Tofu skin — also known as yuba — is one of those ingredients that never gets old. It’s been a staple in my life for as long as I can remember—whether simmered in comforting soups, tucked into vegetarian duck, or layered into jai for Lunar New Year, where it symbolizes prosperity.

More recently, cold bean curd salads featuring tofu skin have become a go-to order at restaurants—each one a little different, but all delicious. While trying to recreate a favorite version at home, I ended up experimenting with traditional Asian flavors to make a tangy, savory dressing that pairs perfectly with fresh tofu skin.

Quick Tips:

• Make ahead: If time allows, prepare the salad the night before to let the flavors marinate and fully absorb into the tofu skin.
• Fresh tofu skin: Hoda brand yuba is worth the splurge if you can find it. More budget-friendly frozen options are available on Weee.
• Cilantro swap: Not into cilantro? Feel free to skip it and garnish with thinly sliced green onions instead.

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Corto Truly’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) reigns supreme in our household. It’s like a ray of sunshine—bright, grassy, with a peppery, spicy finish that signals true freshness and high quality. My kids can proudly identify it in blind taste tests.

6 Reasons Corto Truly EVOO Shines

My family’s obsession with Extra Virgin Olive Oil is excessive. We have tried many — across price points, harvest regions, and brands. There’s Round Pond, Cobram, McEvoy, Brightland and Fat Gold. Plus Graza, Partanna, Filippo Berio, California Olive Ranch, Bariani, O Olive Oil and Olive Truck. There’s also the more value focused options like Kirkland, Trader Joe’s, Berkeley Bowl, 365 Whole Foods Market and Bertolli. These are just a few of the purchases to pass through our pantry.

1. EVOO Freshness You Can Taste

Corto harvests in California every October–November, when olives are at their peak. Unlike many other olive oils that remain on shelves for months, Corto packages orders in batches. The oils are stored in environmentally controlled stainless-steel casks until they are filled into the patented FlavorLock Box or bottles, ensuring true harvest-date freshness.

Here is proof: Both boxes were harvested during peak olive season, yet the “Best if used by” dates differ. The box purchased in June 2024 is labeled “APR 2026”, while the box purchased in August 2024 is labeled “AUG 2026”. This demonstrates that the later in the year you buy, the further out the freshness date is extended—clear evidence that Corto truly (pun intended) fills orders in batches to preserve peak quality until the next peak harvest.

2. Certified Quality EVOO

Corto Truly Extra Virgin Olive Oil is certified by the California Olive Oil Council. Why does this matter? The COOC has strict standards for chemical analysis and sensory testing. This ensures the EVOO meets one of the highest bars in the world. It’s also worth noting that these standards are reviewed annually, so you know the rigorous certification process is always up to date.

3. Global Recognition

Many brands boast awards, but what do they mean? The gold standard for olive oil competitions is the NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition. (It can be compared to the Academy Awards of film.) Corto has proudly earned recognition there, most recently with a 2025: Silver Award for Corto Truly Extra Virgin Olive Oil. It’s an impressive accomplishment in this very crowded space with so many EVOO’s to choose from.

4. EVOO That’s Affordable Without Compromise

While most premium extra virgin olive oils cost more than $30/500ML, Corto Truly Extra Virgin Olive Oil offers an amazing value at less than $25/500ML. If you buy in bulk there’s an even greater deal with the 3L box’s cost coming in at $74 (that’s under $13/500ML). Corto Truly is affordable without sacrificing quality.

You can only order Corto Truly EVOO online right now. There’s free shipping in the contiguous United States so it’s super easy and delivered to your door.

5. Outstanding Customer Service

Corto’s customer service team goes above and beyond. I’ve emailed and even called with questions ranging from order details to olive oil information. Every time, I’ve received a thoughtful, non-canned response within 24 hours. It’s rare and refreshing in today’s automated customer service world.

Corto is the second largest olive oil producer in the U.S., known for its large-scale operations in the Sacramento Valley. California Olive Ranch is currently the largest, in case you were curious.

6. Smart Packaging

We buy the 3L FlavorLock box for the best value and to maintain freshness. You can refill your own bottle or pour directly from the spout.

According to Corto, “Researchers found that olive oil stored in bag-in-box containers maintained its extra virgin classification for the entire 120 day trial when stored at room temperature (71.6F).”

TL;DR

Bottom line: Corto Truly is bright, peppery, fresh, and affordable good brand of EVOO. From harvest to packaging, it’s the EVOO our family will always keep stocked.

We use about three 3L boxes of Corto Truly each year. Here are some of our favorite ways to use this really good brand of EVOO.

• Your New Favorite Avocado Toast
• Potato Salad, For Folks Who Love Sour Cream & Eggs
• This Pan Con Tomate-Inspired Toast Is Your New Go-To Snack

_{Disclosure: This is not an ad. There are no affiliate links. It’s just a brand we really love and wanted share.}

I’ve had more avocado toast than I can count. Some were topped with eggs, sometimes scrambled, sometimes hard boiled. Others were loaded with tomatoes or fancy spreads. It feels like everyone has their own take, and I’ve tried just about all of them.

But the version that still lingers in my memory is from Tartine in San Francisco. Their avocado toast is deceptively simple. It features perfectly crisp bread and creamy Haas avocado. There is a touch of crunch from toasted seeds and nuts. A sprinkle of microgreens brightens every bite. It inspired me to create my own version at home. It’s quick enough for weekday mornings with my kids. It’s also special enough to feel like a treat. This is the one we keep coming back to.

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Controversial statement to follow. I’m not a huge fan of mayonnaise, but I love potato salad. And as much as I’d like to omit mayonnaise from this recipe altogether, I do acknowledge that it does contribute a needed sweet and creamy flavor profile to offset the tartness of the sour cream. With that said, my preferred method is to use a mostly sour cream base that has won the hearts of many impartial-potato salad folks. I also am a fan of protein, so there’s more egg than a traditional potato salad in here.

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Did you make this?

Tag and follow @marlyaugusts on Instagram for more recipes.

Years ago, I had a chicken curry and garlic noodles for lunch at Perilla in San Francisco. The entire meal was solid, but it was the garlic noodles that stole the show—savory, addictive, and unforgettable. I found myself craving them constantly and knew I had to figure out how to recreate that magic at home.

The journey wasn’t easy. I sifted through countless recipes. Some called for cheese. Others had spaghetti or even Worcestershire sauce. Unfortunately, nothing quite captured the essence of what I remembered. The real breakthrough came when I discovered the right noodle: fresh Thick Cut Wheat Noodles from Berkeley Bowl. Rich, chewy, and just the right bite—they made all the difference.

I don’t have a great substitute to recommend. I hope you live near the Bay Area or have a friend who does. That way, you can grab these noodles and give this garlic noodle recipe a go. It’s worth it.

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