Make Your Own Jams and Jellies

The elusive Italian plum makes a luscious, ruby-colored jam. Get the recipe for Italian Plum Jam

Like apple butter, melons can be cooked down to a jammy, spreadable condiment, as in this recipe from chef Silvia Baldini of Strawberry and Sage. Spread it on toast tomorrow morning or save it (via proper canning technique) for a pork chop in the dead of winter.

Preserve summery tomatoes and nectarines with this chunky, vinegary chutney from cookbook author Cathy Barrow. It’s the perfect preserve to serve with a sturdy cheese and crisp crackers.

Italian plums on their way to becoming plumbrillo, a riff on the quince paste known as membrillo. Get the recipe for Plum Paste (Plumbrillo)

Rich coconut milk and tangy lime meld in a sweet tropical spread from Stéphane Mazières, former chef at Hôtel Le Toiny in St. Barths. Get the recipe for Coconut Lime Preserves »

Blueberries are great candidates for jam-making because of their high level of pectin—preserve them at the height of summer and enjoy their flavor year-round. Get the recipe for Blueberry Jam with Lemon and Thyme »

Rhubarb, a reddish pink vegetable that grows in celery-like stalks and is harvested through the late summer, has a pleasing tartness, so it pairs well with sweet strawberries in a jam.

Less sweet and sticky than a traditional jam, this fruit butter ends up tasting like blueberry pie in a jar. Get the recipe for Slow-Cooker Blueberry Butter »