Witchy Wednesday - Cloves
Witchy Wednesday - Cloves Cloves are the aromatic flower buds of a tree in the family myrtaceae and are native to the Indonesian Maluccas islands. Until cloves were grown outside of the Maluccas Islands, they were traded like oil, with an enforced limit on exportation. The name "clove" comes from the French word for "nail". Cloves were historically traded from the Spice Islands by ancient Romans and Chinese. The Chinese chewed cloves to freshen their breath. Cloves can be mixed with tobacco and rolled into a cigarette for a tasty and satisfying smoke. In Indonesia, this is called a kretek. A pomander of oranges studded with cloves has been traditionally used to repel moths from closets. Clove oil can also be added to other insect repelling concoctions to protect against mosquitoes and ants. Cloves are used in the cuisine of Asian, African, and the Near and Middle East countries, lending flavour to meats, curries, and marinades, as well as fruit such as apples, pears or rhubarb. Cloves may be used to give aromatic and flavour qualities to hot beverages, often combined with other ingredients such as lemon and sugar. They are a common element in spice blends such as pumpkin pie spice. Magickally they attract good luck and prosperity, to keep good friends close, and to help stop malicious gossip. Burn to prevent people from spreading rumours about you or push the cloves into a red candle and burn that. Adding them to an incense mixture furthers one’s ability to be psychically sensitive. Although ground and mixed into one’s personal incense mixture is the most common use, a tea of cloves may also be used. It is placed in sachets with mint and rose to chase away melancholy and to help one sleep soundly.
