The Art of the Pomander

You may remember, perhaps as a child, a rich, spicy-citrus scent wafting through the house in the midst of winter. Soon you would discover, hanging in a hallway, the source of that delightful scent. Suspended from the ceiling by a velvet ribbon was a round ball. You may also remember, as a child, the fun you had making one of those little round balls. This is the art of the pomander, an ancient and simple yet elegant craft that still brings back memories to so many.

What you probably didn't know as a child is that the pomander is also one of the oldest known bug repellants. Pomanders have been hung in wardrobes, kitchens, entries and hallways and it is tradition for children to make pomanders after Thanksgiving to be hung from the tree at Christmas. The classic is made with an orange though both lemons and apples have been used.

Ingredients
1 orange
Whole cloves (at least 4 oz. will be required)
dried, powdered orris root
dried ground cinnamon
Tissue or foil to wrap
Red ribbon and a large needle

Take an unpeeled fruit and "stud" it all over by pushing whole cloves into the skin. Insert the cloves until the fruit is completely covered then roll the pomander in a mixture of equal amounts orris root and cinnamon. If orris root is not available, a simple rolling in cinnamon will suffice. Wrap the fruit in the tissue or foil, place it in a dry place, and let it dry for a week to ten days.

Now shake off any excess orris root or cinnamon and take a length of red ribbon, perhaps 12 inches or length of your choice. Thread it through the eye of the large needle until you have reached the halfway point in the ribbon. Starting at one end of the pomander, pull the ribbon straight through leaving enough on one end to tie into a knot. Knot that end. Clip the needle end of the ribbon to remove the needle. Knot one end of the remaining ribbon tightly against the ball and tie the loose ends in another knot in order to make a loop. You can now hang your pomander where you wish. A studded ball without ribbon makes an excellent holiday decoration. Just fill a bowl with pomanders as you would fill a bowl with apples or fruit. The scent is rich and the pomanders last for months.

Back to Library  Back to Estate