Pomanders
Did you know that pomander balls were used during the plague to purify "bad air". Although they do not really work for that...it does seem weirdly ironic that pomander balls have been enjoying a resurgence of popularity this year.
"The word “pomander” derives from the French pomme d’ambre, meaning “apple of amber”—a reference to the round shape of the object and the occasional addition of ambergris (an aged substance from the bile duct of a sperm whale). Strongly scented pomanders of ambergris were used in Europe during the time of the Black Death to (unsuccessfully) cover up and purify “bad air.” ~ The Old Farmers Almanac
How to Make a Pomander Last
"If you want your pomanders to last, store in a paper bag for a few weeks. Use lots of cloves which are a natural preserving agent. The cloves will draw out the juices and they’ll shrink in size. Dusting with cinnamon helps, too, as cinnamon functions as an anti-fungal." ~ The Old Farmers Almanac
I expedited the drying process in the oven set on convection at 200 degrees.
FYI: The orange slices took three hours to dry at 200 degrees and I turned them every hour. The pomander balls took about 7 hours and they were still not completely dry. They also turned dark brown and were not very attractive. Next time I will make small decorative slits in the whole oranges and let them dry on their own!
On a side note but somewhat related...Make a small mulling spice bag with cinnamon sticks and cloves for your car. Place it inside your mask when it is not being used. The next time you wear it...it will smell like the holidays!