The Joy of Jams, Jellies, & Other Sweet Preserves: 200 Classic and Contemporary Recipes Showcasing the Fabulous Flavors of Fresh Fruits

These recipes are great and inventive. Beautifully typeset, beautifully laid out, easy to work with, and the Linda Ziedrich is a joy to read as is always the case for her works. She's honest, clear, careful and concise while still answering in the very next paragraph questions that had just formed in your head. The processing methods are generally sound, though she gives a pass to some open kettle canning that most others wouldn't (though she does warn you to expect shorter storage life and higher spoilage rate.) And if a preserve is low acid, like pumpkin butter, she directs you straight up to store it in the fridge. The only down side, if this matters to you, is that they are really heavy on calling for refined white sugar, and I think that that stage in the history of home canning has already had its day and is ending. Her recipes are added-pectin free so they actually really do rely on the sugar for gelling to happen, so you can't just leave it out, and she isn't keen on you swapping honey in for performance reasons-- recommends at most trying 1/2 honey, 1/2 refined white sugar. If you are trying to manage your weight or just reduce sugar in the diet of your friends and family, sadly you won't find many recipes to work with in this book. A real shame, because they would be quite and delicious wholesome otherwise, and this book is a sheer joy to read just as a book itself!

Just received these two books from Amazon and cannot put them down. Drooling in anticipation of tasting all of the many splendid recipes Linda provides us with. Well written, concise recipes, and tidbits of amusing stories and history . My preserving pan is screaming to escape from the cupboard!!!

Por lo que cuesta este libro, las recetas no son nada de particular, aparte que debe ser una guía más fortalecida para realizar conservas.

I like the way it's organized alphabetically by fruit and contains quite a few interesting combinations (rose petals, rhubarb ginger) that aren't found in the "run-of-the-mill" preserving books. It starts with a comprehensive description of the differences and types of jams, etc. along with a bit of history. The fact that none of the recipes use added pectin was the final selling factor for me...all recipes are simple and natural.This book is written by the same author as my absolute favorite "Joy of Pickling," which I would give 10 stars if I could.

TJJ is a nice, sensible, no nonsense book. The recipes are clear and concise, and, although not particularly imaginative, there are enough recipes included to satisfy most tastes.The format of the book is good with chapters being devoted to various fruits (and other ingredients, such as flowers), with several recipes for each fruit in each chapter, each one covering a different type of preserve. For instance, in the Apple chapter, there are recipes for Apple Butter, Low Sugar Apple Butter, Cider Syrup and Jelly, Apple Ginger Preserves, Caramel Apple Jam and Apple Mint Jelly, among others - very comprehensive! On the negative side, there are a few chapters a bit more obscure - coconut, for instance. Why the author included a chapter on a "fruit" such as coconut and only included one recipe is beyond me! However, that's a minor gripe.Other reviewers have indicated that the recipes are not particularly suited for the novice canner - I disagree! I don't think there's anything difficult about any of the recipes and beginners should not be put off from trying anything that takes their fancy. The recipes are all set out in a step by step manner, with anything tricky noted in the introduction at the beginning of the recipe.What perhaps the book is missing (and this is perhaps what other reviewers have alluded to) is a step by step methodology for the canning process. There is a chapter titled "Preservers Primer" which details different kinds of preserves and their history, Pectin (including a recipe or two on how to make your own) and a bit about tools used in canning but the book is perhaps lacking in the step by step approach a lot of other books offer.But beginners, don't be put off - this is a very, very good book on the subject, not pretty (no pictures) but practical and clearly written. I get the impression that anything made from this book will be a success. This book is a welcome addition to my canning Library.