第1201期：富兰克林吃豆腐 – Legend of Chinese Tofu
美国有个奇人 —— Benjamin Franklin（本杰明·富兰克林），是美国人心目中的一个奇才。
此公堪称真正的多面手，多才多艺，a polymath，他被公认的身份有：writer, printer, political philosopher, politician, Freemason, postmaster, scientist, inventor, humorist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat.
能力和成就这么全面的多面手即便放在整个人类历史上也不多见，文艺复兴时期的达文西（列昂纳多·达·芬奇）也算一个，印度诗人泰戈尔（Rabindranath Tagore）大概也算一个。
很多人上小学时都学过一个故事，讲的是富兰克林在一个雷雨天放风筝，从而发明了避雷针(lightening rod）。
今天要讲的是这位美国奇人跟豆腐的故事。
豆腐的英文是什么？一般人大概都知道两种说法：bean curd；tofu.
Bean curd是意译，bean指的是食物的原料是豆类，curd是凝乳，形容的是豆腐的形态。
Tofu是音译，这个英语单词直接取自日语“豆腐”这两个汉字的日语发音 – Tofu.
日本古代时把这种中国传来的食物叫做“唐腐”，读作 tofu. 后来写作“豆腐”或“荳腐”，都读作 tofu.
这就是英语 tofu一词的由来。
近代，Tofu这种食物随着中国移民的脚步也传到了美国。富兰克林常被称为美国第一个豆腐爱好者，据说他对豆腐在美国的流行起了关键作用。
1770年，富兰克林给一个植物学家朋友（John Bartram)写了封信，向他推荐这种来自中国的神奇的健康食品。（信件正文附文末）
富兰克林当时把豆腐叫做 taufu，解释说这是一种类似奶酪的 Chinese garavances （中国豆制品），他以为这种东西是 chickpea（鹰嘴豆）做的。
*garavances 这个词你查字典可能查不到，是 calavance的旧写法，意思是food made from beans.
有这么一位名人大力推广，豆腐这种东方美食在美国很快就被人们接受并喜欢了。
附：Benjamin Franklin’s letter to John Bartram
My ever dear Friend:
I received your kind letter of Nov. 29, with the parcel of seeds, for which I am greatly obliged to you. I cannot make you Ben Tofuadequate returns, in kind; but I send you, however, some of the true Rhubarb seed, which you desire. I had it from Mr. Inglish, who lately received a medal, of the Society of Arts, for propagating it.
I send, also, some green dry Pease, highly esteemed here as the best for making pease soup; and also some Chinese Garavances, with Father Navaretta’s account of the universal use of a cheese made of them, in China, which so excited my curiosity, that I caused inquiry to be made of Mr. Flint, who lived many years there, in what manner the cheese was made; and I send you his answer. I have since learnt, that some runnings of salt (I suppose rennet) is put into water when the meal is in it, to turn it to curds.
I think we have Garavances with us; but I know not whether they are the same with these, which actually came from China, and are what the Tau-fu is made of. They are said to be of great increase.
I shall inquire of Mr. Collinson for your Journal. I see that of East Florida is printed with Stork’s Account. My love to good Mrs. Bartram, and your children. With sincere esteem, I am ever, my dear friend, Yours affectionately,
B. FRANKLIN
