19 September 2007

You callin' me fat? -or- Read the labels carefully

So we're tooting around Yorkshire, and in many a shop there is an assortment of very Yorkshire products, from teas, and tea-cakes, to little sheep toys, you get the picture. Amongst the wares I always found some lovely looking soaps. But they all seemed to me to be made with sheep fat. I'm certain the soaps were very nice, but the idea of washing with sheep fat was not terribly appealing. Eventually, I succumbed out of curiosity and, mostly, because this particular little bar of soap had such a pretty wrapper on it. I figure "souvenir," and the thing certainly didn't smell like left-over mutton.

So we get home and I put the bar away with my other soaps. (I have developed a thing for quality soaps. Blame DG. He started it. He has really a rather nice philosophy of "affordable luxury." There are certain commodities that, given their nature, are priced so that one could reasonably afford the best in the world. Soap is one such item, there's socks, underwear is another. We won't get into the underwear aspect here... ever. But you get the picture. I've come to really, really love good soap.)

So I finally get around to opening my adorable little bar of soap. I mention to DG that I opened "the sheep fat soap" and it was really very nice. DG then pointed out that the soap was not made with sheep fat, but with wool fat, i.e. lanolin. Oh... lanolin... that's a whole different story. As you can tell from the wrapper, it clearly says "wool fat" not "sheep fat." They all said "wool fat." My poor little hamster-brain. To add insult to injury, "lanolin" comes from the Latin words for wool and oil, i.e., wool fat. Duh! I only realized that afterwards.

Don't tell anybody about this.

7 comments:

  1. Your secret is safe with me dear!

    DG

    ReplyDelete
  2. LOL because I was thinking "wool fat! Not sheep fat!" the whole time I was reading! :)

    I love 'nice' soaps but almost never, ever buy them since I tend to buy the big 12 pack of soaps now that we have 5 big bodies in our family. LOL.

    ReplyDelete
  3. we have a nice collection of soaps too - I prefer the ones from the Marriott, they always seem to be of higher quality than HIE

    and that whole cinnamon bunn marketing thing was SO misguided -

    ReplyDelete
  4. Soap is one such item, there's socks, underwear is another. We won't get into the underwear aspect here... ever.

    And we thank you for that.

    However, I like a nice left-over mutton for breakfast or lunch.

    ReplyDelete
  5. "I like a nice left-over mutton for breakfast," I'll warn the flock in my bedroom to stay away from the furry forest creature.

    TR

    ReplyDelete
  6. Once again, I'll bring the mint sauce and a nice bold Cabernet.

    ReplyDelete
  7. However, not to impose, can I order a Shiraz?

    ReplyDelete