Torrox Diary

MAKING SOAP?

Nipped in to see Virginia the other day, her son is replacing a ceiling, the other side of which belongs to an Irish friend of mine - i.e. her floor.  Seen Virginia around the village for years, a quiet, keep to herself sort of woman, but since I have been dealing with this floor/ceiling, we have started to slowly get to know each other.

We have spent time learning about each others families, our children, our thoughts and feelings as women of a similar age.  She showed me photos of her wedding, here in Torrox Pueblo in the 1970's, introducing me through these memories to her parents and brothers and sisters.  Her mother apparently still lives in Torrox but her father died a few years ago.

Asked if I wanted a few potatoes, an avocado or two and some onions, I followed Virginia into the house where the ceiling/floor work is to be done.  I went in, looking upwards, checking to see the old cane ceiling/floor filled in with soil, which had been there for years and became aware that Virginia had spoken, not to me, but to someone sitting to one side.  I had never realised that this room was so large and even had a fireplace, and that as I now turned, it was to see an elderly lady sitting in front of said fireplace, stirring something in a old paint tin bubbling away on an open fire, adding more of whatever it was from another paint tin at her side.  On chatting away to her in Spanish, she gave me some of it to smell - good job I didn't taste it (as I did think it was some form of porridge) it was soap!! And, yes, you've guessed, the old lady was Virginia's mother.

ONE OF THE USES FOR OIL!

Apparently the soap is made from used oil and has many uses in a Spanish household.

The tradition of re-cyling cooking oils to hand make soap has existed in Torrox for longer than anyone can remember.  Olives are always harvested during November and December and pressed to extract the rich oil, which is and always has been an essential ingredient in the daily diet of Spanish people.  This continues today and forms the basis of many a breakfast, snacks and main meals - one very simple use for it is to have a dish of olive oil (and there are many different varieties) together with a plate of Spanish cheese sliced and a bowl of bread cut into chunks. Delicious - cheese on bread dipped into the oil - can't beat it!

THE PROCESS

Years ago, the used oil, left over from frying fish etc., was collected throughout the year in large communial ceramic containers (and some of these can be seen today being used for pot plants around the house). Once the weather began to get cooler, small parties of women would gether together to prepare the recycling of last years oil.  The 'jaboneres' as these women were known, would meet with their big tin basins, buckets and stirring sticks to make their way down to where they would gather wood and begin building the fires, over which the rich olive oil, mineral water and caustic soda would be warmed, mixed and stirred until it saponified.

WHAT NEXT!

The next day, it would be cut into chunks and shared out between the women, who would then store it in large sacks, hung in cellers or outhouses for use throughout the coming year.

The pure olive oil soap has always had an excellent reputation as a good moisturiser and is believed to cure cuts and wounds.  Virginia told me it is also used for washing clothes and when asked, she said that her family never bought commercial soaps.

As I witnessed, soap is still being hand made in Torrox Pueblo today, usually these days with women either pairing off (or by thermselves) to re-cycle their oil, sometimes helping each other with the lifting of the heavy basins and taking turns with the continual stirring which gives the soap its excellent smooth texture and quality.

So, when the ceiling/floor is completed and some used oil has been collected, then I shall take myself back down to see Virginia's mother and make some soap!

I will keep you informed! Also about the progression of the ceiling/floor situation.

Wednesday, 11th April 2007

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