Cauldren marinated tofu - why did they do that ?

[Stuart]

If only Quorn was suitable for vegans as well as being ubiquitous and having a range of 3 million items....

Quorn isn't suitable!? How so? What's in it that i've missed?

[mchelle81]

i worte to quorn agaes ago asking them why they dont make their stuff vegan got a pathetic reply saying they cant get texture right with out the egg white hmmmm funny how other companies can

[Stuart]

i worte to quorn agaes ago asking them why they dont make their stuff vegan got a pathetic reply saying they cant get texture right with out the egg white hmmmm funny how other companies can

I'm so embarrassed to have missed this. Okay, Quorn is officially boycotted as of today.

[harpy]

I'm sure a while ago the makers of Quorn were telling people that they were working on an egg-free version, but it's been such a long while I don't hold out much hope. ETA don't be embarrassed Stuart, we all miss stuff to begin with.

[Marrers]

I got a reply from Cauldron and two £1 vouchers. I can't lay my hands on the letter but basically they said the new stuff was extensively taste tested and very popular but they'll pass on the feedback to the relevant department. I hope other people are also contacting them to complain but I guess they will only take any notice if the sales go down.

[mchelle81]

well i can tell already the sales have gone down by me like i said old stuff always sold out this new crap is always there

[Marrers]

But maybe they are just stocking ten tons of it! I can't imagine sales will drop yet as people will buy it to try it.

[mchelle81]

the vouchers made me laugh you tell them its cack and they give you vouchers to buy it

[Stuart]

the vouchers made me laugh you tell them its cack and they give you vouchers to buy it

That's what I thought. There's probably a conversation at Cauldren that went:

TEMP: What do I do if they say don't like it?
MANAGER Just give them some vouchers.
TEMP: Okay.

Conversations like this take place in the UK every day without a hint of irony.

[tin_can]

welp, having tried it, I sure as hell won't be buying any more!

[mchelle81]

its such a shame the old stuff so sooooo good

[RachelJune]

I'm having some of the "new improved recipe" stuff now it's not nice, at all. It has this really strange taste which I can't quite describe, other than it's not good! Such a shame, I used to love the old stuff and would eat it out of the packet. Definitely won't be buying any more!

[bellybuddha]

Had the new tofu that's marinated as well today. Not impressed. Although the silken tofu they changed is much better. Much more like what you would get from the Chinese supermarket. Grilled it and marinated it. Yum. If you have a Chinese supermarket near to you it is usually much cheaper to buy the block tofu there and they are usually bigger too. You can also get proper fried tofu there as well. Oooh and if they have a Japanese section look out for the sweet tofu skins that they make inari with. yum.

[Zero]

I think it's fine as long as it's pan fried, you can't just eat it out of the packet like you can with the old stuff, but the old version had just about 100% of your daily allowance of sodium! Which made me avoid it since that made it so addictive!

I don't think either version is as good as when I marinate and cook tofu myself anyway
Just buy the regular block of caldron, marinate in lime juice, garlic and ginger, dust with a little flour (of your choice) and fry or bake it

[tin_can]

But that ruins the whole point of the previous stuff! It went from fridge to stomach in about zero seconds. And made a nice addition to sandwiches etc. for lunch. If I wanted to do any proper cooking, I would've got block tofu in the first place!

[harpy]

It's true the old-style stuff is rather salty though. Perhaps I'll try and git organised and do it the Zero way - wouldn't have thought of lime juice as a marinade. Or maybe I'll buy the Taifun stuff, which just needs cutting up on its way from fridge to stomach.

[tin_can]

<--- admits that he has yet to try the Taifun tofu.

[Zero]

For people who'd like others to change their eating habbits and tastes we vegans certainly complain a lot when a product changes don't we?

[bellybuddha]

I couldn't believe my luck the other day, I found the old and much loved style of the cauldron fried tofu in my local Waitrose. So if you're looking for some check your local Waitrose out.

[harpy]

I saw the new type in Tesco today so I bought some and I didn't dislike it as much as some of you do - perhaps they have improved it again

However in answer to my own question a few messages back, the new kind isn't organic. The kind they sell in Waitrose is organic. (There have been organic and non-organic versions of this product for quite a while IIRC.) So if you're lucky perhaps they won't "improve" the formula of the organic one.

Should we write and ask them what they're planning to do, or has someone already written to them?

[harpy]

The new kind is now on the Cauldron website but the old kind isn't. I've written to ask them whether they are planning to keep both on the market.

I couldn't honestly say I hated the new kind though so those of you that do should probably write to them as well, if you haven't already.

[harpy]

Got this reply from Cauldron - the news isn't good for you old-formula-ists I'm afraid, perhaps you should write and make your feelings known.

I wasn't complaining that I couldn't get the new kind by the way - think it's an off-the-peg message!


Thank you for your recent contact regarding Cauldron products.

The 'new improved' marinated tofu pieces are a replacement for the previous marinated tofu, which has now been discontinued. We have had a staggered relaunch of the new Cauldron products throughout the supermarkets and Waitrose should be stocking the new Cauldron products from today.

Unfortunately, we cannot influence any individual stores to stock our products. Instead, we can only make recommendations to each Head Office that they do so. If you continue to have difficulty in obtaining this or any other Cauldron product, we suggest that you contact the manager at your local supermarket and make your request to them directly.

Thank you once again for your enquiry and please do not hesitate to contact us again if you require any further information or advice.

