Fixing citrus essential oils in cold process soap making

I've been making soaps for many years now, but like many experienced soap makers I have had some trouble when making soaps scented with citrus essential oils. In the past I have tried using benzoin essential oil in an attempt to remedy this, but have never had complete success. Just recently I decided I really wanted to make a successful Lime scented soap and Orange scented soap, both of which have proved to be very popular especially in the hot summer months. So after some extensive research, using the web and various soap making blogs and reference books, I tried out a new formula. I am seriously impressed with the results and thought I would share my tips. First and foremost is to use castor oil to blend the essential oils in. I used an amount that is adequate to superfat a 3 kilo batch of soap and added my chosen blend to it and let it rest for an hour or so while I made the soap itself. To further anchor the citrus oils I used Litsea Cubeba or May Chang essential oil in both the orange and the Lime blends. This oil has quite a strong citrus scent in itself and mimics the scent of lime quite strongly, so I used less in the orange blend and slightly more in the lime blend. To each of the blends I added 10 drops of Patchouli essential oil, which also helps to fix citrus oils and a touch of Cedarwood for the same purpose. For the Lime soap I then used Lime, Lemon, Grapefruit and Bergamot essential oils, and for the Orange soap, Bitter Orange, Sweet Orange, and Bergamot essential oils. Both of the soaps are seriously citrusy and even though I then processed the Cold Process soap in the oven known as Cold Process Hot Process the scent remained intact- I can only imagine that without doing this the scent would maybe be even more intense. So if you've had problems with citrus essential oils, try this method for some seriously impressive results.

Ajo Blanco- chilled almond and garlic soup

Ajo Blanco is a traditional Andalusian dish that dates back to the time of the Moorish occupation of the region. Its beautiful delicate flavour makes it a favorite in the hot summer months, which at the moment with temperatures soaring means its well worth the effort. It's actually a decidedly simple recipe, that makes use of ingredients grown in abundance in the area. Almonds are harvested mostly at the end of June and into the months of July, the garlic aswell. A good quality olive oil is a must so choose an organic variety or if you live here in Spain a Verdial- fruity and sweet that compliments the sharpness of the garlic. This is a soup that can be served with strips of fine cut Jamon Serrano, cubes of cold rock melon or the traditional Moscatel grape thats coming into season right about now.

Ingredients:

100gms almonds in their skins
150gms dense white bread or pan de pueblo
2 cloves of garlic
100 mils extra virgin olive oil
30 mils white wine vinegar
1 litre of cold spring water

Firstly soak the bread in water until softened squeeze out the excess water and set aside.

Put a pan of water on to boil, and pass the almonds for a few minutes in the water, let them cool and then pop them out of their skins.

In a pestle and mortar or in a blender mix the almonds and garlic with a little salt and then add the softened bread until you get a smooth paste.

Slowly add the olive oil, and then the vinegar, finally add the cold water. Adjust the seasoning to taste and put in the fridge to chill fully.

Apart from serving the soup with the aforementioned garnishes you can also top with a little peppermint or drizzle some extra olive oil over the top.

Book Sale- any book 1 euro

Ok everyone, am doing a clearout of all my books, so theres around 200 books available at the reasonable price of 1 euro each at my shop in Ronda, Calle Sevilla 23. So next time you come up this way come and have a look theres more than likely something you havent read yet! The titles range from Vikram Seth to Rudyard Kipling, Isaac Asimov to Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Biographies, to reference books, some poetry and quirky modern fiction.

Like alot of people out there I tend to horde books and cant bear to give them away, but with over 1000 books Ive decided to be a little ruthless and cull the ever growing mountain.

So they are all available for perusal, during opening hours- and the proceeds will be going to a good cause!


Andalucia Soap Company Calle Sevilla 23 Ronda 29400 Tel:952 87 22 42 for more information.

Thanks, Sara

London riots - surprising? not really.

Like most people Ive been following the coverage of the riots in London, with mixed feelings of shock and a sad sense of inevitability . Originally from London myself, and knowing some of the affected areas well, it sadly doesnt really come as much surprise. It's clear to most people that we live in a society that promotes above all consumerism, it's what our society thrives on and were all taught to want, and want with abandon.

