Making preserves and jam and other such wholesome bunty things without poisoning us all-what do I need? Where should I buy it?

[Fillyjonk]

I have huge huge amounts of cultivated and delicious blackberries on my allotment, and I need to make some into jam because it is very depressing to watch them rot slowly on the bush (even the birds can't eat them all )

I have had bad experiences in the past with jam going off and so forth. So I have a this book which is very good. However I'd also like to hear more experiences of making jam and it not going moudly and no one dying of botulism.

Also any good stockists for things like maslin pans (seriously? sp?) and so forth.

Good stockist is Lakeland Ltd - I've never done any preserving, except Nigella's Chilli Jam and Xmas Chutney from the Xmas book (still eating it now and have not keeled over so must be doing something right!)

Lakeland Ltd

ahh, lakeland, of course

Look up "microwave jam" with google - after buying all the stuff for traditional jam making, and using it once, I discovered microwave jam...much easier you need a large bowl and a microwave...no fancy stuff.