Happy July! Having just enjoyed National Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month, I was reminded of this little craft project that Mom taught me many decades ago, when my children were young, using citrus fruits (usually oranges) and poking cloves into them, creating some sort of face or design. They were wrapped in ribbons that were tied into bows, for hanging – and they smelled so good.
POMANDER BALLS
By Gloria Pitzer, as seen in her self-published cookbook, Gloria Pitzer’s Secret RecipesTM of Famous Favorites (Secret RecipesTM, St. Clair, MI; Nov. 1990, p. 94).
Nostalgic, simple to make, pomander balls are a fun project for children. Making pomander balls is as simple as sticking whole cloves oranges, lemons, or limes. The fragrant, pretty studded fruits have been popular since the 17th century.
They were first used by aristocrats, who carried them to clear their nasal passages. In those days, garbage and trash went unattended. Pomander balls were also considered a prevention against infection.
[NOTE: As always, I’m asking only for proper credit if you care to re-share this.]
INGREDIENTS/ITEM NEEDS:
1 thin-skinned orange [or tangerine or lemon or lime]
1 or 2 boxes of whole cloves, depending on the size of the [fruit]
1 TB cinnamon
1 TB arrowroot
[8-12” length of] ribbon, cord or nylon net
INSTRUCTIONS:
Wash and dry orange [or other citrus fruit]. Start at stem and insert row after row of cloves. Use a skewer to punch holes if fruit skin is to tough [to poke through, with the clove]. AVOID inserting cloves in straight lines, to prevent skin from splitting.
Combine cinnamon and arrowroot. Roll clove studded [fruit] in mixture. Set fruit on a plate or tray and allow to dry for about 2 weeks. Dust off excess powder. Tie with ribbon, cord or nylon net. Leave a loop at the end, for hanging [or tie into a bow].
LAST THOUGHTS…
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