We all know that corruption in the government, police force and media is rampant, and we're expected to accept that they will mostly get away with it. The divide in our society between those that have and those that most definately don't widens with the wealth and privelege destined for an ever increasing smaller minority. It's difficult to see how the have-nots in our society can be expected to behave in a law abiding way when our leaders, banks, and media show us its perfectly acceptable to behave in another. It's not that surprising then to see people taking when the opportunity arises. Reading the coverage of the recent riots, it seems that alot of the looters, are just taking advantage of a situation- if you passed an open, defenceless shop loaded with goods would you be able to resist taking something away with you-especially if theres no comeback? Honestly?

The economic situation that's been going on now since 2008 has squeezed everyone to the point where there's literally no room to manoevre, here in Spain it's no different. We all know that the initial incident of the shooting of Mark Duggan isnt the reason why theres mass rioting all over the Uk and the underlying causes are the same here and in most of Europe. However here the people decided to confront the system in a different way. They occupied the town squares all over Spain, demanding an end to the corruption, and solutions to the economic inequality that leaves many living below the poverty line. They set up discussion groups to talk about the way theyd like the society to be, how the government should tackle the economy, social problems etc etc and these proposals have been formed into a political manifesto. As in the Uk they also used social networking sites to organise themselves around the country. They camped in the Squares for months, peacefully protesting and gaining support from the general public. In England the unemployment rate is 8% but here it's over 20% and higher in certain areas, with the young badly affected. There's a real sense of desperation and helplessness, and very little and in many cases no government assistence, but there's no looting, violence or disorder,as yet.

When the trouble dies down, England will be saddled with a huge clean-up, countless millions of damages, both to private and public property and worse a sense of distrust between neighbours, and a badly damaged reputation abroad. Fear will probably end up being the prevailing emotion of most ordinary citizens. We rely on a sense of order and mutual respect inorder to live in large cities or anywhere for that matter, and its clear that the police cant control large numbers of incidents all over the country- where does that leave the ordinary person? England will have to rethink its view of itself, and changes will have to be made. Unfortunately, the violence and destruction doesnt draw sympathy to the symptoms that caused the outbreak, and hopefully they wont be overlooked in the aftermath as a result. Comparing the situation with what went on over here, peaceful protest might be slower to take effect but you only have to look at what Ghandi achieved to see that its more productive in the long run.

Ronda - Ayuntamiento in the red to the tune of 30 million euros

Ronda residents are waking up today to the stark facts that have been laid bare in a letter from the new Mayor,Mari Paz Fernandez that itemises the details of the nearly 30 million euro debt that the new leaders of the Ayuntamiento ( town council) have inherited from their predecessors. It makes sober reading and lays out various measures that will be put in place to minimize future expenses and try to pull Ronda out of the mire.

This is the itemised list of the debt owing:

Banks 15.320.946,61
Providers 10.767.927,91
Social Security 569.158,68
Junta Andalucia 328.391,77
Private Business 1.920.000,00
Unpaid Bills 593.898,18

Total 29.500.323,15

As a result various providers are refusing to supply materials to the council, such as cleaning equipment, office materials, maintenance work, as there are still bills owed from as far back as 2009.

On top of this there is no cash flow to pay the salaries of the various workers in the council.

In face of this massive economic fiasco, the new leadership are proposing a list of measures to reduce future spending these include:

1.A reduction in the amount of advisors to the council by half, and a reduction in the remaining advisors salaries.

2.Suspension of the offical car- only to be used on offical business out of town.

3.Reduction of the Mayor's own salary.

4.The revision of the contracts for the local municipal newspaper and television network.

5. A centralized system for the buying of future materials for the council to reduce the problem of expensive and unnecessary expenses.

6.A restructuring of the municipal platform to improve the efficiency of the funcionaries.

7.A promise to pay providers according to the law as quickly as possible.

