On December 2nd, the Union County Extension Office hosted a Simmer Pot Kit Class, offering community members an opportunity to learn the basics of dehydrating fruits and assembling their own holiday simmer pot kits. The class was led by Abigail Thomas, Family and Consumer Sciences Agent.

Participants received instruction on safe fruit dehydration practices, including proper preparation, sanitation, and recommended drying techniques. Examples of oranges, apples, cranberries, and other fruits were displayed at various stages of dehydration to help attendees understand the drying process and expected outcomes. Educational publications and Extension resources were also distributed for continued learning at home.

Following the instructional portion, attendees assembled Christmas simmer pot kits using dehydrated fruits and aromatic spices such as cinnamon sticks, cloves, rosemary, and star anise. These fragrant kits can be simmered to create natural holiday scents or packaged and shared as gifts.

If you are interested in learning more about food preservation, dehydrating, cooking, sewing, or any other Family and Consumer Sciences topics, I am always happy to help and love connecting people with resources and upcoming classes.

For more information, please contact: Abigail Thomas, Family & Consumer Sciences Agent at the Union County Extension Office by calling 865-992-8038 or email athom237@utk.edu