we’d
need today. Cindy stood in back where she could get a good view of
my lesson.
“ Today we’ll be learning one
of the basic methods of soapmaking. It’s called hand-milling or
rebatching, and some of the finest soaps in the world are created
with this method. Hand-milled soaps have a finer texture than other
soaps, and they last longer, too.” I held up one of the standard
generic white bars of soap and said, “This is our first building
block in creating an individualized and unique soap. Don’t think of
this bar as a finished product, because it’s just a beginning
ingredient.” I put the soap down, then held a container of dye up
in one hand and a baggie filled with oatmeal in the other. “For one
of our first soaps, we’ll be using some simple additives, but it’s
amazing what you can come up with once you learn the basics of this
process. There’s a combination that will do just about anything you
want, if you just know the right ingredients to add.”
“ I want to look forty years
younger,” an older woman in back tittered.
“ You’d have to be wrapped up
in a baby blanket if you did,” I said, and the class laughed right
along with the two of us. “Seriously though, there are soaps that
reduce stress, increase energy, help insomnia, and even ones that
actually clean your hands.”
“ What about noodles?”
Constance asked from the back of the room.
“ Someone’s been studying,” I
said, and she smiled. “We’ll be using soap noodles in our next
class,” I told everyone, “so we’ll go over them then.”
“ But what are they?” an
older man asked.
I called out, “Cindy, would you mind grabbing
a few bags and passing them around? Class, this is my sister Cindy,
and one of the best scent-makers to walk this planet.”
My sister shot me a cold look as the
classroom pivoted in their chairs to get a look at her. She had no
other choice but to retrieve a few bags of the soap noodles and
pass them out. As the class looked at them, I explained, “These
noodles are extruded from the same formula as our basic bar of
soap. While it’s true they are easier to work with since the
hand-milling step is skipped, I think it’s important to build your
first soap from the beginning of the process. There’s a history in
hand-milling soap that goes back hundreds of years. Cindy, would
you mind passing out the soap bars so we can begin? I’ll distribute
the trays while you do that.”
My sister came forward and started doing as I
asked. I offered her a smile and said, “Thanks.” As I passed out
trays to catch the shavings of the white base soap to each student,
I noticed that Diana was watching me. Well, I was the teacher. Why
shouldn’t she watch me? Blast my sisters for planting the thought
in my head that she might be interested in me.
“ Use your graters and reduce
the soap I gave you,” I told them. “It’s just like grating cheese.”
As they worked the soap down to shreds, I said, “Watch those
knuckles. We don’t want any impurities in our finished
products.”
After everyone had a neat pile of soap
shavings on the trays in front of them, I said, “Now is where the
fun begins. For today, we’re all going to make the same type of
soap together to learn the process. Tomorrow we’ll be using soap
noodles,” as I said that, I nodded in Constance’s direction. “Then
in our final class we’ll be experimenting with individual soap
blends. Now it’s time to gather the tools and ingredients we’ll
need for today’s session.” I’d thought about handing everything out
at the same time, but I wanted them to get a feel for the soap on
their hands before we complicated the procedure. As I moved from
station to station on the long countertop, I distributed measuring
bowls, wooden spoons, hot plates, pots, and other equipment. Once
those were passed out, I gave each of them premeasured containers
of water, dye, and fragrance. Finally, I handed out small bags of
oatmeal and
need today. Cindy stood in back where she could get a good view of
my lesson.
“ Today we’ll be learning one
of the basic methods of soapmaking. It’s called hand-milling or
rebatching, and some of the finest soaps in the world are created
with this method. Hand-milled soaps have a finer texture than other
soaps, and they last longer, too.” I held up one of the standard
generic white bars of soap and said, “This is our first building
block in creating an individualized and unique soap. Don’t think of
this bar as a finished product, because it’s just a beginning
ingredient.” I put the soap down, then held a container of dye up
in one hand and a baggie filled with oatmeal in the other. “For one
of our first soaps, we’ll be using some simple additives, but it’s
amazing what you can come up with once you learn the basics of this
process. There’s a combination that will do just about anything you
want, if you just know the right ingredients to add.”
“ I want to look forty years
younger,” an older woman in back tittered.
“ You’d have to be wrapped up
in a baby blanket if you did,” I said, and the class laughed right
along with the two of us. “Seriously though, there are soaps that
reduce stress, increase energy, help insomnia, and even ones that
actually clean your hands.”
“ What about noodles?”
Constance asked from the back of the room.
“ Someone’s been studying,” I
said, and she smiled. “We’ll be using soap noodles in our next
class,” I told everyone, “so we’ll go over them then.”
“ But what are they?” an
older man asked.
I called out, “Cindy, would you mind grabbing
a few bags and passing them around? Class, this is my sister Cindy,
and one of the best scent-makers to walk this planet.”
My sister shot me a cold look as the
classroom pivoted in their chairs to get a look at her. She had no
other choice but to retrieve a few bags of the soap noodles and
pass them out. As the class looked at them, I explained, “These
noodles are extruded from the same formula as our basic bar of
soap. While it’s true they are easier to work with since the
hand-milling step is skipped, I think it’s important to build your
first soap from the beginning of the process. There’s a history in
hand-milling soap that goes back hundreds of years. Cindy, would
you mind passing out the soap bars so we can begin? I’ll distribute
the trays while you do that.”
My sister came forward and started doing as I
asked. I offered her a smile and said, “Thanks.” As I passed out
trays to catch the shavings of the white base soap to each student,
I noticed that Diana was watching me. Well, I was the teacher. Why
shouldn’t she watch me? Blast my sisters for planting the thought
in my head that she might be interested in me.
“ Use your graters and reduce
the soap I gave you,” I told them. “It’s just like grating cheese.”
As they worked the soap down to shreds, I said, “Watch those
knuckles. We don’t want any impurities in our finished
products.”
After everyone had a neat pile of soap
shavings on the trays in front of them, I said, “Now is where the
fun begins. For today, we’re all going to make the same type of
soap together to learn the process. Tomorrow we’ll be using soap
noodles,” as I said that, I nodded in Constance’s direction. “Then
in our final class we’ll be experimenting with individual soap
blends. Now it’s time to gather the tools and ingredients we’ll
need for today’s session.” I’d thought about handing everything out
at the same time, but I wanted them to get a feel for the soap on
their hands before we complicated the procedure. As I moved from
station to station on the long countertop, I distributed measuring
bowls, wooden spoons, hot plates, pots, and other equipment. Once
those were passed out, I gave each of them premeasured containers
of water, dye, and fragrance. Finally, I handed out small bags of
oatmeal and
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