This seems to me all very well, but what happens about the actual 30 million euro debt? If town services are to be cut back, which seems to me to be the next logical step in the plan of action, as the Ayuntamiento is one of the main employers in the town there will be more and more people out of work, not paying into the social security system etc etc. Unfortunately this sorry situation is being played out across the country, and although Spain is already on the verge of collapse, I fear the worst is probably yet to come.

Horchata de Chufa- a refreshing summer drink.

I've lived in Spain for nearly 20 years, but last year was the first time I tried the drink Horchata de Chufa, mainly because I've never been a milk drinker, so was put off the idea as when I'd seen it served in bars as it looks just like milk. I was quite surprised by the taste- it has a slightly earthy quality to it and it was pretty refreshing aswell, served ice cold on a hot summers day. At the time I didn't know anything about what it was made from or how it was made and was surprised to find out that it was made from Tiger nuts or Chufas as they're known here which aren't actually nuts at all but a small tuber. Spain and more specifically an area of 8 square kilometers known as Alboraia in the province of Valencia is the only place in Europe where the Tiger nuts are grown, as they need a very particular climate for optimum cultivation. Originally from Egypt, (tiger nuts have been found buried with the Pharoes in vases), the Arabs introduced their cultivation to Spain during their occupation of the country from the 8th to the 13th century. In Spain over 50 million litres of Horchata de Chufa is consumed each year during the hot summer months.

The Tiger nut is an extremely healthy and rich food source, being high in minerals, particularly phosphorus and potassium and the vitamins E and C. Its lactose and gulten free and low in sodium so its suitable for special diets and has a beneficial effect on cholesterol levels.

There are several Tigernut products, but the most popular is the drink known as Horchata de chufa. To make this drink the harvested and carefully dried out chufas are soaked in water for 7 hours and then pulped to produce a milk that is then strained. Sugar is then added and sometimes cinnamon. In Valencia there are bars dedicated to serving this drink with a long donut type cake known as a farton that is dipped in the horchata. So if you're wondering about this drink on your trip to Spain, try it. You can buy it in most supermarkets and its similarly priced to milk or Soy milk.

Places to eat around Ronda - Al Lago Zahara de la Sierra

Having a shop here in Ronda, I'm often asked where are the best places to eat, either in town or further afield. The first place that I always recommend if they are on their way towards Sevilla, or dont mind a picturesque drive of around half an hour, is the restaurant by Lake Zahara, Al lago, which in my opinion has the best food in the area. The restaurant is run by American born chef, Stefan Crites, and his wife Mona, and has fantastic views over the lake and the surrounding mountains outside on the cool and shady terrace. The food is mediterranean based, and they pride themselves on using locally produced mainly organic fruit and vegetables, local cheeses, game and fresh fish brought in specially from the coast.

Its also a great choice for non meateaters, as they serve many dishes that are suitable for vegetarians, which is sometimes quite difficult down here. Another rarity is the selection of homemade desserts, especially if you'd like to have something other than the egg custard based desserts that feature so prominently in most Spanish restaurants. There is even a 3 course menu del dia during the week for only 12 euros a head, which is well priced given the standard of the food and the size of the portions. The restaurant is easy to find as it's located next to the lake at the bottom of the village as you come in from the main road that goes from Ronda to Sevilla, and there's usually plenty of parking just opposite.For a full look at the current menu click here. I will be posting more about restaurants around the area that are well worth a visit, so keep checking, or you could see my posts about Ronda tapas bars if you want something in the town itself.

Pomegranate, walnut and cabbage salad- Ronda style.

In the hot summer months, most people here in Andalusia tend to stick to cold dishes during the daytime leaving the main meal for the cool of the evening, often preferring to eat barbeque style outside on the terrace or in the campo enjoying the cooler breezes that come down from the mountains. Unfortunately after a while it gets a little difficult to think of things to do with lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers.

I found this recipe that is different from the usual mixed salad that gets served in most bars and restaurants in a locally published cook book, compiled by residents of Ronda. Its called Ensalada de la Serrania, which translates to Mountain salad.

The base is not lettuce but white cabbage, and it has an interesting salad dressing.

