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Regardless of your opinion of Huge Furry Whipping Style and the RC juggernought, (I'm a fan just so you know), this book as a stand alone preserves book is excellent.
Firstly I'm a sucker for the smaller "handbook " style. Don't know why, it just feels right, especially in hardback.

HFW only does the intro, the rest is all Pam. And what she doesn't know about preserves....

There is a good starting section on the chemistry and theories. Then loads of receipes, with nice photo's of the product. If your not inspired to start making jam,chutney's pickles, leathers,jellies, gins,cordials,syrupes,bottles etc then nothing will.

I like to have a regular flick through because there are so many different idea's. For example rather than freezing your glut of runner beans, why not make pickled whole beans, ready to pull out whole and add as a veg in their own right with salads,cheese etc. (can't wait to try mine once they've been in long enough.)

Made the piccalili, and me and the missus have eaten a jar in the first week, and it's not even at it's best!.

The Strawberry jam is also supurb.

I spent a lovely half hour in waterstones reading this book, Loved it! now I just need to convince someone to buy it for me. Now! Its preserving season and I don't have it!

I have this too & it's great! I made the rhubarb cordial in the spring & the boys loved it, although it was a tad too sugary & not quite rhubarby for me, but it's always good to tinker.
Yes, I've leant a lot & it's given me a lot of inspiration for some of the soft fruits in my garden as I'm not a fan of fruit crumbles

I also have it but still to make something from it... need to go shopping for pickling vinegar!

It's a great book, I like to read it and imagine my shelves full of colourful jars and bottles!

Penny Lane wrote:I also have it but still to make something from it... need to go shopping for pickling vinegar!

It's a great book, I like to read it and imagine my shelves full of colourful jars and bottles!

Me too

I've been and bought a jelly pan and looked out all my jars but am yet to actually produce anything.....

I think its a nice little book, with a good feel. I made apple and blackberry cordial using the guidelines in the book, and it worked out well.

A word of warning - whether it's in this book or another one - but the River Cottage fruit cordial recipe I got from their site uses TOO MUCH SUGAR - and I mean waaaaaaaaaay too much sugar , so be very careful and taste as you go along when making cordial! At least I learnt that on another fruit before I made a huge amount of ribena!

Picked a kilo of the first of the blackberries on Sunday, these needed doing something with last night so mixed these with a few wind fall apples (they're the neighbours over hanging my garden, and said wind may have in fact been a hand occasionally! ) and tried hedgerow jelly. Simmered until soft then put into a doubled muslin sheet, tied up onto an up turned stool with a bowl under neath over night. Tonight I'm boiling with sugar to finish.

The point is it's really useful to have a preserves store cupboard ready at this time of the year , as my planning is rubbish, and sometimes you get stuff but don't know what to do with it.

I would recommend having 500ml cider vinegar, 500ml wine vinegar, 1 kg granulated sugar, 1 kg of granulated sugar with added pectin ( now I realised why my bramble jams have always been runny!), A bag of dark sugar, general spices.

Cheezy wrote: Huge Furry Whipping Style

....i love this!!.

i have the book....ermm...actually, i have 3 of the RC series!. i havent made anything from this one yet, but refer to the veg one alot...its a handy size for the allotment!.

I have a few of The River Cottage Handbooks, the preserves is good, but with lots of adjustments (I have notes all over mine...) as Millymollymandy the cordials are way too sweet for my tastes... and I must admit that I've gone back to good old Mrs Beeton for a few things

On the other hand I LOVE the bread book and would heartily recommend it!!

Funny you should revive this thread as I'm about to start making some cordials again.... the funny thing is with my overly sweet redcurrant cordial is that I came to actually like it that sweet in the end!

I've just ordered mine today and the edible seashore, i think there ideal

Hmm, I have to agree, excellent book but the rosehip and apple jelly recipe won't set!

I spent half an hour boiling it off this evening and still the damn stuff is like liquid in the jars. It will have to go back in the pot for a repeat performance tomorrow...

I followed the recipe to the millimetre, honest!!

Was it beet or cane sugar - I've found cane sugar to be much better for setting jams.

We've made several things from this book now. By far and away the best was the fruit leather. We also feel quite smug about our roasted tomato sause. Kept for two months and thats only because we ate it all!