The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook by Rachel Saunders

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Notes about this book

  • michellepainter on September 27, 2013

    Seville with cinnamon marmalade This is one of the best marmalades I have ever made - and I make a lot of marmalade. I am so pleased with this book, and have several other marmalades ready to try (it is citrus season in Australia). Can't wait to try the summer fruit jams and jellies from this book.

Notes about Recipes in this book

  • Paradise marmalade

    • jlg84 on December 26, 2018

      Excellent, make it every year.

  • East coast blueberry jam

    • spharo00 on June 20, 2012

      This jam is sweet and fruity, with an added depth from the vanilla. The recipe suggested a few drops of vanilla extract, but I used a full teaspoon. This would be perfect on pancakes, as it is a looser jam than others I have made in the past.

  • Children's strawberry jam

    • spharo00 on June 13, 2012

      This jam is pure strawberry in a jar. The jam was sweet, but not cloyingly so, and rich with strawberry flavor. It was also remarkably pretty, bright red with flecks of seeds throughout. I halved this recipe and filled three half-pint jars. This recipe was very simple and the jam came together quickly.

  • Rhubarb-rose conserve with cherries

    • spharo00 on June 05, 2012

      This conserve is very sweet and sticky, with plump cherries throughout. It tasted completely like cherry jam to me. I couldn't pick up on the rhubarb at all. This is much thicker than the jams I've made in the past, so I may have cooked it a few minutes too long. The author recommends adding a few drops of rose water at the end. I use rose water often and ended up adding a full teaspoon before I could truly taste and smell it. She did add that the flavor of the rose water would be muted after the conserve cools so it seemed a good amount to me. It may be too much for others. I did have some trouble with a couple of my jars not sealing. Hers is a different method than most, so I am not sure if this was due to some error on my part or to the canning method itself. Perhaps it isn't as reliable as others, but I'm not sure.

  • Early summer peach jam with green almonds

    • spharo00 on July 22, 2012

      I don't have access to green almonds here so I left them out of the recipe. Even without these, this recipe made such sweet and lovely peach jam. The color was beautiful and light and the flavor was perfectly peach.

  • Orange-vanilla dream marmalade

    • spharo00 on January 27, 2013

      The only change I made to this recipe is that instead of adding a splash of vanilla vodka at the end of cooking, I added two vanilla beans and let them cook down in the marmalade. This marmalade is beautiful and probably one of my favorite marmalades to make yet. It is sweet and a bit tart, but not too tart, and the consistency is just as I like it.

  • White cherry & peach jam

    • jnetlw on July 16, 2013

      Wonderful jam. Summer in a bottle. Worked well spread on brie.

  • Olallieberry jam

    • jnetlw on July 13, 2013

      Made with Marionberrys

  • Blueberry jam with mint

    • jnetlw on July 16, 2013

      The mint is a lovely addition to blueberry. Was a favorite of my jam making season. Would make a wonderful cheesecake topping.

  • My raspberry jam

    • jnetlw on July 13, 2013

      Lovely with golden raspberries.

  • Quince & candied ginger jam

    • hillsboroks on November 09, 2018

      I gave this recipe high marks for flavor but took it down a notch for technique. The recipe wants you to simmer most of the liquid off but leave the pan lid on. By following these directions, it took me most of an entire day to make. After the requisite simmering time per the recipe I still had lots of liquid so I took the lid off and had to let it simmer an additional 1 1/2 hours to get it the proper consistency. Next time I will take the lid off much sooner.

  • End-of-summer yellow peach jam

    • jsguaium on August 15, 2020

      Perfect! I had a few leaves, so maybe didn't quite get the full effect, but really love this jam. I was able to peel peaches without using boiling water. A little messy, but saved a step. Half the peaches sat in the fridge overnight with sugar, half one night.

  • Plum jam

    • jsguaium on August 15, 2020

      Good, basic, watch the lemon juice, can be quite tart

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Reviews about this book

  • 101 Cookbooks by Aran Goyoaga

    ...is another book that is filled with beautiful food photography printed on beautiful thick paper. I love books about jams. I really think this is the only jam book one needs

    Full review

  • Kitchn

    This book is in my top five for holiday gift giving this year...But I'm definitely, greedily keeping a copy for myself. I know this is just the push I need to experiment with marmalades this winter...

    Full review

Reviews about Recipes in this Book

  • ISBN 10 0740791435
  • ISBN 13 9780740791437
  • Linked ISBNs
  • Published Sep 21 2010
  • Format Hardcover
  • Page Count 384
  • Language English
  • Countries United States
  • Publisher Andrews McMeel

Publishers Text

Rachel Saunders's The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook is the definitive jam and marmalade cookbook of the 21st century. In addition to offering more than 100 original jam, jelly, and marmalade recipes, master jam artisan Rachel Saunders shares all of her technical preserving knowledge, as well as her unique jam maker's perspective on fruit.

Rachel combines nostalgia with a modern, sustainable approach to creating fresh and vividly flavored preserves. The recipes are divided into chapters based on the seasons, and each chapter is organized by month and type of fruit. Sample recipes include Strawberry-Marsala Jam with Rosemary, Italian Lemon Marmalade, and Early Girl Tomato Jam.

More than 100 stunning photographs by Sara Remington illustrate each part of the preserving process—from the different stages of cooking to testing for doneness to the final canning stage. Each recipe includes an approximate yield and a suggested shelf life, in addition to details on recommended equipment, including Rachel's beloved copper jam pot. The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook gives all measurements by weight rather than volume, making it the most exact and reliable American jam book on the market. More than 20 recipe variations are provided, along with detailed information about common and rare fruits, hybrid varieties, and flavor combinations. Nothing is left to chance or overlooked; Rachel explains every aspect of jam and marmalade making in step-by-step detail. The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook is a one-of-a-kind, must-have resource for home and professional cooks alike.

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