According to mythology, soap traces its origins to Mount Sapo – a mountain in ancient Italy where animal sacrifices were supposedly held. The ashes from the sacrificial fires mixed with animal tallow, which found its way to the river below where Roman women would gather to wash their clothes. They found that their linens came out cleaner when the water mixed with the ash and animal grease. Water, ash, fat. The original formula for getting clean. Sapo, meaning “soap” in Latin. This story is perhaps pure fiction, but the science described remains fact for soap makers today.The chemistry of soap making is simple: a caustic alkali serves as your base and some combination of fats and oils acts as the acid. From there, you can experiment with scent by adding essential oils, spices and herbs. Once you have a solid understanding of the technique, you can adjust and tinker to your liking. As your garden comes into bloom, add fresh herbs and flowers to the mix.
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