Christmas comes early in the Philippines

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Dawni

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Well, usually... I don't know yet how the pandemic will affect this year's holiday season.

If you Google, you will find many articles that say that Christmas starts early in my country. Our house has a tree and decor after All Soul's Day, but I know for a fact that some start setting up soon as we hit what we call "the ber months" so that's September.

As for me, I like curing my soaps 2 months or more before selling, hence the very early Christmas soap post.
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These are all half bars.... I thought I'd give chance to those who want to purchase several for gifts but think full bars cost em too much (this happened last Christmas btw) if they're buying many.

First is Tsokolate. As the name suggests, yes, it's chocolate. It was inspired by this awesome hot chocolate from a now closed café up in the area where the volcano erupted in January. I tried looking for an actual pic but couldn't find any. I'm sad they're closed.

The middle and third ones are inspired by traditional rice cakes people make and sell by the road, usually in the very early mornings after Simbang Gabi (although nowadays its midnight mass), and this goes on for 9 days before Christmas. Yellow is Bibingka, and purple is Puto Bumbong.

If you Google you'll see how they're made, in clay pots and tin tubes with banana leaves. Ingredients are similar with sticky rice, coconut milk and dessicated coconut, margarine, cheese and loads of sugar. I tried to incorporate most of these things, you guys tell me how successful I am lol

Here are some random pics so y'all have an idea of what I'm talking about but these aren't the inspiration photos. I don't need em, got these in my head haha
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I really had fun making these, although I was a bit worried about the purple. In real it's a bit darker than in the photos but the curing will lighten it up a but. I'm just happy it's purple haha

All are naturally colored - cocoa powder, and black bean, annatto, ratanjot, madder root & indigo infusions in varying amounts with some "toppings" either from each other or from another soap lol. Scents... Err I have to check my notes but no, they do not smell like their edible counterparts lol

Thanks for reading! :)
 
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You are the natural colorant queen! I really like that purple, actually all of them, especially the tops. Merry Christmas! You are the first of the year to get that greeting and that's the earliest I've used it!
Nice to hear about All Souls Day -- it's a big tradition in my house.
 
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