Ingredients:

1 kilo white cabbage
1 kilo walnuts in their shells
1 kilo pomegranates
1 dried red pepper
2 cloves of garlic
1 slice of bread
olive oil for frying
paprika,cumin,salt,pepper and vinegar to taste.

Chop and slice the cabbage into fine strips, place it in a bowl of boiling water and leave until the water goes cool, drain and place in a bowl.

Shell the walnuts and chop into pieces.

Peel open the pomegranates and separate into grains.

Soften the dried red pepper in hot water, meanwhile fry the garlic and bread in olive oil, and then in a pestle and mortar grind into a paste with the spices salt and pepper and add vinegar to taste.

Add the pomegranates seeds and walnuts to the cabbage with a little of the oil from the frying, then toss the salad with the rest of the ingredients, adjust the seasoning to taste.

Actually this salad would also be great in the autumn months when summer vegetables are no longer available. I could anyway eat pomegranates at any time of the year so I think Ill be making this one quite a bit over the coming months.

Castile Soap- Origins and History

Jabon de Castilla or Castile soap originated in Spain, and was named after a region of modern day Spain known then as the Kingdom of Castilla due to the amount of castles that had been built there to reconquer the area back from the Moors.

At that time soap making in northern Europe focused on the use of animal fats, whereas in Spain the abundance of olive oil lead to a pure olive oil soap that became known as Castile soap. Due to its incredible moisturizing properties, this soap became a luxury commodity in the rest of Europe, being a favorite amongst royalty and noblemen. The infamous Louis the fourteenth of France became so hooked that he ordered French soapmakers to make the switch to olive oil, and this tradition continues to this day- commonly known as Savon de Marseille.

Many soaps are sold with the castile label even though some have very little olive oil in their formulations, a true castile soap should have 100% olive oil, and preferably extra virgin olive oil. A pure olive oil soap is unlike other soaps in that it doesnt produce an abundant fluffy lather, but rather a creamy, small bubbled lather that leaves the skin extremely moisturised and is suitable for extremely sensitive skin, babies, and small children. Olive oil is naturally rich in Oleic acid, containing between 60-80% which means that an olive oil is a natural moisturiser helping to attact moisture from the surrounding air inturn keeping skin supple and soft. The other extremely important ingredient in Olive oil is Squalene, and Olive squalene is close in chemical structure to the skins own squalene which means that it can penetrate the skin effectively and inturn this helps the skin to stay moisturized and helps it to naturally regenerate, even helping to heal damaged skin. To find out more about how the my castile soap is made there are more details in this former post

All this makes choosing a Castile soap for your daily hygiene routine a good choice expecially if you have dry and sensitive skin. Or if you are looking for a safe natural soap for newborns or small children. Just remember not to expect the same sort of lathering properties in other soaps, even natural ones.

Migas- a traditional Andalusian tapa.

Here in Ronda in many restaurants and bars you can order a tapa of Migas. Its one of those dishes that just by its name piques the imagination and Im nearly always asked to explain by visitors what it is exactly. Migas is a truly typical example of an Andalusian farmers dish. Years ago when I first came out to Andalusia, this was one of the dishes that my neighbours would cook, when the store cupboard was bare-or to go alongside the spoils of the Mattanza ( Pig slaughter). They also explained to me that there was another version called Gachas that was made during the civil war, when there was nothing else to be found, made from a simple paste of flour and water, cooked. If they were lucky it was sometimes served with honey or pieces of pig fat. Migas as offered here in the bars as a tapa is usually made from pan duro, or hard bread, crumbled into breadcrumbs, or slithered laboriously with a sharp knife, that is then left overnight slightly moistened with a cloth to cover. The most simple version consists of frying the migas in olive oil and garlic until lightly browned, and then serving them with any number of either sweet or savoury accompaniaments such as fried eggs, chorizos, bits of pork belly, or the sweet version with melon, grapes or even chocolate. Usually though they come served on their own to be eaten alongside other tapas.