Yours sincerely

[Zero]

Those who want it to taste like the old recipe could just put salt all over the pieces and then they probably wouldn't be too far adrift from the originally flavour

[harpy]

Actually I might write to them again because I would prefer to be able to get an organic version of the product and it sounds as if there isn't going to be one. Will report back.

[Marrers]

Thanks for the research harpy. (I did write in as I noted earlier.)

The new version differs in taste, texture and size as well as salt content Zero. I'm sure they could have reduced the salt without changing it completely. I particularly liked the fact they had a sort of skin on them and were softer inside whereas the new one seems to be the same firmer texture all the way through.

[Mollfie]

Tastes fine to me, I always fry it though.

[BlackCats]

I still haven't tried the new marinated one.

Doesn't anyone think the new version of the plain firm tofu has a weird texture?

Being absentminded I very stupidly reordered the Cauldron tofu in my online shopping. I tried to cook with it and it all fell to pieces again.

[Stuart]

Being absentminded I very stupidly reordered the Cauldron tofu in my online shopping. I tried to cook with it and it all fell to pieces again.

Are you sure this isn't just you? *runs and hides*

[BlackCats]

Are you sure this isn't just you? *runs and hides*

[Stuart]

Do you always order online? Maybe it has something to do with the way it has been stored in transit?

[BlackCats]

Do you always order online? Maybe it has something to do with the way it has been stored in transit?

Yes, I do usually always order online but the new recipe tofu is different I swear, it is much softer.

[Stuart]

Special crumbling powers -!?

[Zero]

The new version differs in taste, texture and size as well as salt content Zero. I'm sure they could have reduced the salt without changing it completely. I particularly liked the fact they had a sort of skin on them and were softer inside whereas the new one seems to be the same firmer texture all the way through.

While that's true the texture is different, I don't think they original was particularly amazing taste wise, it was just very damn salty which causes you to want to keep eating it.

[loveganism]

Doesn't anyone think the new version of the plain firm tofu has a weird texture?

I think it's better! Although the new one's texture isn't as strong (it's like some kind of hard-but-silken tofu hybrid), I thought it was more authentic and tasted much better deep fried. My belly also likes that there is more tofu in a box now

[tin_can]

While that's true the texture is different, I don't think they original was particularly amazing taste wise, it was just very damn salty which causes you to want to keep eating it.

You clearly didn't like it, but a lot of us did!

[harpy]

I suppose food manufacturers are under pressure from the government etc to make food less salty so maybe that's the answer to why they did it, although it doesn't really explain the texture change (or lack of an organic version - they haven't replied to my follow-up question about that yet).

[Zero]

You clearly didn't like it, but a lot of us did!

Oh I liked it okay, I just avoided buying it because if I opened the packet I'd eat the whole thing haha

[tin_can]

I'm familiar with that problem...

[BlackCats]

I tried the new version of the marinated tofu today, it tasted okay to me but I hadn't tasted the original one in a while. I sat on the sofa watching TV, taste testing a few pieces and the whole box disappeared somehow.

I think it's better! Although the new one's texture isn't as strong (it's like some kind of hard-but-silken tofu hybrid), I thought it was more authentic and tasted much better deep fried.

At least someone agreed with me that it has a different texture.

[Stuart]

My Waitrose has the new range in now, it's actually the old 'original' i've tried, so I hope i'm not in for your crumbling problems BlackCats...

[megrainbows]

I brought this new version today and I have to say I dont see the problem. The texture looks the same to me, and it tastes fine allthough it isn't as salty as before. I haven't tried cooking with it, but it tastes fine out of the packet!

[Stuart]

Don't tell BlackCats, but i'm having crumbling problems.

[Marrers]

[BlackCats]

Don't tell BlackCats, but i'm having crumbling problems.

Haha. I told you.

[Stuart]

OKay, so I haven't tried cooking with the new stuff, but it is without a doubt utterly different (i'm using the big pack stuff), and not as firm as the old type. falling apart more easily.

[Zero]

OKay, so I haven't tried cooking with the new stuff, but it is without a doubt utterly different (i'm using the big pack stuff), and not as firm as the old type. falling apart more easily.

This is the non marinated stuff you are talking about I assume?

Yeah I agree, they seem to have made it just like silken tofu and it's full of water. The reason I bought in the past was because it required little preparation before cooking and was very firm. I'm just sticking to buying fresh tofu from my local Chinese supermarket now.

[Stuart]

^ Yes, that's right. Completely water-logged, harder to prepare... junk, really.

Most of my time I was too scared to touch it in fear it would crumble, both in preparation and in the pan. Still, with my gentle touch it stayed relatively well-formed, and obviously I was way more masterful than BC in my cooking (), it was just a bugger to firm up. In fact. It didn't.

I don't think i've seen any non-Cauldren tofu around, but then I suffer from male blindness, so perhaps I have.

[kokopelli]

The new plain tofu is made in the USA too, which seems crazy. What happened to Cauldron's factory in Portishead? I've stopped buying the plain tofu for frying or savoury uses, I might just consider blending it for desserts or mayonnaise. You can get 'Clear Spot' and 'Taifun' in the local wholefood shops here as well.

Try your local shops instead of supermarkets, Stuart!

[RubyDuby]

esp weird, since I've never heard of cauldren tofu...

(why am I so interested in this thread?)

[Stuart]

Why has it only just registered with me now, despite having read the thread title a ger-zillion times, Zero italicising the words 'non marinated', and probably people having said as much, that you are all in fact talking about marinated tofu, while I have been thinking plain? Somewhere I got carried away with myself.

At least however curious your reasons for being interested, RubyDuby, they're not imagined.