Inqubo Engemuva Kokudala Uwoyela Obalulekile

Kusuka Kumacembe kuya Emazimbeni: Ubuciko Bokwenza Amafutha Adingekayo

(Inqubo Engemuva Kokudala Uwoyela Obalulekile)

Wake wazibuza ukuthi izimbali namaqabunga ziphenduka kanjani lezo zitsha zomlingo omkhulu onukayo? Ukwenza amafutha adingekayo akuyona nje isayensi– kuyingxube yokubekezela, isikhathi, kanye ne-alchemy encane. Ake sihlole ukuthi izinto eziyisisekelo zemvelo ziba kanjani amafutha athobisa izinzwa zethu futhi anonge izimpilo zethu.

Iqala ngezitshalo. Hhayi nje noma yiziphi izitshalo, nakuba. Amafutha asebenza kahle kakhulu avela ezitshalweni ezitshalwe ngaphansi kwezimo zazo ezinhle kakhulu. I-lavender iqhakaza ekukhanyeni, ukungcola okumaholo. I-pepper mint ithanda umhlaba omanzi. Abalimi bavuna lezi zitshalo ngamandla amakhulu– njalo ekuseni kakhulu, lapho amazolo esabambelele emaqabunga awile. Isikhathi sibalulekile. Khetha sekwephuze kakhulu, namafutha achitha isitsha sabo.

Kwake kwabuthana, izitshalo zihlangana nezifundo ezimbalwa: umusi noma ukucindezeleka. Ukuhlanza umusi kuyindlela yakudala. Izisebenzi zihlohla umkhiqizo wezitshalo ethangini elikhulu lokugcina insimbi. Umusi ukhuphuka ngezitshalo, ukulimaza phansi amaphakethe amafutha. Isitimu esisindayo sigudluza lawa mafutha phezulu, emva kwalokho kuphole eshubhu eligoqiwe. Njengoba ifinyela, amanzi namafutha kuyahlukana. Amafutha akhukhuleka aye phezulu, konke kusethwe ukuze skimmed. Kufana nokubamba amathonsi emvula, nokho kunalokho, uqopha ukubaluleka kwezimbali eziyinkulungwane.

Amafutha eCitrus adlala ngezinqubomgomo ezahlukahlukene. Cabanga amawolintshi, ulamula, izithelo zomvini. Amafutha azo acashe emakhasini. Ngezansi, imishini icindezela amakhasi– nzima. Ukucindezela okubandayo kugwema ukushisa, ukugcina amafutha eshubile futhi enongwe. Ngaphambilini wacwecwa iwolintshi futhi wezwa ngempela lobo nkungu? Yilokho amafutha aqhuma mahhala. Manje faka isithombe ebhodleleni lokho kukhanya kwelanga.

Akuwona wonke amafutha ahambisanayo. Izimbali ezintekenteke njenge-jasmine noma i-rose ziyenqaba ukuyeka iphunga lazo kalula. Kwalaba, ama-solvents afana ne-hexane ayangena. Le ndlela izwakala inokhahlo, nokho imnene ezimbalini. I-solvent ikhipha izinto ezinuka kamnandi, eshiya unamathisele onama-waxy. Ukufudumala kuhwamulisa isincibilikisi, ukushiya okumsulwa “ngokuqondile” amafutha. Kuyisixazululo, nokho umphumela unuka njengegceke eligcwele imbali.

Amafutha angakalungiswa okwamanje. Iyahlungwa ukuze isuse amaqabunga amancane noma iziqu. Amanye amafemu ayayigaya futhi ukuze isuse ukungcola. Amalebhu ahlola yonke isethi. Imishini ye-gas chromatography ihlola iphrofayili yamakhemikhali. Ingabe la mafutha e-lavender ane-linalool eyanele? Ingabe i-eucalyptus iyasinda ku-cineole? Ucwaningo lwesayensi luqinisekisa ukuthi konke ukwehla kufana nezinga.

Ngemva kwalokho kufika ibhodlela. Ingilazi emnyama ivikela uwoyela ekukhanyeni. Amalebula anikeza igama lesiLatini lesi sitshalo, umsuka, kanye nosuku lokuvuna. Isitsha esisodwa singabamba ukubaluleka kwamakhulu ezimbali. Ukwehla okukodwa kwamafutha e-pepper mint? Lokho kumayelana namaqabunga ambalwa awile, kugxilile.

Ikhwalithi iyahluka. Amafutha ashibhile angenza buthaka izinto zangempela ngezigcwalisi zokwenziwa. Amabhrendi aphezulu abeka idumela lawo ekuhlanzekeni. Zisebenza ngokuqondile namapulazi, vakashela amasimu, futhi ulandelele amaphethini wesimo sezulu. Isithwathwa sekwephuzile noma imvula enkulu ingashintsha yonke into encane.

(Inqubo Engemuva Kokudala Uwoyela Obalulekile)

Umkhiqizo wokugcina uhlala emashalofini, nokho uhambo lwayo aluyona imfihlo. Isenzo ngasinye– kusukela enhlabathini kuya ebhodleleni– yakha ubuntu bamafutha. Ngokuzayo uqaqa ibhodlela, khumbula: akuwona nje amafutha. Kuyizwe, isikhathi, kanye nokunakekelwa okuningi komuntu, ebhodleleni.