Migas are thought to have developed during the time of the Moorish occupation of Southern Spain, being similar in style to couscous. Although apparantly the Christians added pork fat inorder to distinguish their dish from the similar dishes of their Arab and Jewish neighbours. Its sometimes also called Migas del Pastor or Shepherds Migas as it was a dish principally eaten in rural areas. It is a bit of an aquired taste but when done properly can be quite delicious especially on a cold winter evening. If you want to try it yourself heres a recipe from a Ronda cookbook.

Ingredients:

1 Kilo of farmer style bread
1/2 a glass of olive oil
4 chorizos
1 bulb of large garlic.
salt

Crumb the bread into small pieces and place in a bowl, slightly moisten the bread with water and cover with a towel. Leave to stand until ready to use or overnight.

In a large heavy frying pan heat the oil and add the garlic and chopped chorizos fry until golden, removing from the oil and set aside.

In the remaining oil fry the bread crumbs until golden, dry and loose. Just before serving add the chorizo and garlic mixture. Serve with marinated olives.

De- stress aromatherapy essential oil blend

Unfortunately we all seem to suffer from the general stress of everyday life, and with the economic climate here in Europe seemingly on a unstoppable downward spiral for many life has become a real hard slog just to get by. Aromatherapy is a great way to combat feelings of anxiety, stress and even depression. One of the most effective essential oils is Geranium. The latin name for this essential oil is Pelargonium graveolens and it is distilled from the stalks and leaves and can be quite green in colour. It is a relatively expensive essential oil but as you only need a few drops a small bottle will go a long way. Geranuim essential oil has a balancing effect on the mind and also on hormone levels and is a useful oil in the treatment of PMS and menopausal problems. Its a great mood lifter and is used to help patients that suffer from anxiety and stress related problems.

In the following blend I have combined the above with Lavender and Bergamot essential oils. Lavender is well known for its ability to calm nervous tension, relieve headaches and promote a sense of calm, whereas the Bergamot aids lack of confidence, anxiety, and depression. As in the insect repellent recipe just add the essential oils to a base of Almond oil, or even any oil you have to hand.

Ingredients:

30 mils Almond oil
15 drops of Geranium
5 drops of Lavender
10 drops of Bergamot

Apply to the pulse points on the wrists, temples and around the neck area.

Natural Aromatherapy Insect Repellent Recipe

This year in Andalucia the insects are abundant- as it was a very wet winter and spring there is lots of water still in the ground, and the insects in particular the mosquitos are prolific. I react very badly to mosquito bites so I really need to protect myself from them. There are several essential oils that are really effective against bites, and I have made myself a blend in a base of sweet almond oil in a roll on that can be put on the areas most affected- around the ankles, arms and I always put a dab or two around the neck. It doesnt smell as bad as commercially bought insect repellents, and has the added bonus of moisturizing the skin.

Recipe:

30mils Almond oil
8 drops Thyme essential oil
16 drops Lemongrass essential oil
8 drops Lavender essential oil
8 drops Peppermint essential oil

If you dont like oil based products you could try the same amount of essential oils in a spray bottle mixed with a floral water preferably lavender.

Andalusian Lamb Caserole- Ronda style

Ok I though it might be a nice idea to share some really typical Ronda recipes, which I sourced through a cook book that was brought out called "Recuerdos de Ronda y su cocina" (Memories of Ronda and its cuisine). The book has been compiled by some residents of Ronda using the most treasured and favorite recipes of the town, often recipes handed down through the generations. Unfortunately as its only a small publication its not readily available and is of course only in Spanish but I managed to get hold of a copy. This recipe uses a very typical method called the "sofrito" which normally uses a mix of tomatoes garlic and onions with stale bread but in this case uses a mix of almonds, garlic and bread.

