175 Best Jams, Jellies, Marmalades and Other Soft Spreads by Linda J. Amendt
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Book Reviews of 175 Best Jams, Jellies, Marmalades and Other Soft Spreads
Book Review: Rockin' great collection of recipes and techniques!
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm very experienced in the kitchen, and have canned and preserved many times. I highly recommend this book for its clear recipes that ALWAYS work and taste wonderful! This author has the old standards that are well loved (sweet orange marmalade) as well as more edgy twists (apricot pineapple marmalade, cherry apricot marmalade), just to use a couple of examples from her marmalade chapter. Whatever I have tried from this book has been a huge hit (basil jelly! who knew how great that would be?), and I plan to make some holiday gifts from this book for my recipients who appreciate homemade preserves. She also has helpful hints for novices or experts (short boil or long boil method, reducing foam, preventing "floating" fruit, etc.). And she is exacting about food safety, so her detailed but short explanation about preparing your foods in a safe manner is must reading. Whatever fruit you have in excess on your own trees, or can get from a farmer's market...have no fear...this book will put it to good use! I am also a big fan of her prior book. You just can't go wrong with either one. Book Review: Inspired and Delicious!
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm an experienced jam and jelly maker from way back, and I got very excited about this book. I highly recommend buying it! It continues the brilliant legacy of the author's previous prize-winning Blue Ribbon Preserves -- which guided my friends and me to winning some prestigious ribbons in state and county competitions.
The author really took off with this book, and put together combinations of jams, jellies, and spreads that make for kicky, out-of-the-ordinary flavors. If you had any of these spreads at a bed-and-breakfast, you'd be begging for the recipe. So far, the Pear Lime Jam and the Strawberry Peach Grand Marnier Jam have been big hits in my house, but I want to break loose and get them to try the Apricot Amaretto jam and South Seas Marmalade too.
Apart from fruit jams, the author also explores some exciting herbal and savory jams -- the kind of fascinating side accents you find at the finest restaurants next to the pricey entrees : Basil Jelly, Garlic and Carmelized Onion Jam, Salsa Jam, and Southwest Jelly.
The book is comprehensive too, and explores curds, conserves, fruit butters, marmalades, jams, jellies and other soft spreads -- but in an inspired and fun way, never tedious or long winded.
This book is most definitely NOT just about fruit, sugar, and pectin, like some other reviewer said. In fact, I think that reviewer must have read a different book!
This book is about inspired combinations, exploring surprising and exciting vistas of flavor and taste.
I'm giving some of these wonderful new concoctions for Christmas to special friends -- savory and sweet gifts of my hand that they can enjoy through the long winter.
Book Review: Boring Collection of Basic Recipes
Summary: 2 Stars
Beautiful photos, 175 (basic) recipes... But let's face it: to make tasty fruit jam & preserves, what do you really need to know? Fruits, Pectin, Sugar, Lemon Juice...Voila! This book tells you no more than that. I found the recipes in this book a bit boring. I was expecting a more inspiring collection of eye-opening recipes and/or combination of fruits, but most of them are those you already know. Processing of canned food is all the same anyway. If you want a jam-making book, just get the "Ball Blue Book" - probably, that's the best and ONLY book you'd need. If you want a bit more fancy recipes with twist, just google them. Book Review: Best Jams ever!
Summary: 5 Stars
I really love this book! The recipe collection is extensive. There are so many delicious sounding recipes that I didn't know where to start. I don't have a lot of experience in home canning, so I read the introductory how-to chapters thoroughly: "Soft Spread Basics" and "Canning Made Easy". They contained a lot of very helpful information. I tried the Strawberry Pineapple Jam and the Strawberry Peach Grand Marnier and they are both fabulous! The recipes are easy to read. I can't wait to try Three Onion Marmalade. The pictures are mouth-watering.Book Review: Great guide for soft spreads
Summary: 4 Stars
I own the author's first book as well. I enjoyed the first book better because it contains veggies and much more. Blue Ribbon Preaserves has more over all canning info if you are looking to do more, I suggest you purchase that one too. But the Jams and jellies in this book are outstanding recipes. I enjoyed this book a lot. The recipies I've made, so far 5 of them, have all turned out wonderful! I love the new combo fruit recipes in this book as well. I like that it has photos, which is something her first book did not have. I am a huge fan of this author so I was not disappointed.
But the only thing I noticed is that some of her recipes in this book are also in the first one and they have changed. Which is confusing. But I am going to try the new version of her Apricot Jam and see how it turns out.
I made the Candy Apple Jelly in this book and it was really good, the kids love it!
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