Monday, November 29, 2010

Oranges, Cinnamon and Cloves

  
One of the first things we used to make at the 
beginning of the Christmas season was pomander balls. 
We usually made them right after Thanksgiving
at around the same time I plant my paper whites
and before we start baking cookies.



I say... used to... because we haven't made any new
pomander balls in quite a few years.
But I remember how good the house smelled and how lovely and relaxing it was to sit and put the cloves in the oranges...
...mix up the spices in my big yellow-ware bowl and cover the oranges with the fragrant mixture.
 


After the fruit was dry I would tie red ribbons around them and 
use them as ornaments and in arrangements around the house.



I can smell the cinnamon and cloves now.
 

There are several variations in the recipe
for making pomander balls. 
They usually call for orris root which I think helps to
cure the oranges, limes or lemons and hold the scent.
Do you make pomander balls as part of your Christmas tradition?


Mr. Flea's Mom always baked
Christmas tree and candy cane cookies early in the season
and the smell of those delicious cookies baking
in the oven drives Mr. Flea wild!


 Mmmm....


Freshly cut Christmas trees...
.... wonderful spices.... vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg.....

Christmas is in the air!
Can you smell it?
:)

42 comments:

Musings from Kim K. said...

So many beautiful pictures in this post. Every picture looks like it should be in a magazine. You've got me thinking that I need to add pomander balls to my Christmas craft list.

Jane said...

I have never made pomander balls but it sounds like a wonderful idea! Your photos are beautiful. I love that little cinnamon container and the Santa mold is too cool!
Jane

Nancy said...

I've not made pomander balls for a number of years, but, oh, do I want to now!

gretchen said...

My daughters and I made them every Christmas - a good tip is to use an icepick first to make the hole for the clove or you'll kill your fingers trying to stick it in. The scent lasts for years...

LizlovesVintage said...

I love those ingredients. I haven't made those in ages. Thanks for refreshing my memory. Hugs, Liz

sweetpea said...

all my favorite scents of the holidays. i have never made the pomander balls but my grandmas always made these. hope your thanksgiving was divine and thanks for thinking of me while i'm on the mend.

hugs,

shelley

Olive said...

I used to make them and ginger bread cookies. I think I will re-visit the cookies. The santa mold is so pretty.

Jamie said...

I haven't made clove oranges since I was a kid - I miss that smell!

Hannekie(Sisterly) said...

i really have no idea what these pomander balls are but i believe they must smell great...i love your dutch enamel cup in your previous post. i have the same...
hugs hannie

Tallulah's Antique Closet said...

I like the vintage chocolate mold. That is a great find.....TALLULAH'S

manon 21 said...

Rien que l'odeur me fait envie...
j'arrive.


Manon

Anonymous said...

My mother used to make those balls and simmer spices in a pot to fill the house with delicious Christmas scents...then make and bake yeast rolls....oh my yummy....

Thank you!
Mel's Cabin

savvycityfarmer said...

I can smell it from here, loud and clear!!!

and now December

cheryl kuhn said...

Your new camera is fantastic, your pictures are so beautiful and vivid!! You have such a wonderful eye and now your photos are even more stunning!!

Jacqueline @ HOME said...

Well Laura,
I have made quite a few of those orange and clove pomanders in my time. They smell beautiful. I can also understand why Mr Flea would go wild at the smell of his mum's Christmas baking !! Not too wild I hope !!!! hehe
We had snow last night and the whole of the UK is in the grip of arctic-like conditions so, I really feel Christmassy. XXXX

amy~ the gypsy chick said...

what beautiful images... i could almost smell the cinnamon sticks thru the screen ;)
xoxox
amy

Unknown said...

Oh Laura your pictures are so pretty to look at!! Yes, we do make pomander balls and I love them! Every year I try and think of a different place to put them, but they always add such a wonderful scent to the house no matter where they are.

Hugs ~

:) T

p.s. your Advent post below is just beautiful as well!!!

koralee said...

Oh my friend...this IS the smell of Christmas....brings back soooo many sweet memories.

Hugs for a bright and happy day. xoxoxo

Tammy said...

I loved making these with my daughter when she was small...now I have my grand-daughter! We'll be baking cookies and making the orange clove balls this week!
Great Post!
Tammy :-)
JUNK WILD

Jem said...

