fig. a: total pothead
Guess who showed up on our front step yesterday?
That’s right! None other than our dear, dear friend (dare we say “dearest”?), Camilla Wynne!
Unfortunately, it wasn’t the real Camilla Wynne who turned up special delivery. It was “just” her brand-new book, Jam Bake: Inspired Recipes for Creating and Baking With Preserves (Penguin Random House, 2021)!
fig. b: Go ahead, judge this book by its cover—you won’t be disappointed!
But that was the next best thing to the real deal, because Jam Bake captures Camilla’s wonderful personality, her prodigious talent, and her singular style so perfectly.
I knew all about the project, but was utterly transfixed by the book from the moment I picked it up. My expectations were high, but the final product far exceeded them. This book is an accomplishment: it’s witty, friendly, smart, inspiring, and tantalizing all at once.
Michelle worked on the project—she was its stylist—and she was totally mesmerized by the book from the moment she laid eyes on it. She ended up reading the whole thing, front to back, as if she was encountering it for the first time. She was left awestruck by Jam Bake.
What’s the deal with this book? What’s the concept? What’s so damn fascinating about it? Well, it’s a book about preserving by a master preserver—Camilla “They Don’t Call Me ‘Preservation Society’’ For Nothing” Wynne. Someone who ran their own preserves company for years. Someone who teaches the fine art of preserving to this day, online, from her well-appointed kitchen.
fig. c: Camilla in da house!
fig. d: all the basics
It covers all the basics, including simple, straight-forward recipes to get you started and essentials like what kinds of tools you need for the tasks at hand.
fig. e: all the tools
But, more importantly, it’s a book about what you can do with your fabulous preserves once you’ve made them, beyond spreading them on toast. It’s a book about all the desserts you can bake, mix, dress up, and adorn with your delicious homemade preserves. Things like Victoria Sandwiches with Rhubarb Lemonade Jam.
fig. f: A dessert so good they named a queen after it
And Bakewell tarts with Tutti Frutti Jam.
fig. g: mixed-fruit Bakewell tarts
Linzer Torte à la Camilla, with Black Currant & Sweet Cherry Jam.
fig. h: There once was a torte from Linz…
Whiskey Baba with a Different Seville Marmalade, a recipe she developed with Michelle.
fig. I: Baba O’Whiskey
And the ever-so-intriguing Cranachan (wait until you read its backstory—drama!) with Raspberry Lambic Jam.
fig. j: Is this The World’s Most Intriguing Dessert? Could be…
And in addition to Camilla’s preserving, baking, and cooking genius, it’s a book that combines the skills of a crack team of collaborators, a dream team, a supergroup, if you will:
Maggie Boyd, of Maggie Boyd Ceramics, on illustrations and script
Mickaël A. Bandassak on photographs
AEB’s very own Michelle A. Marek on stylings
and Camilla Wynne on lyrics, compositions, and lead vocals
I love this team! I’ve never seen a cookbook that looks quite like it.
fig. k: How cute is this?
And I said it earlier, but it’s a book that’s just so true to Camilla, and that’s a treasure.
If you’re still not sure what I’m trying to convey to you, I highly recommend this beautiful book. I’m not the only one. Advanced praise for Jam Bake comes from a veritable who’s-who of food world superstars, people like Brooks Headley, and Natasha Pickowicz, and Ben Mims.
Congratulations, Camilla!
Can’t wait to put your book to use and get jamming!
Jam Bake is officially released this week, on June 1. Look for it on the shelves of your local, independent bookstore, and if they don’t have it in stock, order it through them.
aj