Preserving with Pomona's Pectin: The Revolutionary Low-Sugar, High-Flavor Method for Crafting and Canning Jams, Jellies, Conserves, and More

After an intensive weekend of canning using recipes from several different sources, this is my new favorite in terms of ease, precision, and flavor.This is a full-color recipe book with one recipe per page. It offers substitution options for several of the recipes, making them quite versatile. All recipes are tested for safety and deliciousness. Quantities of fruit are given in weights, with a conversion chart for people who don't like using weight. There's also a secondary measuring step for pulp after preparing the fruit (at least in all the recipes I tried), which means you always end up with the right acidity, sweetness, and volume.Speaking of volume, most of Duffy's recipes make 4-5 half pint jars. In the recipes I tested, I ended up with 4 half-pint jars plus a bit more than half a jar to put in the fridge. This is a small batch, granted, but 4 half-pint jars will fit in the canning discovery kit, allowing you to use a smaller pot and boil less water. I believe that 8 4oz jars will also fit in a single rack in most canners.The recipes include intriguing and unusual flavors such as "cherry-port" and "ginger-vanilla-rhubarb" jams, as well as some more savory-sounding offerings like "basil-mint-plum jam" and "rosemary-wine jelly." There are also plenty of classics like "sweet cherry jam" and "apple jelly." Most recipes require 1-1.5 cups of sugar, but there are two all-fruit recipes near the front that offer vast substitution options to be used alone or in combination, allowing one to make nearly any kind of all-fruit jam.I made these recipes: Sweet cherry jam, chocolate-cherry preserves, all-fruit cherry-peach jam, cherry-lemon marmalade, cherry-port preserves.The sweet cherry jam was slightly too sweet for my taste; it was full of classic cherry flavor, but I prefer tart jams. I believe it will appeal to many people who want a milder, sweet flavored cherry jam. The all-fruit jam was tarter and more to my taste. I may end up eating it out of the jar by the spoonful. The cherry-lemon marmalade was also delightfully tart - a bit on the sweet side for marmalade, with just enough bitterness to be interesting. It's a gateway marmalade, not for those who prefer intense bitter flavor.The chocolate-cherry preserves have just the right amount of cinnamon and cayenne. I love their complex, slightly spicy flavor. The cherry-port preserves are even better. They belong on vanilla ice cream. Make an extra batch because when you give them as gifts the recipients will stage a raid on your house at night to get more.I'm looking forward to making a lot more jam, because I want to try pretty much everything in this book. Obviously I was focused on cherry recipes this weekend, but I have every reason to assume that the non-cherry recipes are just as good.

I've been canning half my life--some 30 years. Once I switched to Pomona's Universal Pectin, I never looked back at the corn-syrup-laden Sure Jell or Ball pectins out there. Pomona's, which is made from citrus is the only kind I use now. I have never once had a jam fail to gel. My jam has come out perfect every single time. So it was with some excitement and enthusiasm that I looked forward to this new book using my favorite pectin. Strawberry-pineapple jam with honey was my first recipe to try from this book and it came out lovely and delicious, just as I would expect. The real surprise was using honey and discovering the subtle taste it gave to the jam. I've strictly been a sugar gal when it comes to jam, and usually just made the traditional strawberry, blueberry, or peach jams. This book opens ups new taste possibilities and explains how to use honey or maple syrup or another sweetener of your choice. You could even use agave or stevia. You see, it's not the sugar that makes the jam gel. It's the calcium which is provided in a little packet in the Pomona's package. For this reason, you don't have to boil the daylights out of your jam. You do have to bring it to a boil and boil for a few minutes when the pectin and sugar is added, but you don't have to boil it for long periods. For this reason, the recipes are quick to do, and simple. And, for this reason, you can make low-sugar jams that highlight the flavor of the fruit rather than being so heavy with sugar they taste too sweet. Pomona's let you decide how much and what kind of sweetener you want to use. Big thumbs up for this. I gave the book five stars because some of the recipes are surprising combinations, ones I wouldn't have imagined. Pear ginger jam, Honeyed Apricot Jalepeno Jam, Blubarb (blueberry and rhubarb)and lavender jelly are just a few that look intriguing. This book goes beyond the basic jams described in the instructions of every Pomona's pectin box. It includes preserves, conserves, jellies and marmalades. The book has about 150 recipes in it. I didn't count them, but estimated based on the fact that there is one recipe per page, and allowed for the 45 pages of canning descriptions and introductions and also for the index in the back. I also rated this book highly because I didn't think I would find something new and interesting in it because I've been canning so long--but I was wrong. (quite happily wrong, I might add.) With illustrated directions, this book will help a beginner make perfect jam immediately. More experienced folks might like to know more about developing their own recipes using Pomona's pectin--and the book directs you to the Pomona's website and their instructions that come with the box. I have used Pomona's in recipes I have created without a hitch or glitch. I have also found a good recipe calling for other pectin and substituted Pomona's successfully. This no-fail pectin now has a recipe book worthy of it. This is a perfect book for anyone who makes jams regularly--or who wants to learn how. Flavorful jams without all the sugar is reason enough to give this book a chance!

I am a novice canner and did one successful canning before purchasing this book. I used the Blue Book for my first recipe and there was so much sugar it candied my pears. I wasn't compelled to keep using the book and found Pamona's as a potential alternative. I live near Whole Foods and was able to get Pamona's Pectin for $4.99 which is needed for these recipes.Pamona's book is very well done. It helped review what I learned once before with colorful illustration. Also provided tips and what to do if things go wrong. Plus the sugar level is way more manageable and the fruit really does get a chance to shine.I did 2 canning recipes. The first one failed because of mistakes I made. The book did a good job pointing out what I did wrong when I reviewed and I saved the recipe by reading the suggestions for freezing the cans. The second time was a huge success.I do like the variety of recipes, but be mindful that there is variety for the same fruit. Pamona did provide basic recipes as well as complicated ones for more adventerous canners. One of the basic recipes I tried had an expensive ingredient (vanilla bean for $13). I substituted for a teaspoon of vanilla extract and it worked just fine for my taste (and was cheaper).This book is a good one for a canner's library and the fruit is really showcased without sugar covering up the natural flavor.

This is a great book if you wish to learn how to can with low sugar and using Pomona's Pectin. I highly recommend this book for anyone wanting to learn this technique.

Makes jams/jellies with or without sugar.

I am the Preserves Table convener for our church and just recently added a sugar-free or low-sugar line at the request of a parishioner. This pectin is superior to others as it has no sugar (made of citrus) vs other kinds made with apple pectin (and sugar).It has revolutionized my jam/marmalade-making hobby. I suggest buying the pectin in bulk too from this site, it keeps forever and one only uses a little at a time. A game-changer for me!

Interesting book, recipes look good. Useful suggestions. Looking forward to trying some of them with this calcium-activated pectin.

Works well and not too sweet