Christmas, 2012.

The bottom had fallen out of the great snow-bucket in the sky, and my hands were showing the full effects. The inside of the house was bone-dry, especially during those couple of days when the only heat came from our roaring wood fireplace. Mix that with back-and-forth into the wet, freezing outdoors, and my hands let blood more than a few times.

By complete chance (or fortune), a high school friend, Felicia Hughes, had recently started a new business, Body by Felicia. She mixes everything by hand, right here in central Arkansas. I purchased a couple large jars of her Sweet Heat (vanilla) Body Butter for Christmas gifts, not exactly sure who was getting them.

Turns out, I kept one for myself. No more cracking.

Since the holidays, I’ve discovered that Felicia’s Body Butter is a great salve for all the handwashing that goes along with frequent cooking. Of course, I cook a lot at home, and now that I teach professionally, my hands are really getting the full wringer. A daily dose of Body Butter keeps them in check.

My mom got the other jar. All the rest of the family, while visiting us for a fish fry cookpalooza at New Years, got into my jar and want some for themselves.

Felicia, get to mixing some more, girl.

Body Butter is now available in Sweet Heat (spicy vanilla), Pomberry (pomegranate), Honey Kissed (honey and almond) and Butter (unscented). Online ordering is now available for $20 for an 8 oz. jar. plus shipping, or pick some up at SNS Celebrity Styles, 7521 Colonel Glenn. Buy some for your foodie sweetheart (the plain Butter is man-friendly), and trust me, go ahead and get some for yourself, too.