How to Make Jam
Jam Making Essentials

I bought my Traditional Preserving Pan when we got hooked on English marmalade, as all my other pans were much too small for the quantities I needed.

It's without doubt one of the best bits of kitchen gear I ever bought. This pan is sturdy, but still easy to handle.  Even after much abuse mine doesn't have hot spots and cleaning it couldn't be simpler.

You can't make jam without decent Jam Jars. But if you don't have any old jam jars to hand, or need to replace some, then these are a good bet.  They come in a variety of sizes and when the lids go, you can replace these, too.

They also look the part if you want to sell or give away some of your produce, but they don't break the bank.

Very good value for money!

These Bormioli Rocco Quattro Stagioni preserving jars look absolutely fantastic and they will look professional in any kitchen, even if they're just sitting there ready to be filled with the products of your labours. 

On top of their good looks, they're very sturdy.  I've on occasion managed to drop one without a major disaster, and that has to be a good thing. I think they're stunning on a shelf, but they look even better when you're giving jams, preserves or chutneys as a gift.

As far as I'm concerned, a sugar thermometer is an essential item when it comes to making jam. I don't think my grandma or my mum owned or used one. They both relied firmly on the cold plate / wrinkled jam method.

Maybe I'm a little more impatient. I do use the cold plate to test the jam, but I find it much easier to use a thermometer to make sure my jam mixture is at the right temperature before I do that. Saves many iterations of boil / test / boil again.

And if you don't like washing a messed up sugar thermometer? I see that you can now get contactless laser gun thermometers!