Did You Know You Can Simmer Potpourri?

Did you know you can simmer potpourri? You sure can, and I have a great recipe for homemade potpourri that can be simmered on the stove.

I love how fall lets you begin again. The days are a little cooler, allowing me to start making soups, and spend a little more time in front of the stove. It’s a start to what could be a slower pace, but one can dream. Thing is, I love to nest, and I love the thought of hibernating, even though where we are right now, that is a little far-fetched.

Still, when fall rolls around, it’s almost like the season allows us to amble, just a bit. Take a step back and let things fall into place; all puns intended. All of this includes bringing the autumn season inside, and soaking up every color, feeling and smell. Ahh, the beauty.

I have a secret to share with y’all; I keep a very tidy house. Everything is in its place and daily routines are on point. But, I don’t deep clean our home as often as I’d like. Yes, I dust and clean the bathrooms and all that. I keep the kitchen clean for obvious reasons, but the deep house cleaning – well, I could use some work on that. I do mean well.

Still, I have the best intentions, and I recently went on a rampage and deep-cleaned our home, floor to ceiling. I put in my earbuds and went to town. I had that Mr. Clean and Scrubbing Bubbles waifing all over the house.

As I finished and sat in our kitchen feeling incredibly accomplished, those cleaning solutions left me with my top lip raised up on one side, and my eyebrows in a frown.  Though our house was spit-shined and clean, the smell of a clean house was a little too sterile to me. A smell that was so invited, now was not.

Did You Know You Can Simmer Potpourri?

The smell I craved was the smell of fall. Those flavors that are paired with the season. Like, cinnamon, and whole cloves, orange peels and ginger, give or take some star anise. Put all of that in a saucepan, fill it up with water and let it simmer on the stove.

Yes.

Yes.

I grew up with simmering potpourri. It’s a trick my sweet Mama grew up with, too. And let me tell you, it works. Any smell you have in your home that you’d like to eliminate, then by all means, throw on a pot of homemade potpourri and let it simmer. It’s the slow warm that permeates the air and leaves your home with all of the fall smells. It’s custom, you know, add what you like, what you feel is fall, fill the pan up with some water and let it ride. Add more water when necessary, and never leave the stove on when unattended. But this, you know.

In my saucepan, I’ve added cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, a star anise or two, whole allspice and orange peel. I filled the pan with water, and then turned the stove on to that simmer I’m talking about. Simmering potpourri travels through the house and is much more efficient than the bag of stuff that you put in a bowl and leave on a surface in a room. Sure, that room will smell good, but then again, the smell just hovers right there. It doesn’t travel like a simmered potpourri.

And the best part? You can customize the perfume. A little more of this, a little less of that. And when the slow simmer isn’t as pungent, then the potpourri can be tossed and a new combination can be gathered and simmered.

Can’t get the smell of last night’s dinner out of the house? Not to worry. Simmer some homemade potpourri and last night’s dinner will be a thing of the past. Within minutes.

So now you know. You can simmer potpourri and I’ve given you a great starting point for a base. What spice ingredients remind you of fall? Whatever they are, I know they’ll make a delicious smelling potpourri that you can simmer on the stove.