Ingredients:

1 Kg lamb
200 gms spring onions
200 gms almonds
100 gms pine nuts
4 cloves of garlic
juice of 1 lemon
1 glass of white wine
1 cup of white flour
4 slices of brown bread
1/4 liter of olive oil
1 bay leaf and a pinch of thyme
salt and pepper to taste

Pour the olive oil into a large frying pan and fry the almonds, garlic and bread ripped into small pieces. Once browned take out with a slotted spoon leaving the oil in the pan and in a pestle and mortar pound them into a paste. Next in the remaining oil fry the lamb pieces that have been seasoned and covered in flour until nicely browned. Transfer the lamb, the sofrito of almonds, and all the rest of the ingredients in a caserole dish and cover with water or stock. Cook on a medium heat for around 35 minutes. This dish would traditionally be served with potatoes, and fresh country style bread to mop up all the sauce.

New Soap - Basil, Rosemary and Orange.

This handmade soap has been made to order for a boutique retreat near Ronda. But I was so pleased with the outcome that I then made another batch for sale on my website. The soap has a beautiful pale orange colour that I got by macerating a part of the olive oil in Annatto seeds. This oil I then added to the base oils in the pan. The original brief for the scenting of the soap was to make an aroma that reflected the surroundings of the retreat. I chose a combination of Basil, Rosemary and Orange and the resulting scent is peppery and herbal with a light citrus top note. Basil can be very dominant in essential oil blends so it has to be used sparingly in combination with other essential oils. Basil has a very uplifting effect and is a stimulant and therefore is used in aromatherapy to combat tiredness and aid concentration. As a skin care oil it is useful in balancing oily skin conditions, and due to its anti-bacterial properties it is also an aid in the treatment of acne. It can help to stimulate the blood circulation which is why it is often found in anti-cellulite massage formulas. Combining it with the properties of Rosemary a powerful astringent, and the addition of Orange essential oil that also aids blood flow to the skin its an excellent choice for sufferers from oiliness, acne, or just generally sluggish skin. The uplifting aromas also make it a great choice for morning skin care routines, giving one a helpful pick me up to start the day.

Plaza de Toros ( Bullring) Ronda - Classical Concert conducted by Daniel Barenboim with the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra

On July the 30th, a Saturday there is a concert by the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra in the beautiful location of the Plaza de Toros here in Ronda. Conducted by the celebrated Daniel Barenboim, they will be playing two symphonies by Ludwig von Beethoven.

I've always been impressed with the idea behind this orchestra since I first heard about it around the beginning of 2000. In 1999 Daniel Barenboim of Argentine-Israeli descent and Edward Said, a Palestinian-American academic, founded the Orchestra with the idea to provide a platform for the two conflicting nations to come together. Ironically their first workshops were held in the German town of Weimar which gave its name to the ill-fated Weimar Republic that preceded Nazi Germany. Barenboim himself describes the project in these terms: "The Divan was conceived as a project against ignorance. A project against the fact that it is absolutely essential for people to get to know the other, to understand what the other thinks and feels, without necessarily agreeing with it."

Since 2002 the Junta de Andalucia together with a private foundation has provided a base for the Orchestra in the nearby capital of Seville. In 2004 the Barenboim-Said foundation was formed with funding from the Junta de Andalucia to promote education through music projects with the aim of promoting dialogue and coexistence. After a summer of workshops the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra starts its tour and luckily they are coming to Ronda to play in the oldest bullring in Spain. It should be a magical location for such an event and if I can I'll be getting tickets. If you want to book you can at www.elcorteingles.es/entradas or if you are near Ronda you can buy tickets in advance at the ticket office in the Bull Ring.

Easy recipe for luxurious body butter

Ok its summertime and if you are anything like me your skin is beginning to suffer from the sun and the sea. So not being able to find the kind of product I wanted at the price I decided to have a go myself. In the past Ive made lip balms, massage oils and bath bombs but had never tried making creams or body butters. So I had a look online and found some basic instructions and then adapted these to what I had to hand. I was really pleased with the result- a light, quite creamy buttery body butter that melts on impact with the skin. I scented it with pure Jasmin absolut and Tangerine essential oil and it really smells delicious and has a light yellow colour. Jasmin essential oil is recommended for giving the skin back elasticity, and the tangerine as with most citrus oils is great for cellulite issues. So heres the recipe and its pretty easy to do at home but you do need an accurate digital scale. The quantities make around a 100gms in total but its pretty rich so you only need a bit at a time.

