History of Natto and Its Relatives (1405-2012 - SoyInfo Center

soy sauce, and soy bean sprouts. Home preparation of each
is described. Miso, yuba, natto, and hamananatto are also
mentioned (p. 268). Soy-related recipes include: Baked soy
beans (p. 269). Soy bean loaf. Soy bean croquettes. Soy bean
bread (p. 270).
Chapter 9, about nuts, states: “The making of nut butters
is not a diffi cult process. At present peanuts and almonds are
chiefl y used for this purpose... The blanching of peanuts and
almonds is now done on a large scale by special machinery,
and the blanched nuts can be procured in nearly all the
larger cities.” Break the blanched nuts into small pieces by
running them through the Climax Grater or a food chopper.
Put them into a moderately hot oven for a few minutes to
make them dry and crisp, then run them through a tightly
adjusted nut mill to create a “smooth, palatable nut butter.”
A large table (p. 122) compares the composition of various
nuts and nut butters (almond butter, peanut butter) with
meat, cheese, eggs, cow butter, and whole wheat bread.
“The pecan contains the largest amount of fat, about 70%,
closely followed by the hickory nut, brazil nut, fi lbert and
pine nut, which all contain over 60% of fat. The pignolia
imported from Spain ranks highest in the amount of protein,
containing nearly 34%; the peanut comes next with 29.8%;
the butter nut, almond. pistachio, all contain over 20%
protein, excelling the best cuts of meat in that respect. The
almond does not contain any starch as is, therefore, the nut
best suitable for infants, especially in the form of almond
milk.” Chufa contains 3.5% protein and 31.6% fat.
The section titled “Fruit and nut confections” (p.
212-15) discusses and has recipes for natural candies and
confections.
The section titled “How the American people deplete
their vitality by their favorite poisons: The tremendous
waste of our material wealth” (p. 328-43) discusses (p. 338-
43): The amount spent in 1924 on each of 15 “adulterated
foods and drinks and of poisonous stimulants and narcotics”
($5,040 million) compared with the amount spent on
foods and vegetables ($850 million, or 16.8% as much).
Refi ned sugar. Coffee. Tobacco. Condiments, etc. Alcoholic
beverages. Drugs. Regulations for the enforcement of the
Food and Drug Act (due to untiring efforts of Dr. Harvey
W. Wiley, former chief of the Bureau of Chemistry, USDA).
Sodium benzoate and sulphur dioxide. Salt. Saltpeter. Boric
acid and borax. Saccharine. Mineral and coal tar dyes. Laxity
in enforcement of the Pure Food Law.
On pages 344-47 is information about the Carque Pure
Food Company (incorporated 1912) and its founder and
owner Otto Carque, including a brief biography of Otto, a list
of leading Carque food products, and a full page photo of the
company’s new home at 729 Seward St., on 1 Oct. 1925 (2
story brick building).
The food products are arranged by groups: Fruits: Sundried
and dehydrated, without bleaches or preservatives
(Black mission fi gs, white Smyrna-type fi gs, prunes, dates,
© Copyright Soyinfo Center 2012
HISTORY OF NATTO AND ITS RELATIVES 102
olives, raisins, apricots, peaches, pears). Nuts: Fresh,
selected and unroasted (almonds, walnuts, Brazil nuts,
pecans, pignolias, pistachios, peanuts). Confections: Of
assorted fruits, nuts and honey, without sugar, salt, glucose
or preservatives (delectables, fruit nuggets, Kandy-Andy).
Stamina and laxative foods (Nut-Fruto, Prunola {prunes
and olives}, fruit laxative). Nut butters: Ground from whole
nuts, uncooked and unsalted (almond, nut cream, peanut).
Cereals and products: Made from re-cleaned whole grain
(wheat fl our, yellow corn meal, brown rice, breakfast food,
crackers). Miscellaneous (olive oil, strained honey, raw
sugar, fi g-cereal breakfast drink {instead of coffee}). Price
list and descriptive circulars on request.
Note: This is the earliest English-language document (or
book) seen (June 2004) with the term “Natural foods” in the
title that also discusses soy. Address: Los Angeles.
174. Product Name: Natto, and Koji.
Manufacturer’s Name: Nihon Miso Seizo-sho.
Manufacturer’s Address: 439 Turner St., Los Angeles,
California. Phone: VAndike 7260.
Date of Introduction: 1926. January.