Re: Cracklins

Soap was originally made from Lard and Wood Ash.  The prepared Lye
available was probably a modern convenience. Pure, fluffy wood ash was used
- not any heavy stuff from the bottom of the hearth. I know a Science
teacher whose grandmother still makes and uses Lye Soap the old-fashioned
way.  Her skin is remarkably wrinkle-free for a woman of advanced age
(according to her grandson) I guess a "mild" acid wash is a pretty good
exfoliant. I don't think I am going to wash my face with it to find out.
Janice

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> From: Wildwudy@aol.com
> To: [old-list]
> Subject: Cracklins
> Date: Friday, July 24, 1998 10:02 PM
> 
> Hey everybody, 
>     This is Woody and I messed up on defining "cracklins" when I typed up
> Betty's memo.  Nona and Betty are right: cracklins are bacon rinds or
skin.
> See memo from Nona below:
> ~~~~~~~~~
> From:	HILLN01@ten-nash.ten.k12.tn.us
> To:	Wildwudy@aol.com
>    I was interested in the Lye soap recipe; but I think the cracklins are
the
> pig skin after the fat or lard is drained off.  Isn't it great to be able
to
> talk to cousins ! and I hope we can meet one day soon.  Love, Nona
> ~~~~~~~~
> Here's another recipe from the same Tribbey book and you can see where I
got
> confused on "cracklins".
> 
> LYE SOAP
> by Jack Fogle
> Build a fire under a large black kettle.  Put 2 gallons of bacon grease
in the
> kettle.  Also add a number of bacon rinds (if available).  Then add 1/2
can of
> lye.  Cook and stir until solution thickens.  This may take 2-3 hours. 
Drop
> some of the solution off the wooden spoon into a glass of cold well
water.  If
> it balls up it is ready - if not cook until it balls up.
> Let finished soap sit over night to harden.  Then slice into bars about 3
or 4
> inches square.  Soap will be brown.  If you do not have lye, use two
large
> glasses of wood ashes as substitute.  
> Soap will turn out grey in color.
> This soap was used with a rub board and a no. 3 wash tub.
> It can also be cut or shaved into a 2 gal. galvanized bucket to wash wood
> floors.
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> And THAT  is where I got confused on the wood ashes being "cracklins". 
There
> are four more lye soap recipes in that book, but only that one
substitutes
> wood ashes for lye.
> Seems my "oops" are just as frequent as ever.
> 
> Woody (and Betty)