Ingredients:

56gms Unrefined Cocoa butter
56gms Jojoba oil
7gms Beeswax pellets
5gms Cornstarch, or rice flour.
7gms Essential oil of choice

Prepare a large bowl with ice cubes in which will later fit another bowl with the oils in.

Using a double boiler, start by melting the beeswax pellets and the cocoa butter until liquid.

In a separate bowl mix the jojoba oil with the cornstarch and the essential oils.

Add the jojoba oil mix to the cocoabutter mix. Then place this bowl into the prepared ice bowl and start to whip with an electric mixer. Keep whipping until the mixture sets up but is still maneageble. Then transfer to your jar or container with a lid. Thats it!

Hair care - Hot oil treatments with essential oils.

A couple of posts ago I wrote about using a solid shampoo bar for washing hair instead of chemical laden high street brands. This post is about using warmed oils combined with essential oils to condition the hair naturally. Essential oils are very useful in treating many conditions including hair problems, such as hair loss, dry itchy scalp or just general poor condition.

The best essential oils to use for hair treatments are Lavender, Rosemary, Lemon, Basil, Peppermint, Chamomile and Sage. These oils can be combined or used alone in a carrier oil such as Jojoba, Almond or Olive oil.

Here are a few recipes to try at home, they are easy to prepare, completely natural and although the initial outlay on essential oils can be expensive, because you only use a few drops at a time they will last a long time.

Hair loss blend.

For best results use 10 drops of Rosemary and 10 drops of Lavender essential oil. Combine the two oils with 100gms of Jojoba oil and store in a dark capped jar. Use the mix every night by applying a few drops to the scalp and massaging thoroughly.
You could also gently heat some of the mix and use it like a hot oil treatment before washing the hair. Massage a small amount into the scalp and hair and wrap in a towel, leave on for 20 mins and then wash out.

Anti Dandruff blend.

Mix 5 drops of Lemon and ten drops of Tea Tree essential oil in 45 gms of carrier oil, such as olive, almond or jojoba. Apply a small amount to the scalp and hair massaging the scalp wrap in a towel, leave on for 20 minutes and then wash hair as normal.

Hair Growth blend.

Combine 5 drop of Sage with 8 drops of Rosemary essential oil in 45 gms of Jojoba oil, take a small amount and massage into the hair and scalp wrap in a towel leave on for 20 mins and then wash out.

As with most natural skin and hair treatments you need patience and consistency to achieve results, remember it's not an overnight cure.

Spanish Traditional Crafts- Jarapas

The Spanish "Jarapa" is actually a rug woven out of bits of surplus material, the technique was originally introduced into Spain by the Moors in the 12th Century and has continued on to this day. Although they are made throughout Andalusia the main production areas are Coy in Murcia and Nijar in Almeria. In Coy there is a museum where you can see them being produced on the original wooden looms.
One of the great things about Jarapas is that they are made from recycled cotton, usually left overs from the textile industry in Catalonia. Using up to 80% recycled cotton each Jarapa is unique in its colour and pattern scheme. They are also extremely hard wearing, and the smaller ones can be washed in a normal household washing machine.

Traditionally the Jarapa was used as a layer between the bed base and the mattress to protect the mattress from wear from the bed springs, but nowadays they are used as wall hangings, bathmats, and floor coverings.

There are many styles of Jarapa but the most common is the Andina, a blend of wide stripes that normally features cream alongside a bright colour. Jarapas can be bought throughout Andalusia, and here in Ronda there is a selection for sale at Rondas natural soap shop on the Calle Sevilla 23 or if youre not in the area you could check out the website for andalucianrugs that offers a wide range of rugs at competitive prices.

Traditional Spanish Crafts- Esparto

Here in Andalucia there is still a strong tradition of using Esparto to weave various objects from baskets to shoes. The Esparto grass comes from the Graminea family and it grows wild in arid and stoney areas, particularly in the provinces of Almeria, Murcia, Alicante and La Mancha. The grass itself grows to about 70 cms in height and has been used since Roman times due to its exceptional hardwearing properties.

