I've been a vegetarian for over 15 years now, and it took me that long to nail down how to make the perfect tofu. I started out knowing nothing, since my family didn't eat tofu. Ever. It was something I'd only heard about in the ending credits of Doug. I didn't even know I was supposed to press the water out of tofu. I certainly didn't understand how to cook it. Slowly, my tofu got a little better, but after consulting with some very helpful coworkers, I've finally nailed down the perfect tofu texture.

1. Pick up a TofuBud. Trust me, I've tried a few different presses, and this one takes the cake.
2. Make sure you're buying extra firm tofu. The silken stuff has other uses, but not for the texture I'm going for in most dishes.
3. Drain, then press the tofu. I usually do this overnight.
4. Pop the tofu into a plastic container, then toss it in the freezer for at least a day.
5. Thaw the tofu, either by setting it out or putting it into the fridge (the latter will take longer).
6. Press the tofu again. Preferably overnight, but I've had success doing it for a couple of hours.
7. Now your tofu is ready for prime time. We typically pan fry.