By Christina Chaey

I eat so much tofu in the course of a week that whenever I see packages of The Bridge’s tofu in the refrigerated section at the Co-op, I seldom buy just one package. I’ll typically end up buying two or three to keep in my fridge so it’s always ready to turn into a quick stir-fry or a topping for a rice bowl on a night when I haven’t planned ahead for dinner.

Unlike so many commercially available tofu brands that don’t taste like much (“it’s bland!” is the most common complaint I hear from tofu skeptics), The Bridge’s tofu speaks for itself. It’s firm yet creamy, with the fresh taste of nutty soybeans. It’s made mostly by hand in Middleton, Connecticut, and has just three ingredients: non-GMO soybeans grown in upstate New York, filtered water and nigari, a natural coagulant that turns creamy liquid soy milk into solid tofu. And with eight grams of protein in each three ounce serving, it’s an easy way to incorporate a non-animal-based protein into a vegetarian, vegan or flexitarian diet.

The Bridge makes a firm tofu that’s sturdy enough to hold together when pan-fried in oil, yet has a tender, almost creamy quality that makes it ideal for cubing up and adding to a light miso soup.

A simple way to enjoy the natural flavor of the tofu is to slice the block into ½-inch slabs, pat them dry with a towel, then pan-fry on medium-high heat with a tablespoon or two of a neutral oil (such as grapeseed or vegetable oil) and immediately season the crisp, golden slices with salt.

Once you get into the hang of pan-frying tofu, you’ll never have trouble finding new ways to eat it, whether tucked into a sandwich, added to a bowl of rice and sautéed greens, or tossed with soba noodles and peanut sauce.