Potpourri Recipe

I am looking for a recipe to make a simmering potpourri that I can heat in a small electric potpourri pot.

Bsue from Coshocton, OH

Answers:

Potpourri Recipe

Long ago we mixed whole cloves, allspice, nutmeg, mace, and cinnamon with fresh orange, tangerine, and lemon peelings, a few juniper/rosemary/lavender needles if available naturally there, with a few drops of alcohol and simmered in enough water to cover, continuing to add water until there was no scent, usually several days. Even though it darkens, no one is looking inside the pot and loves the fragrance all winter long, if you want the management of watching the tiny pot's boiling.

Just guessing I'd use the following proportions:

To 16 oz. water, add:

• 1 tsp. whole cloves
• 1 tsp. allspice
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. mace
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp isopropyl alcohol

Small peelings of 1 orange, 1 tangerine, and 1 lemon with a sprinkling of each of the herb needles.

Simmer adding water when low, stirring occasionally as needed with metal spoon. Place in draft inside waterproof/fireproof container (in case of cracks, leaks, or accidental tipping), such as a clay pot drain saucer, towards rooms or in front of a poorly insulated window. Enjoy.

Come spring, watch for hyacinths, forsythia, early
blooming/fragrant blossoms to begin a fresh potpourri of :

Lime, vanilla, cherry flavoring, and flower petals, to the water in similar proportions to the above, adjusting to your own sense of smell, adding a few drops of your favorite floral cologne in place of alcohol.

No one and nothing can compete with essential oils, but this recipe is one of the favorite fragrances of long ago before they were more available.

Remember to check your pot's water level before it dries out, usually once an hour or so, if tiny as you describe. I prefer to increase the portions and use a small electric skillet with the steam vent open in the lid as it simmers. God bless you. : ) (01/03/2007)

By Lynda

Potpourri Recipe

I always put a tbsp each of allspice, star anise, peppercorns, and one cinnamon stick in a pot with 3 cups of water. Place that on a back burner on the stove on low. In about a half hour your house with smell divine. (01/03/2007)

By Nilaja