Monday, January 7, 2019

Making Pomanders

Mom has been making pomander balls for the past couple of days.   Yes, we know that they're supposed to be made BEFORE Christmas to be used as ornies on your tree but mom doesn't always follow the rules.
She bought oranges at the grocery store and she bought a pound of whole cloves from Amazon.
The nut pick on the breadboard helps mom poke holes in the orange to make it easier on her fingers to insert the whole cloves.
She was listening to music and poking and inserting away.  She says it's fun and smells incredible!
 We're getting there!
She fills the entire orange with cloves because she has read that they last much longer when the entire fruit is covered and that's the way she's done it in the past.   Mom made pomander balls YEARS ago when a container of whole cloves was dirt cheap.  Now they're 4 times that price.    She used to make them with apples too.
 You will notice that she does use the powdered orris root.  Some pomander recipes don't call for it but it helps the orange to dry and prevents mold and the pomanders can last a long time.
Martha Stewart has a fun video on pomanders.
 Once the orange is filled with cloves, she puts it in a ziplock bag, which contains the orris root and the spices, and she shakes and rolls the bag till the orange is coated.
Mom headed outside to gather rosemary clippings and cedar greens and holly with berries and put them in a dish with the pomanders on top. The smaller pomander is a lemon.   The lemon slices came from Michael's and are fake. 
 Yes, it does smell good, mom, but I would rather have a yummy cookie from my cookie jar~
Mom had a fun morning on a rainy raw day and our kitchen smells so pretty!   Have any of you ever made pomander balls before?

Love ya lots♥
Molly

19 comments:

  1. That does sound like a very fun way to spend a rainy morning. You sure do look dubious about it, though!! I bet that it smells tremendous! I've never made a pomander... but it sounds like I should try sometime!

    ReplyDelete
  2. that balls are wonderful and it is a good idea to make the after christmas to keep the smell of good things in da house for a while ;O)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh how fun! Momma's never made one of those pom-thingies, but it looks nice.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Our mom says she vaguely remembers making pomander balls once when she was little. We bet your house smells great from them.

    ReplyDelete
  5. We have never made these before, but I bet them smell amazing. In fact, I can almost smell them from here!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I used to make them with my Grandmother, she always used them in her wardrobe to keep Moths away and yes they smelt wonderful and I have not made them since she passed. It was such a lovely reminder of a very happy memory. I will have to make some for home too as I love the smell of the oranges and cloves.

    Molly your face in the last picture, just so like Treacle and she would be with you in wanting a cookie rather than an orange!!!

    Hugs, Susie & Treacle xx

    ReplyDelete
  7. LOL Molly if mom had fun that is all that matters...It is so hard to keep the humans entertain when it is rainy.The platter is so pretty and I can nearly get a whiff of the aroma here in NC
    I love your expression in the last photo.
    Thank you for the bday wishes
    Hugs Cecilia

    ReplyDelete
  8. Our Oma used to make these a long time ago. She didn't cover the whole orange, but instead made pretty patterns with the cloves.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Never made them, but bet the house smells lovely.

    ReplyDelete
  10. What a fun way to keep your Mama busy! Mama hasn't ever made them, but this is making her think about giving it a try!
    xoxo,
    Rosy, Jakey & Arty

    ReplyDelete
  11. Ohhhh, those must smell incredible! I've never made them before but look like fun.

    ReplyDelete
  12. That is quite a project! We couldn't have one in our house because clove is a scent we are trained to search for. Mom had forgotten all about these, but remembers them from when she was little. They sure do look pretty.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I've never made any. I'll bet they smell so good.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Mom has never made them either, but we bet the house smells wonderful. Thanks for sharing the whole process.

    Woos - Lightning, Misty, and Timber

    ReplyDelete
  15. This is the first time we have heard of these but they sound like a wonderful way to make the house smell good!
    hugs
    Hazel & Mabel

    ReplyDelete
  16. I've heard of them but I"m not sure I ever really knew what they were. Doesn't that make a pretty centerpiece - very creative!!
    Jan, Wag 'n Woof Pets

    ReplyDelete
  17. Charlee: "Wow, Molly, those are quite the ornaments your mom makes!"
    Chaplin: "We've never seen anything like that around here, but if we did, you can be sure we would bat it around a bit!"

    ReplyDelete
  18. I never have but my Grandmother did and I remember how good they smelled.

    ReplyDelete