There are a few food stops we always make when we visit my relatives in Eugene, OR. There’s the walk to Albertson’s to pick up there store-brand animal crackers (more nostalgic than local fare kind of snack); there’s the mouth-watering rice and beans from Café Yum, the chocolate-covered-anything-you-can-imagine from Euphoria Chocolate Company, the tiny blueberries and raspberries from my aunt’s backyard, and the glorious Toby’s Tofu Palace (imagine celestial beams shooting from a market stand).
The first time I remember eating Toby’s “Boat o’ Tofu” was at the Oregon Country Fair. There was always a line leading up to the humble booth that smelled of sesame and soy. My mom always ordered the “Boat.” It was about a half-pound of delicate tofu cooked in Toby’s special seasoning and soy sauce, dished into a paper french fry dish, sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds and graced with Toby’s tomato-based sauce and shredded lettuce. Toby’s also sold a refreshing hibiscus drink with mint and orange called the Palace Cooler that paired nicely with the tofu. Once you got your meal, you could walk around to the side of the booth where a checkered curtain pulled back to reveal a small seating area. You’d sit on the straw-covered ground and eat off of a red plastic carton covered with a tablecloth. If you were lucky, there’d be a local musician playing on the corner stage.
When I saw the Tofu Palace at Eugene’s Saturday Market stand, that country fair scene rushed back. One taste of the sweet sauce and I’d be back under the canopy of tree houses, wind chimes and old oaks that is the country fair. So despite the alluring aroma from the Indian noodle stand, I went straight to the Palace (no line this time). I wanted to mix it up a bit, so I ordered that Tia Burrito: 1/2 pound of Toby’s seasoned tofu, tomato sauce and shredded lettuce packed into a corn tortilla. Turns out, I was not as bold as I thought. The burrito is the original tofu dish wrapped in a corn tortilla (just harder to eat). While I waited, I scooped up a sample of tofu paté with a tortilla chip (another taste of nostalgia).
I watched the girl behind the counter prepare my burrito with her bare hands. Had she looked a little greasy, or had I been anywhere else besides eco-friendly Euguene, I couldn’t have stomached it. I don’t usually have a problem with clean hands touching my food. Especially since I’ve seen deli workers scratch their heads or rub their noses while wearing gloves. I marveled at her ability to pile the grub onto the 6” tortilla then fold it into a nice taco without ripping it. She wrapped it in foil, plopped it in a paper dish then slid it to me across the counter. The half-pound of tofu sure filled me up, but it was well worth the memories.
