FOOD NEWS
Simmer Pots Can Have Your House Smell Like Your Favorite
Fall Flavors
BY EMMY SCHNEIDER-GREEN
A simmer pot is a saucepan filled with water and your choice of fruits and spices. Not meant to be drunk, it's simmered over low heat to fill your home with a delightful scent.
Some people prefer simmer pots over scented candles, since they are more economical, all-natural, produce zero packaging waste, and fill your whole home with aroma.
With a simmer pot, you control exactly which scents you'd like. For a classic winter scent, use sliced oranges and lemons, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and sprigs of fresh rosemary.
You can try a warmer, sweeter scent by filling your pot with sliced apples, vanilla, and cloves. Incorporate some mint into the blend for a more refreshing twist.
If you like to buy real Christmas trees, try clipping some fresh sprigs of pine off the tree and throw them in a simmer pot with cranberries for a holiday-forward scent.
To try out any of these recipes, fill a saucepan with water and drop in your ingredients. Bring the liquid to a boil, then turn down the heat and keep it at a simmer.
Your mixture can stay on the stovetop for 2-3 hours or more. Keep an eye on the liquid and add more water as needed to make sure the mixture doesn't dry out and scorch.