Jams, Preserves and Chutneys

A great little book by the queen of cooking craft! Clear instructions, straightforward recipes -nothing pretentious, just helpful guidance and recipes that work. I use this book throughout the year - wouldn't be without it. What a shame you are going to withdraw it from sale - please think again and give it a higher profile in your catalogue!

This is exactly what we have come to expect from Marguerite Patten. Very clear, very informative with loads of different, unusual recipes. Not many pictures but that really does not matter. A very good buy for both the novice and the more experienced preserver.

All the information you need to start making your own jams and chutneys is here. You won't find glossy pictures - or any images at all, but what you will find is no-nonsense advice including all the things you might do wrong and what to do about them. Hundreds of recipes and variations means that anyone who wants to have a go at preserving will find this book invaluable. I have several other glossy perserving books but very often find they don't have detailed enough instructions for a relative beginner. This simple book has never let me down and has inspired me to try all sorts of preserves which thanks to the very straightforward advice have always turned out brilliantly. Simply a must have.

Having just moved house, I decided to buy this book to make use of the various fruit trees in my garden. I've already made some great jams, especially the black cherry conserve which was delicious! This book is fantastic, the recipes are easy to follow and for the novice jam maker it gives you all the details on how to create the perfect jam.

The Basic Basics book by Marguerite Patten is ideal for those who have never made jam, preserves or chutneys before. Although the book lacks any diagrams, Marguerite describes everything in clear detail and is easy to understand.I highly recommend reading the book before just picking a recipe and trying it, as there are some good tips, and a list of what to get. There are even a few recipes for those that want to make a more diabetic friendly jam.I get a sense of confidence in what I'm doing with this book, it doesn't make it seem as daunting as you think it will be if you follow her guidelines.