I have to confess that I have never eaten tofu in my life, but to be honest that fact is what actually attracted me to this book to see if there were recipes in there that would interest me enough to want to try it…and the answer was a resounding yes! So much so that I even bought some tofu in my last lot of shopping.
I would definitely recommend this book to people who like tofu and also to those who have never tried it so that they can be inspired by it the way I have been.
My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this book in return for an honest review.

I'm trying to eat a more plant based diet and keep buying tofu so was looking to find inspiration for recipes to convince me to like this product more. The recipes in this book are fine but there was nothing leaping out at me as being new - just many recipes that I've cooked before such as quesadillas, bolognese, lasagne, chilli, etc. but incorporating tofu instead of meat. The end result still tastes like rubbery tofu to me but with some flavour on the outside. I'd have liked to see more use of marinating tofu to soak up the flavours better.

The presentation of the book was okay but mediocre compared to most modern day cookbooks. I have come to expect a beautiful photo of the meal next to each recipe. Quite a few recipes out the 52 in this book do not have an accompanying photos. I also didn't need four pages telling me how to chop tofu into the right sized squares, rectangles or triangles!

I would have liked more recommendations for the author's favourite brands of tofu but I appreciate this is tricky as the book is clearly USA based so the brands may be different. Non USA readers should be aware that there are lots of mentions of Kosher salt, zucchini, scallions and cilantro and the measurements are in cups or ounces. Most of the ingredients were known to me and available in the UK and there is a handy section at the better explaining the less common ingredients. I did take exception to the author's claim that grapeseed oil has the same health benefits as olive oil as that is not proven and I do not believe that to be true. My family doctor has written books on the health benefits of olive oil and with plenty of medical evidence to prove the benefits of using a lot of olive oil in your diet.

With thanks to NetGalley and Storey Publishing for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This cookbook presents 52 recipes featuring tofu. The recipes are vegetarian for the most part, some are vegan as well (or can be veganized). In reading this you can tell that the author really loves tofu, but I think this presents a bit of a dilemma for the recipes. She definitely prefers soft tofu texture, and for a lot of people this is just too wet and squishy (especially for former meat eaters, we need some more texture & chew). Also, many of the recipes do not season the tofu itself; it is cooked plain and then accompanied by a sauce, or in some cases just served plain. My problem is that tofu on its own has very little flavor, and I really think it needs to be seasoned properly.
So if you are new to tofu and try out some of these recipes but don’t enjoy them, please try another cookbook or cooking method. I love tofu, but if these recipes were my first introduction I would never eat it.

Thank you to NetGalley & Storey Publishing for this advanced reader copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

NOTE: Most of the recipes include animal products like eggs, heavy cream, butter and occasionally cheese. Some recipes are vegan and most vegans can easily convert the recipes, but this is not a vegan cookbook. Just mentioning this since some may assume that it is.

I've cooked with tofu for years and some of my tofu recipes are family favorites of my kids, including the meat-eating ones. I didn't really find any new ways to cook with tofu here and I'm not sure I'd recommend it for those who are new to it. Trang doesn't press or marinade her tofu, which is her choice but results in much less flavorful and firm tofu. She does season the outside, but you end up with an inside that's really rather bland and boring. The lovely thing about tofu is that it soaks up all the wonderful flavors that you marinade it in, and if you treat it properly you can get a really nice texture. I always freeze my tofu first to improve the chew (something never mentioned in this book but well known in tofu cookery) and almost always press it too. Trang only recommends pressing if you're going to crumble it for something like making veggie patties and you want it drier.

The recipes themselves are pretty average. There are stir fries, soups, desserts, tofu fries, etc. None of my favorite ways of using tofu are included -- glazed tofu loaf stuffed with stuffing, breaded tofu (baked or fried), seasoned sauteed tofu (I like to marinade it in Better Than Bouillon and sometimes a splash of soy sauce, then toss it with herbs and spices) and silken tofu used in dips and cheesecakes. I don't think someone who's never had tofu will fall in love with it with these recipes.

In addition, one star taken off for not having nutritional information on the recipes and for not that many photos.

I'd recommend this as a library read if you're looking for some fun inspiration, but not necessarily to buy.

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book via Net Galley.

Really great recipes! Tofu can be so intimidating to cook with- this breaks it down and shows the versatility of it. Yum!

Twist on Tofu by Corrine Trang is a great resource for someone like myself who has never eaten, prepared or cooked tofu. It has a guide at the start to the different types of tofu, the way it tastes and how to cut it. The book itself is divided into sections for each set of recipes. The recipes themselves are quite easy to do and easy to follow. The photographs allow to see how lovely the food looks cooked. A great resource of you are new to tofu.

This is a great resource for anyone who is looking for new ways to use tofu. There are many creative ideas and recipes are simple. For more seasoned cooks, this book may not be useful. Especially for those who have already been using tofu for some time.

The food all looked so delicious, the recipes are extremely straightforward (which is essential for me) and the photographs inspired me to want to try and cook them for myself. Very well done!

Twist on Tofu is a great cookery book for people wanting to add more meat-free / plant-based meals into their diet and who have maybe not tried or even cooked tofu before. It’s also a good resource for vegetarians and also for vegans. That said, not all recipes are completely vegan, so vegans may need to make further modifications to those recipes.

To start with there’s a comprehensive brief overview of what tofu is, the different types available (silken vs firm). It also covers the basics including how to drain and cut tofu, and even a description of what tofu tastes like. In this respect, it’s a useful guide for those who are completely new to tofu. The book itself is divided into six sections: Starters, Sides or Small Plates; Soups and Salads; Sandwiches and More; Baked or Braised; One-Dish Meals; and Sweets. There’s something for everyone and every level of cooking ability.

There aren’t photographs of every recipe dish which is a shame, but the recipes that were photographed looked absolutely delicious. There were however photos of cooking prep processes, which a novice cook would find particularly useful.

I’ve tried the Tex-Mex Tofu Chilli, which was very tasty and a crowd-pleaser with the rabble at home. I look forward to trying out some of the other recipes in coming days.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Storey Publishing, for making this ARC available to me for a fair and honest review.