Customer Reviews

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Jams, Jellies & Preserves

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I cook quite a bit but have never made jelly. I only remember my mother's way with pounds of fruit, parrafin, dozens of jars and a mess for days. But this isn't it!! This is not your mother's jelly making book! I can't believe how easy it is -- and the recipes in this book all make small batches -- usually around 6 or 8 jars! My favorite so far is the port wine spice jelly but there are so many chutneys and jams I want to try. I can't believe how great this recipe list looks and in an Idiot's Guide! I'll start paying more attention to these smart little orange books now.

After a frantic store search for canning books, I came to Amazon.com and found this treasure. I had bags, buckets and bowls full of homegrown produce and fruit and no idea of what to do with any of it since my only canning book was hopelessly outdated. This book was a gem. The recipes are easy to follow, require only a minimal of on-hand ingrediants and truly, any "idiot" can follow these directions.

So with the help of this book, I now have a full pantry and several beautiful jars of jelly, jams and preserves to give as holiday gifts.

By this way, this is the first time I have ever made jam and jelly that has actually "set". The directions were that specific.

Have fun with this recipes in this book.

I am the author of this book! Just checking to see if copies are still available as it is out of print in Canada where it was originally published as "Prizewinning Preserves". Was a 3-time Grand Champion Jam and Jelly Maker at the annual Royal Winter Fair, but made a comeback as recently as a week ago and it is now 4-time. :-) I love making jams, jellies, marmalades, conserves, fruit butters and chutneys that are in this book. The recipes are flavourful, easy to make and has the latest canning procedures plus lots of tips! The Complete Idiot's Guide here is also going out of print so grab a copy while they still have some and enjoy the delicious results. Even if you have never made jams, etc. before...let me be your guide.

I bought this book because it has some delectable-sounding jam and preserve recipes. Since it's one of the "Complete Idiot's Guide to..." series, I figured it would be easy to understand. What a joke, then, to discover that it has somehow forgotten to describe how you actually MAKE the stuff, once you've compiled the ingredients and prepared the fruit! I couldn't believe it. I combed it cover to cover, thinking the instructions must be in there somewhere. Must be I've overlooked them. Well, I didn't. They really are missing. If you're an old pro at preparing the jars, sterilizing them, sterilizing the tools, and putting the newly minted jam through the hot bath process, no problem. You'll find some unusual fruit and berry combinations, most of which were darn good (though I was sorry not to find some of the more basic recipes, like a simple rhubarb jam). But if like me you are not conversant in all this, or don't have the process memorized, you won't find it here. Quite a serious omission.

This book is an acceptable or average book on making jams. There are better preserving books. I think too many people purchase books based on their so-clever or cute name/title (like dummy or idiot). Better to look over the book carefully yourself and see what books the experts are recommending. I'd probably give this book a 3 1/2, but they didn't have that here and a 4 seemed too generous.