Dama's Bee Cream

Finally!  This morning I made my first batch of Jody's Bee Butter Hand Cream, otherwise and forever known here on my blog as "Dama's Bee Cream."

I doubled Jody's recipe, using 4 oz. of olive oil, about a tablespoon of coconut oil, 1/4 tsp of vitamin E oil, 1 oz. of bees wax, and 12 drops of grapefruit oil. (Hers called for grapefruit seed extract.  Is it the same thing?  I don't know!! But I was tired of waiting, so I made it with the oil anyway.) I got my grapefruit oil at a healthfood store.

In a double boiler, melt the wax, olive oil, coconut oil & vitamin E oil. When it's all melted (really, only the wax has to melt), remove from the heat.  You can do this in the microwave, but microwaves are so modern, and a double boiler is so luxurious, in a culinary sense. If you say "pish," and laugh at me, just try putting some chocolate and butter in a double boiler, and stir it gently as little wisps of steam drift from under the pan.  You'll see! Plus, it doesn't beep annoyingly at you when it's done.

I hunted the house over for a jar to put this stuff in. I didn't want a mason jar that I'd have to reach my hand into. Finally, I lighted on this.  It belonged to my grandmother.  It sat on her stovetop and held all the bacon drippings.  My granddaddy had bacon every morning for breakfast, so she accumulated quite a bit of drippings. My grandmother's name? Dama.  Hence, "Dama's Bee Cream."

I've had this vitamin E oil for 20 years, since I had my first baby. I never, ever get rid of anything useful.

The bees wax was from our own bees, last summer.  Poor little things.  As I melted it, I saw little bee body parts beginning to float in the oils.  Can you see the leg?  There were several legs, a wing, and other smaller unidentifiables. I removed the ones I could.

Add the grapefruit oil after removing from heat and allowing to cool for 5-10 minutes. When the oils begin to solidify on the sides of the pot, you know it's cooling nicely.  They blend with a hand mixer.  I imagine this just quickens the cooling process by incorporating air into the oils.

Scrape it into your jar.  It looks like butter, and it smells like honey.  Sigh.  Honey butter?  Perhaps I should adjust the name to "Dama's Honey Butter"?  But I wouldn't want anyone to eat it on their morning toast by accident.

Beautiful.  I think this is just the thing for dry winter hands.  And if you can cook supper, you can make this stuff.