I have been thinking about getting ready for Christmas. These are quick to make, but would need to be made soon if they are to be dried for Christmas.

You will need
1 small orange (with minimal skin imperfections)
1 metal skewer
1/2 cup - 1 cup of whole cloves (best to get from a spice or bulk store as this will take about 3 small 40g supermarket packets)

Getting Started
Wrap rubber band around orange from top to bottom.

Using skewer, pierce skin to the depth of a whole clove (4mm, say) with piercing along the lines made by the rubber band.

Insert a clove into each hole.

Remove rubber band and place again to divide orange into 4 pieces. Pierce skin and place cloves along the new line of the rubber band.

Filling in the Quadrants

Pierce holes, about 6 at a time and place cloves, until each quadrant is filled.

Drying

Place orange in a warm dry location to dry until hard i.e. hot water cupboard or sunny window sill.

Check regularly for signs of mould. This can be given away by smell turing unpleasant or orange not drying out. To reduce chances of mould, choose your fruit carefull and try not to leave any piercing without cloves.


Uses
Once dried the pommander can be used as a decoration - with a ribbon to hang, or to scent the linin cupboard or wardrobe. I tend to tie a ribbon on them for hanging. Then I hang each one in the wardrobe and retrieve tham for the tree in December.

If dried properly the pommanders should last for a number of years however, the scent will fade gradually overtime.