Dear Ladies,
Just before Christmas I was making my clove-orange pomander which I finished a couple of days later. Now its sitting in my bowl of pot pourri to dry out having been liberally coated with a mixture of spices – nutmeg, clove, mixed spice and……
What I didn’t have was any orris root to “fix” the spicy aroma. I don’t have a warm airing cupboard to leave my pomander in to dry out, which is why its sitting with my pot pourri to cook with me “turning it” daily to assist the process.
So I was encouraged to make a pomander once I’d come across a picture of one on the NFWI website and thought I would make one, as it was simply ages since last making one. They are really lovely to have at any time for air freshening but even more so at Christmas time for the spicy essence to mingle with the intoxicting aroma of fresh Christmas tree, bees-wax candles and bowls of satsumas.
The NFWI pomander doesn’t use orris root and, of course, you really don’t have too because you can just make them afresh next year but apparently, storing them over-night in your ‘fridge occasionally, will extend their shelf-life.
I’ve only just ordered the orris root so, when it arrives, I’ll add a small amount to my spice mix for the next pomander, and sprinkle a little onto the pomander already drying out.
I used plastic tape to divide my orange into four equal sections which I’ll remove when the fruit has dried out, then replace that for pretty ribbon, left over from parcel wrapping duties, tying it up so that I may hang my pomander up somewhere to let the delicious spicy scent circulate.
“Christmas is almost here – lets get making!
CLOVED ORANGES
Full instructions may be found on the WI Moodle
These cloved oranges are lovely to make as a gift or for yourself!
So get making and fill your house with the smell of Christmas at the same time.”
Here’s a photo of my spice-encrusted pomander and I’ll update my post during its journey to becoming a real pomander, ready to be put to use and, hopefully, keep until Christmas 2016.
Don’t you just love Christmas?
Click on the link above for full instructions
Have fun…
Here’s a photo of my pomander – so far ….
Margaret Halstead xxx