Simmer pots are a wonderful and easy way to fill the house with holiday cheer. What are simmer pots? They’re pots filled with water and spices and fruit that, while simmering on the stove, fill the house with a wonderful aroma. Simmer pots have been around for a long, long time and there are many recipes that date to the 17th and 18th centuries in the American colonies.
Sarah Munro, the heroine in my recent novel ONE DARK WISH, is a 17th century historian who has been collecting original recipes from that time period. The recipe below for a Cranberry Orange Simmer Pot comes directly from a diary of a young Puritan girl who lived outside of Savannah, GA and died in 1699. I’ve included the recipe below and feel free to substitute other ingredients for those you love the scent of more.
Sarah Munro’s Orange Cranberry Simmer Pot
Ingredients:
- Pot of filtered water
- 2-6 orange slices
- 2-4 lemon slices
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 cup whole cranberries
- six whole star anise
Directions:
Fill a pot with filtered water and, on low heat, bring to a slow boil. Add the orange slices, lemon slices, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, ground cloves, star anise, and cranberries. Boil together for five minutes and lower the heat until it’s simmering. Watch the pot carefully and every thirty minutes add more water. This pot should last for 4-6 hours as long as you replenish the water.
Important disclaimer about wild plants, foraging, and making herbal remedies:
I am not a medical professional and nothing written on this blog is medical advice. None of my statements have been evaluated by the FDA (I am legally required to give you this disclaimer).
It is important to do your due diligence before foraging, harvesting, and/or consuming any type of medicinal plant.
- If you are taking any medications, talk to your doctor about any potential drug interactions.
- If you are allergic to anything, make sure whatever you are foraging is not in the same family. Example: While dandelions are typically considered safe, those who are allergic to ragweed, latex, daisies, or any other plants in the same or similar families, may not be able to consume dandelion.
Always research potential side effects, dosage recommendations, and how to properly prepare and consume each medicinal plant.
Always make sure you are foraging what you believe to be. Fully prepare and study the anatomy before harvesting wild plants.
Always make sure your kitchen/work area is clean and that all materials are sterilized.
Do not forage plants from areas that have been sprayed within the past 2 years at the very least.
I am not legally or morally responsible for the health of any of my readers. Please do your own research!
