Savonnerie

wintergreen collected by Hugh and Will for winter tea

solution to the problem of rendering goat fat

Once again, soap! This is going to be a yearly tradition (along with eggnog, yes) because I can't get enough of this beautiful substance.

I just made one batch this year. The big excitement was using tallow from our own goats. Goat tallow is every bit as disgusting as it sounds. Hugh's solution was quite sensible while it was rendering in a crock pot. After straining it and storing it, however, it was virtually odourless.  It stored well, too—almost three months at room temperature without any sign of rancidity. I melted it down and mixed it with olive oil and coconut oil and the soap turned out perfect, just the right texture and very nourishing for the skin.

I scented the soap with essential oils that a friend gave me for laundry soap...ravensara (which smells a bit like eucalyptus), mint, and orange essential oils. The little brown bits are balsam fir needles which I pulsed in the coffee grinder. I was hoping they would add scent to the soap, but alas. For exfoliation purposes only.