Why the thinly sliced, fried tofu I brought back from Kyoto tastes better than what I buy here, which also is made in Japan, is not anyone’s guess.

The tofu I bought is fresher, made each morning, no doubt, and when you toast it, it gets crispier.  And when you add pickled vegetables, like radish, the savory taste is accentuated.

I also brought back kombu and bonita flakes from a shop in Nishiki market belonging to a friend’s cousin.  Talk about dashi!

All this leads to indoor living.