San Diego Soy Diary is located off just south of the 8 in El Cajon. They make high quality tofu and soy milk which is sold to health food stores and restaurants.

They start with soy beans which they purchase from the Mid-West, either organic and non-genetically modified or conventionally grown, depending on the product they are making. The soybeans are soaked and then ground with water to make a thick liquid, or slurry. The slurry is heated to release the proteins from the fiber. During the heating, the slurry wants to foam. They stop the foaming with a constant water spray instead of using silicone defoaming agents which change the pH of the curds and the quality of the tofu. The slurry is then filtered to remove solid matter, mostly fiber. Nigari, which is magnesium chloride made from sea salt, is added to help the proteins coagulate. Most companies use calcium sulfate instead which is similar to chalk. Tofu made with nigari is firmer and has a slight sweet aftertaste. The coagulated mixture is pressed in to blocks and then cut to its final size.

The founder, Gary Stein, is mentioned in the article above. He has since sold the company. I spoke with Dana, the manager. She can be reached at soydairy@aol.com or 619-447-8638. You can try their products at Henry's, the O.B. People's Coop, Whole Foods, Stone Brew World Bistro, Pokez, Cafe 976, Rancho's, Jyoti Bijanga, Veg-N-Out, and Mozy Cafe, among other places.