A pomander is basically an old-fashioned version of those dangly pine trees you put in the car, but made from an orange. It’s an interesting way of seeing how spices were used for different things in the past; in the case of the pomander, the spices being cinnamon powder, cloves and orris root powder. Here the orris root is used as a fixative and preservative, a sort of medieval superglue to help the aromatic cinnamon and cloves stick to the orange, and to prevent the orange rotting. The end result is a ball bang full of the wonderful scent of Christmas! Making pomander is a great way to get the kids involved too – it’s easy, not too messy and the results of their work will hang in the house for some time to come.
(per individual pomander, multiply as necessary)
Ingredients
1 medium or large orangeAbout 25g whole cloves
1 teaspoon of orris root powder
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
A length of ribbon and a similar length of tape
A few pins and a cocktail stick
A paper bag or tissue paper
FREE SHIPPING
on all orders over £50 - UK mainland only