Rating: 
Summary: Very informative book!
Review: After reading this book I felt like I could take on any canning project! The author is extremely knowledgeable. I was delighted to find this great book!
Rating: 
Summary: So far a big letdown
Review: After trying 2 recipes in this book (Cherry-Almond Conserve and Strawberry Jam)I have to say that I am not pleased with this book at all. I have made successful jams and jellies all of my life and these are the first 2 times that I was unsuccessful. Neither of the recipes "set".
I am leery of trying any more of these recipes.
Rating:
Summary: Exceptional Preserves Cookbook!
Review: Blue Ribbon Preserves is a great cookbook for home canners of all levels of preserving experience and skill. It is easy to read and follow, with the comprehensive canning text and detailed recipes presented in a clear and understandable manner. Linda Amendt's impressive wealth of knowledge, special techniques, recipes and expert advice make this delightful and impressive book a gold mine of information for anyone interested in home canning.The author presents the latest modern canning techniques and safety precautions and explains the importance of each step in the canning process. She is also careful to explain why old-fashioned and out-dated canning methods should not be used, and how the use of old-style and nonstandard canning jars can lead to serious problems. In entering my preserves at the State Fair the past few years, I have been disappointed at not winning blue ribbons. After reading the extensive chapter on fair competitions and Linda's helpful advice and preparation tips in each recipe chapter, I now understand the judging process and am confident I can win those precious blue ribbons. I am grateful to the author for her generosity in sharing her secrets to winning so many awards with the rest of us fair entrants. I have made several of the delicious jam and jelly recipes, as well as fruit, juice, sauce and pickle recipes, and all have yielded perfect results. Blue Ribbon Preserves has become my 'Canning Bible' and I will use it again and again with each new canning season. I am giving copies of this wonderful book as Christmas gifts to many friends and family members who enjoy making preserves.
Rating:
Summary: Preserving Bible
Review: I am a veteran home canner and this wonderful preserving cookbook is by far the best one I have read. (I own all of the current canning books.) The extensive variety of recipes are clearly written, complete, easy-to-follow and yield excellent results. The author goes beyond the basic instructions given in the other books and does the great service of explaining the importance and necessity of each step in the canning process. Linda Amendt's chapter on competing at fairs is right on the mark and anyone following her advice is sure to bring home blue ribbons of their own. I give Blue Ribbon Preserves my highest recommendation!
Rating:
Summary: A GREAT Find!
Review: I am quite impressed by this cookbook. It is extremely well written, very thorough and interesting. The author presents her information and recipes in a flowing, easy-to-understand style that makes this cookbook very user-friendly. She explains every step in detail without talking over the heads of people new to home canning or talking down to experienced canners. Unlike other preserved foods books, Blue Ribbon Preserves goes way beyond the basics. The author's special techniques and advice are invaluable and make home canning a wide variety of preserves easy for anyone. There is a huge selection of all manner of delicious recipes ranging from standard flavors to the exotic. The descriptions and instructions are so clear that every step is easily understood. While I personally do not have any plans to enter my preserves at fairs, the author's stories and discussions on fair competitions are quite interesting and informative. I have used her competition techniques to improve the quality of every preserve I make and serve to my family. For someone who does enter their preserved foods into fair competition and wants to win blue ribbons, the author's advice and insider secrets are essential. For everyone else - they will help you create exceptional preserves for gifts and home use.
Rating:
Summary: Blue Ribbon Preserves: Secrets to Award-Winning Jams, Jellie
Review: I am stunned! I thought I knew about canning until I read this book. It is outstanding! Linda J. Amendt is a master of her crafts - writing and canning. She explains clearly exactly how to make the best jams, jellies, preserves etc... and how to win awards to boot. I started reading and couldn't (and wouldn't) put it down until I had read the majority of the book. There is so much information and detail that it made me want to start creating treasures right away. This is THE book to have when you want to learn (or in my case relearn) how to make preserves.
Rating: 
Summary: THE Reference Bible for Making Preserves (with some caveats)
Review: I bought this book based on previous high reviews. I would agree with everything said - this book is a MUST have for the novice or seasoned canner. There are a plethora of wonderful recipes and very detailed directions. However, as a beginner, one thing I feel the book lacks is pictures or diagrams of equipment and procedures. In addition, much of the text and anecdotes seem to be redundant throughout the book. Finally, in my opinion, there is too much emphasis on what should or should be done in order to win a blue ribbon. I found the focus on judging criteria and what may or may not cause a lower score mildly annoying. Although the title of the book promotes secrets to award-winning preserves, in reality, how many people are going to use this book with the sole purpose of entering blue ribbon contests?! All in all, this book is a must have, even with the above caveats.
Rating: 
Summary: what a disappointment
Review: I bought two preserving books at the same time- this one and Hilaire Walden's Sensational Preserves. And there was no comparison. Everything I tried from this book was run of the mill. And all those pouches of pectin. The emphasis seemed to be on meeting all the technical requirements to enter your preserves in the county fair---not to put them on the home table. The other book--Sensational Preserves was inventive, beautiful and practical-- and everything we made from it was just as the title said- sensational.
Rating:
Summary: Good learning info on canning and preserving
Review: I found the educational portion of the book to be very useful - I have just taken a canning class and have tried canning in the past with success. I was looking for basic recipes that would be straightforward, tried and tested. The first recipe I tried, though, was not a success. It was fairly simple, though labor intensive. But the Apple Butter came out more like applesauce. I researched other Apple Butter recipes and found some extreme differences in the proportion of ingredients (apple pulp to liquid - cooking time - processing temperature) that were listed in the recipe in this book. In particular the 'Ball Blue Book - Easy Guide to Tasty, Thrifty Canning and Freezing'(revised edition 29) seems to have a better handle, give more precise information, and give better hints on cooking apple butter. So, now I'm a little 'leery' about how other recipes in this book will pan out.
Rating:
Summary: Good learning info on canning and preserving
Review: I found this book browsing at the library and now I've got it on my Christmas wish book. It gives great explanations and has many recipes not only for current cooking such as Asian marinades but old standbys which my mother has done. It's definitely one for your collection.
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