Gourmet Preserves Chez Madelaine: Elegant Marmalades, Jams, Jellies, and Preserves in Small Quantities Plus Quick Breads, Tarts, Scones, Muffins, and Desserts [Paperback]

Madelaine Bullwinkel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 10, 2005

The delightfully old-fashioned art of "putting up" needn't mean crates of fruit, interminable water baths, and a sweltering kitchen. The 130 delicious recipes in this book — including Cherry Preserves with Cassis, Apple-Ginger Jam, Cinnamon-Citrus Marmalade with Apricots, Ratatouille Marmalade, and Kir Cocktail Jelly — are made with small quantities of fruit and standard kitchen equipment. Prepared without commercial pectin, the preserves are lower in sugar than most, allowing the full flavor of the fruit to shine through — and some are made with no refined sugar at all. As a tasty bonus, the book gives recipes for quick breads and muffins that are perfect complements for the jams and jellies, as well as for desserts that make delectable use of those homemade preserves. Author and preserves aficionado Madelaine Bullwinkel offers reassuring professional advice, how-to illustrations, and timesaving techniques that make the process surprisingly simple. Expert tips for solving common preserve-making problems, such as jellies that refuse to firm up, as well as a seasonal guide to fruits and veggies are also included.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Surrey Books (March 10, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1572840781
• ISBN-13: 978-1572840782
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 6.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #697,211 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A "Preserves How To" for Your Kitchen Reference Shelf, June 22, 2006

By 

GMB (Dundee, MI United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gourmet Preserves Chez Madelaine: Elegant Marmalades, Jams, Jellies, and Preserves in Small Quantities Plus Quick Breads, Tarts, Scones, Muffins, and Desserts (Paperback)

Preserving small quantities was the reason for my purchasing this book and the reasonable price. Color photos would just increase the cost of this book, and for me I can do without. Even though I have experience in preserving, I found the Introduction and the 1st 2 chapters very informative. The preserving recipes that are included are fun and the fruit combinations are new to me. Cutting down on sugar is an added bonus. I do enjoy the dessert recipes and Chez M's recipe for Creme Fraiche always works for me. The seasonal guide at the end of the book is so worthwhile. I also appreciate Ms. Bullwinkel giving her web address for questions. It is a book that I will keep close to my kettle.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not exactly "gourmet", August 6, 2005

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Icicle (Vermont) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Gourmet Preserves Chez Madelaine: Elegant Marmalades, Jams, Jellies, and Preserves in Small Quantities Plus Quick Breads, Tarts, Scones, Muffins, and Desserts (Paperback)

I purchased this book in hopes of more exciting flavor combinations, but was disappointed in that regard. The upside, however, is that the majority of the recipes do not use commercial pectin. Still, with the words 'elegant' and 'gourmet' featured prominently in the title, I expected more from this book than the rather predicable combinations. I would consider this a basic jam and jelly book.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great cookbook, July 4, 2008

By 

Megan "Megan" (Massachusetts) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gourmet Preserves Chez Madelaine: Elegant Marmalades, Jams, Jellies, and Preserves in Small Quantities Plus Quick Breads, Tarts, Scones, Muffins, and Desserts (Paperback)

I have an old edition of this cookbook, but I've looked through the new edition and don't think that there are any big changes. Perhaps that's why people are complaining that the book isn't "gourmet" enough. It's from the late 70's or early 80's when people were just beginning to rediscover the joys of making your own food. Everything now has to scream NEW and IMPROVED so a book that claims to be "gourmet" now has to be filled with all sorts of bizarre combinations and ingredients that you can't even find at your local supermarket, let alone at a farmer's market. Which I, personally, am not really all that interested in. I just want to make some interesting jams, jellies, marmalades to keep and to give as gifts.

Everything that I've made from this book has come out excellent. I am a particular fan of the lime-zucchini marmalade. Marmalade isn't the easiest thing to make (and takes 2-3 days!) but it is so delicious when you make it yourself. The lime-zucchini flavor may sound a little strange, but it really works and makes for a hearty breakfast spread. The strawberry rhubarb jam is also delicious: not too sweet, not too sour. She also supplies recipes for various muffins and breads that compliment the homemade preserves, and some desserts that use the preserves.

She sometimes includes 2 or 3 different recipes for the same thing, and I've learned so much about how preserves are just by reading these different recipes: what steps are necessary, and what steps can you toy with? Each chapter also has a little bit of history and theory. The beginning of the book gives very comprehensive instructions on canning. However, these instructions are kind of outdated, and use paraffin wax instead of the self-sealing lids. For more up-to-date canning instructions, I recommend Canning and Preserving for Dummies.

My one complaint about the book is that she doesn't use commercial pectin. Most recipes include ingredients that supply the pectin. Other recipes call for a pectin stock that she supplies the recipes for. While this is a wonderful idea in theory, I wish she had included instructions on substituting commercial pectin.