Spicy October

     It's hard to believe that it is October already.  With all the rainy days we are experiencing here in Ohio I should be able to get some of my herbal craft items ready for the Christmas holidays that will be here all too soon.  A few weeks ago I began making spicy orange pomanders for some of my holiday gifts.  It will take them until Thanksgiving to cure up properly.  It's great to be able to smell the oranges and cloves while I am getting sticky hands from the juices from the oranges.  Definitely smells like fall!  I can hardly wait for the wonderful perfume they create as they cure.  It's wonderful to have a decorative bowl full of the pomanders sitting on a table.  It makes for both a visual treat and an fragrance delight.  I don't know of anyone who doesn't like the smell of cinnamon, cloves and oranges.  I make sure that I add a bit of nutmeg to the spices that I roll the clove encrusted oranges in when I have finished covering the fruit with the cloves.  Over the years I have found it easier to push the cloves into the oranges if I use a fork.  That not only helps with making a hole through the skin of the orange, but it makes a good way to space out the clove patterns. It also saves getting sore fingertips from pushing cloves through the tough orange skin. Poking the holes too closely together can cause a tear in the orange skin that will create an area that will rot on the pomander.  If that happens, start a new pomander.  As the pomander dries it will shrink drawing the cloves much closer together for an overall tight and even covering of cloves.  Once I finish putting all the cloves into the oranges, I then roll the moist pomanders in a dry mixture of ground cinnamon and nutmeg, making sure the whole ball is covered.  After that I place the fruit in either a cup or a muffin tin to set aside while it cures.  Placing the curing pomanders on the top of a refrigerator helps them to dry from the light heat coming out of the top of the appliance.  Make sure to occasionally turn the pomanders so that they do not form a flat spot.  Turning them will also help them to cure more evenly. If you need to aid the curing time, placing the pomanders in an electric drying rack will help them to firm up.  Be careful where you store them during the curing process so as not to have them mold.  They should be left in a warm dry area that will not attract bugs, too.  Once they have cured, the pomanders will be a hard ball of cloves and spices.  You may then tie a ribbon around them to create an ornament or just display them in a decorative bowl. Once they are cured they can be stored in an air-tight tin until you are ready to use them.  I often add a bit of cinnamon and clove oil to the exterior when they have begun to lose their scent.  That renews them for a bit longer.  I use clear cellophane bags to wrap the pomander.  It seals the aroma of the pomander and allows me to put a decorative bow on the package for gift giving.