Soap Wars - Episode 2

The scent of lemongrass is divine. It's a while since we made soap but we had all the ingredients in stock and a bottle of lemongrass oil waiting to be used so, soap making was on the cards. We first made soap in 2012 and it was great but together with soap we had been given, bought and had in stock, we've had no real need to make it since. The good news is we are running low and the opportunity to make our own cannot be missed.

The recipe was pretty much as before but with amounts adjusted to create a perfect balance of hardness, bubbles, persistence, cleanliness and conditioning. We used an online calculator which gives you the values for each depending on your mix of ingredients. We also added some white clay which helps with the texture of the soap. The whole process of creating the right blend is know as a Saponification Calculation.

The soap was poured into a large wooden mold and a cupcake tin where it was allowed to cool and set overnight. The large block was cut into presentable slices and the whole soap will be left to cure for several weeks: it is caustic to the skin until it cures.

Home made soap is truly lovely and you can sure that it contains no unnecessary chemicals, micro beads or palm oil. If you do fancy having a go and making some it really is quite easy but special care is needed as you are dealing with chemical processes that can burn and injure unless handled with extreme care.

We used a processed lemongrass oil for the soap but we are also growing lemongrass in a pot. We hoped we would be able to harvest the bulbous part of the grass when it matured and infuse it with olive oil but last year it didn't reach such maturity. We'll just have to be content with the lovely fresh lemon smell it gives off as you brush past it. The cats love to eat lemongrass and can often be found grazing on the fresh green shoots.

Lemongrass

Here is Soap Wars from 2012 if you missed it the first time around. Click here

Making natural soaps and creams.

There are many weekly markets across Asturias throughout the year in the towns and cities. Some, at times, present us with surprises as was the case of a market we visited in the town of Llanes this summer.  On this particular occasion we came across a stall selling home made creams and soaps. Two ladies, Maria Antonia and her daughter, were not only selling their produce but also advertising a course they were organizing for later on the year. After chatting with them and discovering we shared an interest in the use of herbs, natural oils and essential oils as a base to make soap, shampoo, creams and body lotions I decided to put my name down for one of the courses taking place in the Autumn.

Home made soap and creams is a topic that fascinates me and those familiar with our blog may recall that we have been making hand cream for several years and recently we made our first batch of home made soap. There are several books and Internet based sites with lots of information on the subject but the opportunity to participate in a course was something I was looking forward to as I wanted to learn how to formulate facial and body creams as well as soaps and shampoos using natural oils, essential oils and some of the aromatic plants we already cultivate in our garden. Herbs such as lavender, rosemary, chamomile, thyme, lemon balm, lemon verbena, mint, oregano, salvia (sage) and calendula (marigold) as well as using our orange and jasmine blossom.

The course took place in the nearby town of Llanes in an early 20th century building that used to be the casino and that unfortunately needs some repairs. The course ran over a 6 days and was taught by a lady called Maria Antonia who used to work for the cosmetic industry and whose passion for the use of herbs and their essential oils to make naturals cosmetics and aromatherapy products are contagious.

The course content included a brief outline on growing and harvesting herbs, formulation of creams, soap making and the formulation of natural soaps, bath salts and creams for personal hygiene and aromatherapy.

One of the the main things I learnt from the course was how to formulate creams in a way that ensures the integrity of the formula regardless of the combination of oils used and how create additional creams to those we are already making. I cannot wait to start applying the knowledge I gained through the course and start experimenting with different scents and even colours. All of them natural of course and whenever possible using the herbs we grow organically at La Pasera.

The other participants came from a variety of backgrounds with a range of reasons why they wanted to submerge themselves in the world of natural products; some wanted to explore the possibility of starting a new life making natural cosmetics for a living, someone wanted to formulate her own creams to use in her practice as a masseur while a few just wanted to learn more and be able to make home-made natural products.

It was nice to meet such an interesting and varied group of people and after talking about Ian's famous Moroccan cuisine that is very fragrant and uses citrus and spices, they were very glad to accept an invitation for lunch at La Pasera, now to tell Ian he is cooking for 10......or maybe more Oops.

A day out at the traditional market in Porrua

Fiesta season is in full swing here in Asturias. August, being the main holiday month, is busy with tourists enjoying the warm summer sunshine and families returning to their village or family homes for a summer break. With lots of people around, there is no better time than August to organise a traditional Asturian market.

Porrua is a large village nestled between the coast and the mountains about 15 minutes from La Pasera. It has an old charm about it with many Indiano-style houses built at the turn of the century and quite few new small hotels and holiday homes.

Each year Porrua hosts a very popular traditional market. This year like previous years, it was spectacular and well worth a few hours soaking in the atmosphere, watching the street entertainers, admiring the many craft stalls (and resist buying) or sampling the delights of the food and drinks stalls.

We arrived early and parked up in a local field that had been given over to parking. As you approach Porrua, you can appreciate its position with a panoramic, green and rocky backdrop. People were already gathering and drinking coffee in one of the very few bars in the village.

