Potpourri is a collection of fragrant herbs and flowers. It can be either left out dry or put into a simmer pot to allow the scent to flow through the air.
The word potpourri is actually spelled pot-pourri. It is a borrowing from French, with the same spelling, from around 1611 CE, but it was originally in reference to a dish that was made from different kinds of meat. Both the French and the Spanish referred to their stews this way, essentially calling them a "rotten pot." This was later applied to dried flower petals mixed with herbs and spices as it was a medley just like the stews.Ā
The word does not get pronounced the way that it is spelled. The "t" is silent, just as it is in French. It is pronouncedĀ poh-puh-REE, not pot-poo-ree.Ā
Potpourri is now used for a variety of things. It is often made using rose petals, lavender, orange peels, and essential oils as a base. There is a wide variety of other ingredients that can be added such as chamomile, cloves, star anise, and cinnamon sticks.
Sources:
āPot-pourri, N.ā Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford UP, June 2024, https://doi.org/10.1093/OED/7736927938.
āThe Putrid Origin of āPotpourri.āā Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster, www.merriam-webster.com/wordplay/the-putrid-origin-of-potpourri. Accessed 6 Aug. 2024.