Jam

Neither long simmering nor heat-canned, this vibrant, lightly spiced jam couldn't be simpler to prepare. Red-fleshed plums lend a gorgeous garnet color, but any variety works well.

I love savory jams and this one is a winner. The pectin will gel up the jam faster than just cooking it down to a paste, preserving the fresh flavor of the ramps. This is a go-to for a shaved pork loin or with steak and eggs on a Sunday morning. The recipe makes a lot, but it's worth canning and keeping through the year.

The idea here is to concentrate a few strong complementary flavors to create a cake that is pleasantly bitter and not too sweet. Tartine chiffon cake is made with whole-grain dark buckwheat flour, and then layered with blood orange marmalade and bergamot-infused blackout chocolate ganache. The ganache sets quickly, so cut your cake layers and have your filling and syrup on hand when ready to assemble.

The tomato jam makes this sandwich: Its honey and vinegar give it sweetness and bite! —Elliot

"At Linger, we make jam with miso. It's delicious with pork but is especially tasty on bread with cream cheese."

Adding grated apple, a pectin-packed fruit, naturally jells the jam and gives it a pleasant tartness.

Peaches are used in this very basic recipe for fruit jam, but you could substitute an equal amount of apricots or plums in their place. Add it to ice cream, or use it to fill a jelly roll cake such as the one on page 464. The jam is quickly made and can be kept refrigerated in an airtight container up to 2 weeks. If you prefer, strain the jam in a fine sieve before storing.

These preserves can be canned and stored for up to 1 year; multiply the recipe, if you like.

This marmalade can be made with navel oranges, blood oranges, or tangerines.