I truly wish this was smell-a-net because the aroma wafting through my house as I sit at my desk is truly divine. I suddenly also have the urge to make apple pie so my taste buds can enjoy what my nose buds already are.
This Autumn simmer pot recipe is super simple, takes a hot minute to get going and is a great way to use up that manky apple in the bottom of the crisper you’ve been meaning to chuck out. Oh, and did I mention it will make your home smell amazing, and in the most natural way?
You can put anything you like in a simmer pot. Some people use all sorts of ingredients in their own simmer pots. From orange peels to lemon juice, bay leaves to pumpkin pie spice, dried fruits to brown sugar and even apple cider vinegar.
This easy recipe however is definitely my favourite of all my simmer pot recipes. It’s so quick too, just follow these simple steps until your whole house smells like homemade apple pie filling.
Simmer Pot Ingredients:
1-2 x sliced apples (I prefer red delicious or granny smith)
2 x cinnamon quills / sticks (or ground cinnamon if you don’t have fresh)
1 x small knob of fresh ginger (or ground ginger if you don’t have fresh)
2 x whole cloves (you could use ground, but I always overestimate how much to use – eek!)
Optional:1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean (cut open, lengthwise down the middle)
Method:
Simmer pots are seriously easy, and there’s a couple of ways you can go about it.
The Saucepan Method:
Pop all the ingredients in a sauce pan, pop it on a back burner, half fill with filtered water, bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer on a low heat. You will have the scents of the season wafting through your entire home in a matter of minutes.
The Slow Cooker Method:
Pop all the ingredients in your slow cooker (or small crock pot if you’ve got one), cover with enough filtered water to allow the contents to float around as they bubble. Turn your slow cooker on a high heat until you get to temp, then set on the lowest setting and allow to simmer.
Note:
Whichever method you choose to use, keep an eye on it, checking the water level every half hour or so and topping up as needed.
The humble simmering pot is a really simple way to have the delicious smell of homemade stove top potpourri wisping through the house when you have guests over, or if your house is for sale and you have people coming through for an open home.
You can put one on to help you study or work from home, or just as a great gift of self-care while you’re pottering around the house.
There’s something beautiful and almost ritualistic about creating a simmer pot and it’s a great time to work deliberately and set an intention for your day
