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July 14, 2010

Peace by piece of tofu

Jeff Wolovitz started Heiwa Tofu with his wife, Maho Hisakawa, almost two years ago. Since then, the Camden-based company has produced and distributed thousands of pounds of tofu.

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Jeff Wolovitz pours soybeans into a grinder. He soaks the soybeans overnight the day before he makes tofu. The soaked soybeans are then ground up into a puree and heated with water.

Photos and text by Kat Franchino/Staff Photographer

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Jeff Wolovitz stirs calcium sulfate into soymilk to make curds and whey. Wolovitz and his wife, Maho Hisakawa, operate a small tofu company, Heiwa Tofu, out of a garage in Camden.

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Wolovitz makes tofu two days a week in a small garage in downtown Camden, transforming Maine soybeans into thick slabs of tofu.

While Wolovitz and his family are not vegetarians, they strive to eat mostly plant-based food.

They chose the name "heiwa," which means "peace" in Japanese, because "eating a plant-based diet creates a more peaceful planet," according to their website (www.heiwatofu.com).

 

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Additional Photos

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Ina, 5, daughter of Wolovitz and Hisakawa, displays her okara "pancake." Okara is the fiber left over from the curd pressing process.

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Maho Hisakawa removes a finished tofu block from the cooling tank. Heiwa Tofu can make nearly 1,000 pounds of tofu a week. The tofu is distributed in Maine and surrounding areas.

 


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