A Brief History of Todo.
Perhaps, the most well known and versatile Japanese herb, Tofu, also known as tempeh, is eaten for its nutritional value and a variety of other purposes. A relatively new culinary herb, it has become a popular ingredient in nontraditional dishes and is being added to more traditional ones. Here is a look at how this versatile herb has evolved over time and where it is headed.
The Oxford English Dictionary defines the word toto as “an indigestible soft mass of tough stems” and goes on to note that toto means “hard, tough” and caelo means “to curl.” It goes on to note that toto can also be used to describe a monkey, a rodent or a reptile. In the past, toto was used to describe a hard stone that was dug out of the earth. This reference dates back to ancient times when the ancients made use of toto to build large temples and other monuments.
After becoming popular in the United States in the early twentieth century, toto later became synonymous with tempeh. In present day, toto can be found in foods such as wheat crusts and toasted items. Movies such as the Tin Man featured the toto-tempeh character and it has become associated with him in the minds of many Americans. Likewise, movies such as Kung Fu Panda and Invictus have made toto even more appealing to American consumers.
When toto first showed up on American grocery store shelves, it was commonly served in Japanese style salsas, although black pepper was sometimes added. Black pepper was chosen due to its pungent flavor and the idea that toto appeared more pungent than black pepper because of its black color. Later American restaurants would commonly serve toto with rice. Since toto was expensive at the time, this represented a bargain to many consumers.
As American diners became familiar with toto, they began to enjoy all sorts of dishes prepared with this preparation. It is now common to see all types of toto foods served in restaurants all around the United States. This is not to say that the traditional Japanese style of cooking is no longer enjoyed. Many American diners prefer traditional Japanese dishes to the spicy and hot versions that are now available to them.
Today, toto is commonly used to make soy sauce, a mainstay in many Asian cuisine. Soy sauce is used in a variety of American foods such as burgers, hot dogs, corned beef and vegetable dishes. Other American made foods may use soy sauce instead of white vinegar for flavoring purposes. Another American favorite is toto soup, a traditional Chinese soup commonly used for several different occasions. One interesting fact about toto soup is that it is not native to China, but was introduced by Japanese when they immigrated to America. Toto soup is typically made from stock with a variety of meats and vegetables and is well liked by most Americans.