Preserving is a centuries-old way to make the most out of every season, stretching the more bountiful months into the sparser ones - and what's more, it is fun, rewarding and easy to learn. Explaining the history, science and basic processes of preserving, Pam Corbin guides us through a world of jams, jellies, butters, curds, pickles, chutneys, cordials, liqueurs, vinegars and sauces that can be made from local produce throughout the year. She includes 75 recipes, covering everything from traditional favourites such as raspberry jam, lemon curd, quince cheese and sloe gin, to fresh new combinations such as apple butter, cucumber pickle and nettle pesto. The handbook includes seasonable tables, regional maps, flow charts of all the preserving processes and full-colour photographs throughout, and is completed by a directory of equipment and useful addresses. With a textured hard cover and an introduction by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Preserves is a concise and inspiring guide to an age-old art for kitchen beginners and keen preservers alike.

'Pam Corbin is the master, and the first person I turn to for everything to do with preserving. I've learnt so much from her' - DIANA HENRY

Pam Corbin is the expert who professional cooks consult when they want to make jams, jellies, marmalades, chutneys, pickles or anything else to do with preserving. They know her as 'Pam the Jam', and this book is the culmination of her years of experience, distilled into more than 100 tried-and-tested recipes. Her jams, marmalades and fruit spreads contain far less sugar than traditional recipes, which means that they taste astonishingly fruity and delicious. Likewise, her chutneys and pickles are lighter and sprightlier than the old-fashioned kind.

Pam will show you how to make more unusual preserves too - such as glossy fruit cheeses to serve with everything from Stilton to manchego (which calls for her classic quince membrillo). Or creamy yet zesty fruit curd: there's a recipe for classic lemon curd, and also a wonderfully light lime and coconut one.

If you have an array of Pam's preserves in your store cupboard, you can transform any meal in an instant. She'll inspire you to dig into your jars of preserves to make spin-off recipes such as scrumptious lime cheesecake, cherry pie or spicy sausage rolls. Packed with detailed instructions, explanations and tips, this is the only preserve-making bible that you will ever need.

'Ingredients are at the heart of everything we do at River Cottage. By gathering our all-time favourites together, I hope to inspire you to look at them with fresh eyes and discover new ways of cooking them' Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall The definitive River Cottage kitchen companion. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and his team of experts have between them an unprecedented breadth of culinary expertise on subjects that range from fishing and foraging to bread-making, preserving, cheese-making and much more. In this volume they profile their best-loved and most-used ingredients. With more than three hundred entries covering vegetables, fruits, herbs, spices, meat, fish, fungi, foraged foods, pulses, grains, dairy, oils and vinegars, the River Cottage A to Z is a compendium of all the ingredients the resourceful modern cook might want to use in their kitchen. Each ingredient is accompanied by a delicious, simple recipe or two: there are new twists on old favourites, such as cockle and chard rarebit, North African shepherd's pie, pigeon breasts with sloe gin gravy, or damson ripple parfait, as well as inspiring ideas for less familiar ingredients, like dahl with crispy seaweed or rowan toffee. And there are recipes for all seasons: wild garlic fritters in spring; cherry, thyme and marzipan muffins for summer; an autumnal salad of venison, apple, celeriac and hazelnuts; a hearty winter warmer of ale-braised ox cheeks with parsnips. With more than 350 recipes, and brimming with advice on processes such as curing bacon and making yoghurt, the secret of perfect crackling and which apple varieties to choose for a stand-out crumble, as well as sourcing the most sustainable ingredients, this is an essential guide to cooking, eating and living well. More than anything, the River Cottage A to Z is a celebration of the amazing spectrum of produce that surrounds us - all brought to life by Simon Wheeler's atmospheric photography, and Michael Frith's evocative watercolour illustrations.

The River Cottage farm, established by British food personality Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall to promote high-quality, seasonal, and sustainable food, has inspired a television series, restaurants and classes, and a hit series of books. In this new addition to the award-winning collection, River Cottage master preserver Pam Corbin helps you transform the abundance of your garden (and your friends' and neighbors' gardens) into everything from simple Strawberry Jam to scrumptious new combinations like Honeyed Hazelnuts, Nasturtium "Capers,"Onion Marmalade, Spiced Brandy Plums, Elixir of Sage, plus a pantryful of other jams, jellies, butters, curds, pickles, chutneys, cordials, liqueurs, vinegars, and sauces.