quote:

Originally posted by Legal Eagle:
the soap is quite sweet (high glycerine content and all that), which is why ruminants (cows,sheep ect) love the stuff,glyceriene that is.

My animals must be snobs, cause I can't get anything to eat it? I can't even get deer or other wild critters to eat it? What am I doing wrong?
DD

I've just ordered some Chocolate Brownie scented oil... .

I bought a book called The Soap Maker's Companion. It has been very useful at gaining insight into what is going on.

It turns out that I basically overcooked the soap, well past trace. That is what left it thick like batter. The dark color came from the coco I added. Now that I know what I did "wrong" I will be able to repeat it and make a full pan of brownies, complete with scent! These suckers are going in the county fair.

-Jim

You were the guy who dipped the girls' pigtails in the ink well right ? (ok, I'm an old fart)

No, but when I see something I tend to run with it until it is complete. There is a different ornament on the tree for my new hobby of the year. Three years ago it was solar water heating. Two years ago it was biodiesel. Last year it was diesel Mercedes Benz. This year I am sure it will be something about soap making, unless something else comes up.

The Chocolate Brownie soap was an accident. I've figured out what I "messed up" and can now repeat it. Soon the scents will be here... Is it soap? Is it art? Who knows, for now it is fun. That is enough.

-Jim