We wandered though several narrow twisting streets and admired the quaint village houses and barns, some restored whilst others remain untouched and neglected.

The market takes place over two days in the centre of the village which boasts a large circular meeting place. With its mature plane trees grafted together forming perfect shade, this communal space in the centre of the village is magical. The craft stalls are sited around the outside whilst the food and drink stalls occupy the shady central part.

At events like these I always wonder how the crafts people can make enough money? The stall rent is very expensive and being over two days, with travel and accommodation, the cost of materials and their time, that is a lot of money to re-coup before making a profit. Some people think that hand-made goods are expensive but taking everything into account, they are not.

As you enter the market, the atmosphere starts to build, it doesn't take much to imagine yourself in medieval times. Going along to market days with the hustle and bustle of travellers and traders, farmers and locals gathering to barter and trade their goods.

All the roads, footpaths and passage ways are strewn with straw and each stall is decked out in hessian, ferns/bracken and other natural products. All the stall holders are in traditional dress and many of the local children also take the opportunity to dress in costume.

The craft stalls, many with live demonstrations, were busy setting up when we arrived and setting out their wares which included leather goods, pottery, fibre crafts, jewellery, soaps, musical instruments, book bindings, puppets, miniature sculptures, spoons, models, ironworks and paintings to list a few.

As the market came awake, wood smoke from the massive barbecue permeated the morning air and the official opening commenced. A street parade gathered and oxen and carts, giant comedic characters, donkeys, musicians, and a range of street entertainers took up position and made their way merrily through the narrow streets towards the market.

 

The parade is accompanied by dancers and musicians dressed in traditional costume. It is a busy time for these performers as they have many fiestas to attend. The women wear heavy woollen skirts and handwoven shawls. The pipes here in Asturias are a type of bag pipe called the Gaita and played by a Gaitero. You can hear some of the music in the video below.

Throughout the day, the street entertainers perform much to the delight of the growing crowds. The smell of roasted costillas (ribs) and chorizo coming from the gigantic barbecue trigger people's appetite and the food stalls begin to feed the masses as children ride around the atrium on the backs of donkeys and on carts pulled by oxen.

Visiting Porrua will be an annual pilgrimage for us. It is such a wonderful way to pass a few hours, with time to sit and watch the world go by and appreciate its magical atmosphere. Its gentle rhythm, its constant hum and its colourful spectacle occasionally punctuated by dancers, musicians, jugglers and characters.

La Pasera - The Soap Opera - The first batch

The stage is set. The props in place, costumes on, camera ready, lighting OK despite being a dull day...Action.

Scene 1

Enter Luis stage left wearing black rubber gloves, a black apron and protective glasses (plus his normal clothes - phew!) Ian decides to stay close by, watching from a distance, camera in hand and making mental notes. Was this a recipe for disaster or was Luis heading for the shower...?

The oils, almond, coconut and olive decide to take a warm bain marie whilst lye (a rather caustic character) and distilled water are carefully measured.

Things begin to warm up and it's all action from now on.

Scene 2

The action moved outside as things started to get tricky and dangerous. It started to drizzle but that didn't put anyone off. All the ingredients were gathered and Luis got tooled up with a rather snazzy spatula and a stainless steel blender. Lemon Grass oil makes an appearance and waited patiently on the side until it was her turn to join in. Lye decided to take a drink to get things warmed up.

Things are stirring, lye and water are introduced to coconut, olive and almond. Vitamin E turned up but waited patiently to be introduced. The soap plot begins to thicken as the blender gets to work - there is no escape now.

Luis manoeuvres his spatula into position and with blenders help, a distinct visible trace is left for all to see. As a last ditched effort to get noticed, Lemon Grass and Vit E enters the mix. One final stir and it's nearly over. Luis decides it's time to turf the mix out into a pre-prepared mould. They should be fine in there as it's fully lined and grease proof.

Scene 3

It's been a quiet night, the mix was kept safe in a cupboard away from The Terror Twins, Wentworth and Gawber. They are renowned for inquisitive ways and there was always a possibility they would sniff it out and get their paws burnt. Gawber kept a close eye on things...

The next day

Lunch was a short affair as Luis was eager to sort out the mix once and for all. He grabbed a sharp knife from the kitchen drawer and took the mould from the cupboard. The mix decided to come out without much of a fight to our delight, but it wasn't over. The deed had to be done. Luis plunged his knife into the bar and cut it into six pieces, it was over. Well almost...

There is always a possibility that such a volatile mix might turn out too soft or crumble but there is a cure. 4-6 weeks in a cool dry secure unit. That'll sort them once and for all, toughen and harden them up. Luis sighed with relief, it had been easier than he thought. Meanwhile, on a shelf not too far away bergamot can be spotted hiding in the shadows...

Will Luis' bubble burst, will he ditch the dirt, why is bergamot hovering in the wings? Let's hope Luis doesn't get into a lather and that he feels cleansed by the experience - only time will tell.

Bookmark now for Episode 2 Coming soon.

La Pasera - Suds Law

With special thanks to Coco at My Galician Garden for her inspirational soap making and gifts of soap.