A scented candle perfumes one room. A simmer pot, sometimes called stovetop potpourri, fills the whole house, costs almost nothing, and uses up the apple peels and orange ends you'd have thrown away.
Searches for simmer pot recipes climb every year from late September. Here are five fall blends, plus the basics of doing it safely.
The basic method
Fill a small saucepan about two thirds full with water. Add your ingredients, bring it to a boil, then turn it down to the lowest simmer. Top up with water every 30 minutes or so. That's it.
A heavy pot holds heat evenly. Enamel cast iron or stainless steel both work. Avoid nonstick and aluminum for long simmers.
1. Classic apple and cinnamon
- Peel and core of 2 apples
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 1 teaspoon whole cloves
- A few slices of fresh ginger
This one smells like a pie in the oven. It's the best starter blend.
2. Orange, clove and rosemary
- 1 orange, sliced
- 1 tablespoon whole cloves
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
Brighter and a little herbal. Good for mornings.
3. Cranberry and pine
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
- A small handful of pine or cedar sprigs
- 1 orange peel
- 2 cinnamon sticks
This bridges fall into the holidays. Use it from mid November.
4. Pear, vanilla and nutmeg
- 1 pear, sliced
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 whole nutmeg, cracked
- 2 cardamom pods
Soft and sweet, closer to a bakery than a spice cabinet.
5. Chai
- 4 cinnamon sticks
- 6 cardamom pods
- 1 teaspoon cloves
- 1 star anise
- A thumb of ginger, sliced
Warm and strong. A good one for a cold rainy afternoon.
Keeping ingredients on hand
Save the peels. Freeze apple peels, orange ends and pear cores in a freezer bag through the week, and you'll always have a simmer pot ready. Whole spices keep for months in a jar.
A glass jar of pre-mixed dry ingredients, like cinnamon sticks, cloves and dried orange slices, also makes a good small gift.
Safety
- Never leave it unattended. If you leave the house, turn it off.
- Watch the water level. A dry pot scorches the fruit and can damage the pan.
- Use the back burner so the handle isn't knocked.
- Keep it away from pets and kids. The water is hot for a long time.
Using a slow cooker instead
If you want it running all afternoon, a small slow cooker on low with the lid off is easier to leave. Put it on a counter away from the edge. It still needs topping up.
Reusing a simmer pot
You can keep a batch going for two or three days. Let it cool, cover it, and refrigerate overnight. Add fresh water and a fresh cinnamon stick the next day. Once the fruit looks mushy and the scent fades, throw it out.
Matching a blend to the room
Think about where the scent will travel. In an open plan home, a strong blend like chai carries into the living room and can feel heavy by evening. A lighter orange and rosemary pot suits a big open space better. In a small closed kitchen, the stronger spice blends work well because the scent stays close.
For a dinner party, start the pot about an hour before guests arrive and turn it off when you start cooking. You want the house to smell warm when people walk in, not to compete with the roast.
Simmer pot as a small gift
A dry simmer pot kit makes an easy hostess gift for fall. Fill a pint jar with dried orange slices, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, star anise and a bay leaf. Tie a kraft tag around the neck with the instructions: add to a pot of water with one fresh apple, bring to a boil, then simmer on low and top up often. It costs a few dollars to make and looks lovely on a kitchen counter.
Mistakes to avoid
- Too high a heat. It should barely bubble.
- Too little water. Scorched cloves smell awful.
- Ground spices. They cloud the water and burn. Use whole spices.
- Walking away. Stay home while it's on.
Fall simmer pot FAQ
How long does a simmer pot last?
You can simmer it for several hours at a time and reuse it for two or three days if you refrigerate it overnight.
Can I use dried fruit?
Yes. Dried orange slices and apple rings work well, although fresh fruit gives a stronger scent.
Is a simmer pot safe for pets?
The steam is fine, but keep the pot out of reach and avoid essential oils, which can be harmful to cats and dogs.
