with bok choy and other greens.

Sunday we're having lamb shank.