Book excerpt: First published in 2006. The Jam Book is a practical guide to the preservation of fruit- not only jams, but also jellies, marmalades preserves, conserves, cheeses; pastes, butters, chips; crystallised, candied, and brandied fruit; fruit dried and fruit bottled. The object of preserving fruit is to ward off, exclude or neutralise those bacilli which otherwise would cause its almost immediate decay. A heavy solution of sugar; a strong acid, like vinegar; or storage in sterilised jars in which the fruit is externally heated to boiling point - these are the three most popular methods. The book contains hundreds of recipes - for apple marmalade, barberry jam, elderberry jelly, cherry conserve, melon marmalade, guava preserve, grape jelly, pear jam, apple and ginger preserve, and many other temping reads. For those who wish to make natural great tasting jams, this book offers an excellent array of possibilities.