There are also countless recipes taking advantage of the lovely pungency of these "cheeses".

And with the prevalent trend toward vegetarian and micro-biotic diets, tofu and tofu products, such as these, have stolen the limelight.

My grandfather would have been pleased to know that recent studies show that the peptides in the fermented bean curds have lots of amino acids. Japanese research also shows they have antioxidants and enzymes useful for preventing hypertension.

For me, the main attraction is still the flavor. Nowhere else in the world have I tasted such delicious pungency, and even the best cheese pales in comparison to these fermented tofu cubes. No respectable Chinese housewife would be caught without a bottle or two in her pantry.