Kumquat Pomanders

A charming natural sachet from the 17th Century. Fruits stuck with cloves and then rolled in a powder consisting of cinnamon, cloves and orris root. Dried on our radiators they are fragrant and last for years and years. Orris root is the root of the Florentine Iris and is used as a fixative in pot pourri and in pomanders. A fixative helps to hold the scent and also to absorb moisture due to humidity. It won't absorb moisture if the oranges have not been dried properly. Our old Civil War Era homes have radiators which provide a great drying spot during this cold time of year. It dries the fruit and fragrances the room! If you don't have radiators the hot water heater will offer a good drying spot. Some folks string a ribbon around or through the pomander so that it can then be hung in the closet as a sachet. Pictured here are little kumquat pomanders which don't require nearly as many cloves as a large orange. You can use oranges, lemons, tangerines, kumquats and even grapefruits. We use a nut pick or a nail to make a small hole through the skin of the fruit and then it is quite easy to push the clove in.

For a pomander making tutorial using lemons, visit our herbal friend, Tina Sams Essential Herbal blog.