Citrus
Lemons, limes, oranges, and grapefruit add a fresh, clean scent. I often buy the fruit to eat, but save the peels in a ziplock in my freezer until I have enough for a nice simmer pot.
Cranberries
This time of year it’s easy to find cranberries, and they’re cheap too! The great thing is that they last a few weeks in the refrigerator or even longer in the freezer. They are a really beautiful addition to a simmer pot and add such a beautiful scent. I don’t think there’s any substitution for cranberries.
Whole Spices
Whole cinnamon sticks, cloves, peppercorns, and star anise all add a unique, wonderfully spicy scent to simmer pot blends. Whole spices are best purchased in bulk departments of grocery stores or online. If you’re in a pinch, you could also use ground spices.
Herbs and Flowers
Fresh rosemary, mint, lavender, sage, or rose petals are a few of my favorite herbs to add to simmer pots. They can be a wonderful addition to many recipes depending on the scent you’re aiming for.
Woodsy things
Pine or spruce twigs, pine needles, cedar, pinecones, tree barks, and tree buds all add a nice woodsy scent to the simmer pot blend.