Well Preserved: A Jam Making Hymnal

by Joan Hassol

This book is about my relationship with jam, my soul, music, and the world in which I live. When I make jam I slow down, my actions become rhythmical, my thinking clear. The repetitive motions of washing, stirring, pouring, and labeling allow me the space to think about my life -- what it means to be starting over and how I can embrace this stage of my life with vitality and joy.
With warmth and love, Joan Hassol takes us on an evocative journey through raspberry patches, in search of beach plums, down memory's lane, and ultimately to her bed-and-breakfast on Cape Cod, where her jam business, Well Preserved, is in full operation. In over seventy easy-to-prepare recipes -- none of which requires special equipment -- she reveals how to create such goodies as blueberry, wild cherry, and concord grape jams, five-fruit marmalade, pear with frangelico jam, and green tomato chutney, as well as breads, muffins, and cakes to complement the preserves or to serve on their own.
Well Preserved is a jam-making hymnal, a vibrant celebration of nature's rich bounty, as much about the soul as cooking.

Genres: Cookbooks, Nonfiction

208 pages, Paperback

First published June 2, 1998

Reviews

[Artie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a grand collection of easy to make jams. Some wonderful combinations. I've already tried one.

[Andy Gooding-Call · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not to my taste, so to speak, but harmless enough. The recipes sound good and it’s a very quick, food-focused read.

[Chloe · Rating 5 out of 5]

In every walk with a jam making hymnal, one receives far more than they seek. I sought a reading roulette plucked from the aisles of well perused pickings hoping my eye might fall on something meaningful with magical alignment. And just as so often happens when you put forth just the right amount of belief in the potential for magic, it finds it way to you with open arms. This book was a walk in berry patches, sitting in the her kitchen as the jam bubbles, enjoying the sunshine and each others company, as Joan and I had the most touching, thoughtful, reflective conversations I felt honored to be privy to. If jam making makes her more in touch with her soul, reading about it made me more in touch with mine. I have already texted my mom to make plans for my own jars in the upcoming weeks.
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“I meditate as I walk. Meditation, he says, can be active. I just have to learn to acknowledge what is happening—to observe it, and let it go. It takes a few miles to awake my soul, to clear my head, fo hear my breathing.”

“Reminded that being is a blessing”

“I can’t reach the highest branches. Like the rest of my life, I am learning to settle for the lower branches, to savor small things, to relish whatever each tree of my lite brings me.”

“Flowers bloom in riotous abundance. Peach, pear and apricot trees bloom. Beach sand filters in. Seashells collect on the deck. Towels and bathing suits drape over the railings. Vegetables grow and get harvested. More and more jam gets made. The house has grown a soul. I had discovered mine.”

[Terri Fleming · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my all time favorites. Found some good ones I want to try.

[Paige · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good! I am excited to try some of the recipes. The author put some personal things in the book and I wasn’t expecting myself to hold back crying while reading this book.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book probably because I enjoy poking around in the woods, picking berries, and making jam. It is mostly filled with recipes and Hassol's memories. Hassol preserves thousands of jars of jelly and sells them at farm markets. If you are not taken by the sight of sunlight shining through translucent jars of crimson, purple, or amber, then don't give it a moment's thought.

[hidwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the quiet solitude of this book. Not only does it have a wealth of delicious sound jam recipes, tips, and techniques, it also gives a feel for the author's life. I got this from my local library and will definitely check it out again next year when I make jam from the end of June into July! Super recipes!

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a nice cookbook with good recipes. One drawback is that the recipes call for a higher amount of sugar than other cookbooks would have you use. Also, most recipes will require the addition of pectin.

[Kimberlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked it up for its jam recipes; then I noticed the little narratives. This is not only a cookbook, but a short memoir too.

[Rebecca]

!!! If only it were really a hymnal!