A Peak Into my Fridge

When I was a little girl, the anticipation of Christmas morning always kept me awake until the wee hours of the morning. Would I get the Barbie styling head? Would some Cabbage Patch Dolls find their way under my tree? Could Santa possibly fit a new bike in that bag of his? All the things that mattered to me most when I was 8 are so silly now that I am mid-30's, a wife, and mother. What would I want Santa to bring me today...fabric, a new cooktop, a toilet for the basement, nothing an 8 year old would think very exciting.

I often think of our first refrigerator in our first house. It was a housewarming gift from my in-laws. It is not particularly fabulous. It has no ice/water dispenser in the door. It's not a fancy french door, stainless steel model. It's basic white with an ice maker. I was so excited about that refrigerator because it was something we did not have to buy when money was tight after we had purchased our first house. It was something we so desperately needed and my in-laws had been so wonderful to provide. That refrigerator has moved with us and resided happily in 3 kitchens. The door is dented from one of the moves and the moulding piece on the bottom tends to pop off when bumped. The ice tray is often filled with a solid rock of ice topped with a few new ice cubes. It is covered from top to bottom with homemade magnets, pictures, artwork, memos, and dental reminders. It is in one word, utilitarian.

Utilitarian, that is my view of soapmaking. I do not want to run a business. I do not want to make fancy soaps. I want to make soap because quite simply, I want to use it. Plain soap with no fancy perfumes, synthetic detergents, and petroleum based products are expensive. My youngest has extremely sensitive skin and has been known to break out in a head to toe rash from sunscreen. At $4/bar for Dr. Bronners it may be eco-friendly but not economically friendly.

So when the lye arrived today, I was as giddy as an 8 year old on Christmas morning. I had frozen some goat milk earlier in the day so I was ready to go. I used the basic recipe from Milk Soapmaking by Anne Watson. Not having an ice cube tray, thanks in part to my beloved ice maker, I used several small gladware containers. I suppose all went as planned and after some stirring and glamorous moments in rubber gloves and goggles, my first batch of soap made it safely to the fridge. It may not be pretty but here's hoping it turns out to be useful.