There are many uses for Esparto crafts but its mostly used for baskets known as an Esporton that is fairly large with two handles and is used for harvesting and transporting produce such as Olives. The Espuerta is a small mat used in the entrances of houses and you can also get a bigger version that is used like a blind at the windows to shade the interiors from the strong Andalusian sun. An Espartero is the name given to a person that works with Esparto.

The process of collecting Esparto is considerably labor intensive and although it can be collected all year round its best done in the Spring. The Esparto isnt cut but collected in small bunches that are ripped out including the root. Sometimes the remaining plant is then set alight to encourage new growth for the coming year.

Once collected the Esparto is then sorted for the best blades and then tied in bunches and left out in the sun for 40 days to dry it out fully and get its golden colour.

Once its been dried there are two ways of working the Esparto- Esparto Crudo or Esparto Picado. For Esparto Crudo the dried leaves are re-moistened for one or two days to give it back enough flexibility to work with. The Espartero then works the bunches of grass in pairs usually between 13 and 18 pairs plaiting them to make a cinta or long ribbon of esparto. This is then used to make various objects and is sewn together with the Esparto Picado which involves soaking the bunches of dried esparto for another 40 days to increase its resistence and then drying it out to later beat it against a tree trunk inorder to separate the fibres that make up the leaves and with these fibres they make strings with which to bind the plaitted esparto together.
Just near Ronda in the town of Igualeja there is a cooperative of 8 women that make all sorts of objects from Esparto and you can even have things made to order, although it takes several months to complete. Esparto products can be found in most of the handicraft shops in the town and there is also a large amount for sale in the Tourist office of Grazalema. Although quite expensive to buy an esparto object will last almost indefinately.

Spanish medicinal plants- sticky cistrose wound cure

I have been meaning to write something about this plant as it is a fantastic natural wound healer, and general antiseptic. I first found out about the benefits of Jarra as they call it here in Spain through my Spanish campesino neighbours. When I first came out here some twenty years ago, they still lived on the neighbouring cortijo in very much the same way as they had for centuries. They had no transport except an ancient donkey called Rosario, washed their plates with a furry herb that only grew on the north facing slopes of the mountain, made their own espadrilles and seats for their wooden chairs with esparto, made from wild grass type plants and basically lived off their animals, wild foods and small vegetable garden. We quickly got our own donkey from a gipsy horse trader from the next but one village, who turned out to be a little unsteady on her feet and was definately not the young 15 year old as promised. To cut a long story short we took her out on a mountain trail for the day and she slipped on a loose rock and ended up falling 50 meters down a steep slope. It took all day to rescue her with the help of our neighbours who coaxed her out using their own donkey as willing leader. Sadly she had a huge wound in her backside that went right the way down her haunch. Manolo came a few hours after we got her back clutching a bunch of what at first glance looked like sticky twigs. He told us to cook them in lots of water for a few hours and then use this to wash her wound with. We did this everyday, having found a nearby crop of the sticky cist rose, and within two weeks the wound was all but gone. I cant quite describe the wonderful smell this plant has when its cooked its slightly medicinal but with a lovely fresh, flowery aroma. I have used this cure on our horse in the hot summer months after the vet had been to clean out the wound but thought it would take at least two months to close up completely, and had it closed within 3 weeks. The problem with animals and horses in particular is they hate the smell of medicines, so they shy away from being treated especially if its a deep wound. Using herbal medicine doesnt seem to bother them in the same way and they are much more relaxed about being treated. So next time you need to treat a wound even a deep one and you have access to the mountainsides go out and find this plant. It grows quite tall, about 2 meters and has extremely sticky branches that culminate in sticky pointy leaves. Its best to collect this plant in the early months of the summer when its at its stickiest. In June it also has a large white flower as in the picture. Collect some and cook it up in a pan of boiling water for a couple of hours. The resulting water can also be stored in a carafa or water can. Use a fresh clean cloth soaked in the water to rinse out the wound and do this 2-3 times a day. Believe it or not this water also makes a great aftershave- and its wonderful smell beats any expensive designer perfume!