I just could not leave 2019 without one more canning post. I went back through my archives and found that I had published quite a few booze inspired preserves. Before we completely put the Jelly of the Month Club to rest, I wanted to share these. I also wanted to highlight the book that inspired most of the jellies posted this holiday season at EE.
For other booze-inspired preserves, check out these previously published posts:
Cherry-Sangria Jam
Spiced Peach Jam with Brandy
Blackberry-Port Jam
Spiked Cherry Conserve
Lavender Wine Jelly
Remember, if it’s not the growing season and there’s not fresh fruit available, you can open up a bottle and still whip up a great gift from your kitchen for the holidays. (I knocked out twelve batches in no time.)
If you have a preserving fool in your family, I would highly recommend this book (published by Better Homes & Garden), Jams & Jellies.
A lot of the preserves for this Jelly of the Month Club were taken from this book. There’s much more in this cookbook than just booze-related offerings. Recipes included cover the classics like strawberry jam and grape jelly, but I loved the inventive recipes. Freezer jams, syrups, sauces and “Sweet Gifts” are also presented. Jams & Jellies is a good resource and reference book for canning safety and procedures. (For examples of recipes taken from this book, click here.)
One of my favorite things about this cookbook is the suggestion for using the preserves in inventive ways other than just topping toast. Suggestions for meat glazes, cocktail mix-ups, and many other savory options are included. (For a more comprehensive review, see the bottom of this page.)
I’m linking up to Foodies Read for December.
It’s my last Foodies Read post for this decade. Gasp!
Better Homes and Gardens Jams and Jellies: Our Very Best Sweet Savory Recipes by Better Homes and Gardens
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
For the preserving fool, this book is a great find! There’s very inventive combinations and a lot of the recipes come with four or five “variations.” For instance, there’s a basic peach jam recipe with ideas for cardamom, sweet basil, bourbon, and chipotle variations.
As far as the inventive recipes go, there’s so many. The ones that struck me most were the combinations of “Strawberry-Cranberry Jam” (with dried cranberries), “Tart Cherry-Coffee Preserves,” “Apricot-Almond Spread” (with almond paste), “Curry-Coconut Apple Butter,” “Orange and Fennel Marmalade,” “Confetti Preserves” (with shredded carrots, zucchini and yellow squash), “Tandoori Tomato Jam” (with garam masala)…. Besides these, there’s a whole section of “Our Best Blends.”
I actually bought this book for the Happy Hour section. I actually made most of these for holiday gifts. You can check out those recipes here.
Even for the beginner, this book would be valuable. The first 17 pages are full of safety tips and directions.
Jams & Jellies is my new favorite canning book!!!! (That’s saying a lot!)
You should open a shop selling all the amazing homemade jams!
May the New Year be as bright as all those jellies you have shared with us. Happy and Heathy New Year!
Happy New Year Debra.