Futianqiao Tofu

Futianqiao Tofu

　　Futianqiao Tofu

　　In the southeastern part of Lianyuan in the central hinterland of Hunan, there is a small town called Hetang with a long history. It is the birthplace of the Xiang Army. Back then, the renowned Xiang Army general Li Xubin led his militia from here to fight across the nation, achieving remarkable military feats, which brought great fame to Hetang. Today, it is also here that a local specialty called Futianqiao Tofu has gained renown throughout Hunan, receiving high praise at agricultural and sideline product expos both within the province and beyond, becoming an influential agricultural brand in our city.

　　When people mention Hetang, they immediately think of Futianqiao Tofu. However, when it comes to when the production of Futianqiao Tofu began, who created it, or whether it was taken away from home by the Xiang Army back then — all of these remain unverifiable. Only the smooth bluestone slabs on the small path in front of the Zeng family’s tofu workshop in Futianqiao faintly record the history of Futianqiao Tofu.

　　According to the inheritor of the Zeng family’s tofu legacy — a nearly 90-year-old grandmother of the Zeng family — her ancestors have made a living by making tofu for generations, and she herself has been doing it for decades. Now that she is old, she has passed on the craft to her grandson. Nowadays, Futianqiao Tofu has developed into an industry, with more than 10 tofu workshops in the village, among which the Zeng family’s Youjiang (flowing soy milk) Tofu stands out. From ingredient selection, preparation, processing, packaging to sales, it has formed a complete set of procedures.

　　The owner of the Zeng family’s Youjiang Tofu shop told us that tofu is one of the most beloved cooking ingredients in China, widely made across the country, with many famous and specialty varieties. Among the many renowned tofu varieties nationwide, Futianqiao Tofu ranks alongside Anhui’s Bagongshan Tofu, Shandong’s Tai’an Tofu, Shaanxi’s Yulin Tofu, Jiangsu’s Pingqiao Tofu, Zhejiang’s Chuzhou Tofu, Guangdong’s Jiulong Tofu, and Hubei’s Fangxian Tofu as one of China’s famous tofu products.

　　Some classify tofu into two main categories: southern tofu and northern tofu. Futianqiao Tofu belongs to southern tofu, also known as soft tofu. It is coagulated with gypsum, contains up to 90% water, has a snow-white color, delicate texture, sweet and fresh taste, and is suitable for cooking methods such as mixing, stir-frying, braising, blanching, stewing, and making soups.

　　While possessing the characteristics of southern tofu, Futianqiao Tofu also has its own uniqueness. Its production method uses the flowing soy milk technique, which can form tofu without the need for gypsum as an additive. This is actually thanks to a local well whose water naturally contains brine, replacing the traditional function of gypsum in coagulating soy milk. The resulting tofu is fragrant, delicate, delicious, and extremely rich in protein, amino acids, and vitamins, surpassing other types of tofu.

　　Futianqiao Tofu is made from carefully selected high-quality soybeans and the area’s unique deep well water, refined through more than 20 processes. The product features three outstanding qualities: uniqueness, healthiness, and beauty.

　　Unique: The tofu is processed without adding any additives or preservatives such as gypsum or brine, making it a true green food. Healthy: The product is a pure plant-based protein food, rich in nutrition, containing various proteins, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals needed by the human body, making it a top-quality health food. Beautiful: With its perfect color, aroma, and taste, it has a distinctive flavor, a delicate and sweet texture, leaves a lingering aftertaste, and stays fragrant in the mouth — it’s truly an excellent dish to pair with alcohol.

　　In the 1980s, when cross-strait flights resumed, several Taiwanese compatriots from Lianyuan returned to their long-missed hometown. At the banquet, they asked about Futianqiao Tofu, saying, “Back then, the Futianqiao Tofu tied with straw sticks used to be sold around Lanxi Bridge — it was so delicious. I wonder if that kind of tofu still exists.” The next day, staff from the city’s Overseas Chinese Federation specially went to Hetang to bring Master Zeng, a tofu maker from Futianqiao, to make tofu in Lan Tian. Although the color was exactly the same, the taste just wasn’t quite like that of Futianqiao Tofu. Master Zeng investigated the reason and found it was related to the water — Futianqiao Tofu must be made with the water from Futianqiao to produce the authentic version.

　　Nowadays, Futianqiao Tofu has grown bigger and bigger. These tofu workshops have increased capital investment, improved technology, added facilities, expanded scale, increased production, opened online sales channels, and applied for patents for Futianqiao Tofu.

　　Futianqiao Tofu has earned widespread acclaim.