This year I'll be cheating and buying a those festive scented plug-ins for all around the house! :-O

But making pomanders is so much more fun!! Along with drying your own orange slices to hang on the tree and making gingerbread men! :-)

Christmas is in the air . . . . !

Jem xXx

Amanda said...

Smells....wonderful. I made some last year, a tradition I think I'll continue. Lovely post.

VS said...

My grandson & I made these a few nights ago & he just LOVED it!!He's 5 & sat for probably a hour pushing his little cloves into the orange peel. Now being a boy, he made one of his into a robot...but I LOVED it just the same.
Such a great idea that we tend to forget about. Thanks for sharing!!
Smiles,
Susie

It's me said...

I really like that old woden cinnamon box !! really nice !!...happy week darling...........love Ria.....

Fete et Fleur said...

I love these! You're so right their scent brings a soothing atmosphere to the home. I'm going to make some of these in the coming week to scent our home. Our sensibilities seem to be walking hand in hand this Christmas.

Have a beautiful day!
Nancy

Leslie said...

Laura your photography, which was gorgeous to begin with, is out of this world! All my best, Leslie in Goldens Bridge :)

Marianne said...

Hmm I made some this year. They looked really great. And then I waited a few days before photographing them and they had started to become really messy and stinky. Must have forgotten that trick about curing them.
Thanks for reminding me of that project-gone-wrong ;-)

Jill said...

Wonderful inspiration Laura ...I may actually get in the spirit after all ; )
I can almost smell the fragrance thru my computer screen ... ahhhhhhhhh

xo
Jill

Shabby Vintage Junk said...

Indeed I can Laura though ALL THE MORE after having read your post.... :o) !!

Thank you for sharing these GLORIOUS pics....The Santa molds & grater are my FAVE....As a matter of fact....I'm going in search of some right now....hahahahahahaha....See what you've done....!!

THANKS so much for stopping by....I HOPE you do make it to Texas for Antique Week....I'm planning on coming over again in March....WOOHOO....Not long now....!

Warm wishes from Australia,
Tamarah :o)

{oc cottage} said...

Ohhhhhhhh, I can smell it from here!

m ^..^

Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces said...

You brought back good memories for me...it's been awhile since we made these...they always made the house smell wonderful!

Burlap Luxe said...

absolutely absolutely beautiful photos

LiLi M. said...

Love this and I used to do this too. Until a friend asked why he smelled the dentist. He has a degree in chemistry and told me that clover has an narcotic function too, that is why it is still used at the dentist (don't ask me where and how). Mmm I might try the clover pomanders again this year. It is soooo cold over here, we can use a little narcotics!

Unknown said...

...OH! I remember these, when I was a little girl, my grandmother would make a few from the oranges they gave away at christmas time at church ~ and those wonderful little cardboard boxes of penny candy...after I played "What child is this?" solo on my violin ~ in front of the whoooole audience!!
whew, good times, good times!
I can still smell them even now, the clove studded oranges, not the congregation ~ LOL!!!
Thanks for the memory jog:)


xo, Rosemary

the old boathouse said...

Oh that little fellow is just too cute...here comes Christmas...cheers from Australia, Katherinexx

Anonymous said...

Lauren, I've wanted to try the method where you slit the oranges and lemons from the top to the bottom and let them dry. No cloves. I've made the pomanders too - lovely Christmas scent!
Hugs, Diane

Witchcrafted Life said...

These photos are so incredibly lovely! Exactly the sort of visual inspiration I needed to kick off a day of Christmas decorating (I'm especially fond of the one featuring that gorgeous vintage cinnamon tin).

Wishing you a beautiful Wednesday & festively fantastic December ahead!
♥ Jessica

bigeyedchick said...

I have never made a pomander ball before, but I'm sure it smells wonderful!!
Can you share how it's done?

Thanks!

Laurel :)

kana said...

Ahhh yes it smells wonderful! I really love the little green cinnamon tin!

Shannon Fricke said...

Your post brought back happy childhood memories!

French-Kissed said...

What a beautiful and fragrant picture you paint with your words and these gorgeous images. What fabulous props you have...love the cinnamon box and the cookie molds. I tried to make them once with my girls...not a great result as I think the type of oranges we we using had too thick of a skin. This post makes me want to try again.

~jermaine

Michelle Palmer said...

You're posts make me smile... and remember~
:)

Laurie said...

Oh, I've loved making them, too, but with oranges instead of lemons! Be sure to show us when they are done! PS - you are going to town with your new camera!