It’s been a since I’ve canned. So when I saw this book, I figured why not give it a read and see if I’m ready to get back into it. This is an absolutely beautiful resource. From jams to pickles, they’re so many things that I’ve been forgetting about. This book brought me right back to where I was when I was younger and I’m ready to can some of this season‘s goodness for use during the colder weather.

Bonus, a girlfriend asked me about putting up some of the bounty from her garden and this is the book I recommended to her. She’s already pre-ordered it and as purchasing her jars and material so that she can get to it right away.

If you’re not following this author on Insta? You are missing out! Her page is absolutely as beautiful as this book is. Do not, I repeat do not wait. Go out and follow her right now! You won’t regret it.

This is a gorgeous resource! I loved all of the ideas for freezing, water bath canning, dehydrating, and freeze drying my garden harvests. There are recipes for vegetables, fruits, herbs, and flowers. I used the book to learn how to best freeze several veggies and made a delicious rhubarb jam and syrup! I'm excited to try more. The photos are beautiful as well. Overall a perfect book for gardeners to add to their shelves!

What a beautiful, informational cookbook!

I’ve always been inspired (and, let’s be real) intimidated by the art of canning and preserving food. As the prices of groceries rise in the US and the food chain system continues to become more perilous, I’ve been dedicated to learning more about incorporating homemade jams, pickled vegetables, and more into my home kitchen routine.

This book is an absolute goldmine of information around food preservation systems. From everything around tools and ingredients, to safe practices and delicious recipe ideas – Preserving the Seasons truly has it all. I’m picky about the cookbooks I keep, and will definitely be purchasing a physical copy of Holly’s guide!

This book is full of so much awesome information for anyone wanting to preserve their produce! I like that it isn't just a book with recipes but instead it is full of information and tips to help along the way. A lot of books about preservation only focus on things like making jams or preserves but she broke down different ways to preserve and the right way to do it. She breaks down the items needed to preserve as well as the ways to do it. She breaks down different ways to preserve; freezing, dehydrating, canning & even Freeze Drying. For each of the ways she goes into detail so you understand exactly what to do and to ensure proper preservation. I love that for the canning she talked about freezer jams as well as boiling water canning. I, like many others, don't have water bath canning equipment so I appreciate the freezer recipes!

Now onto the second part of the book, how to use all those things you preserved! This section is great, not only do I want to know how to preserve items but I love all the recipes and suggestions of how to use it.

I think this is a great book for anyone who has a garden or just wants to focus more on preserving foods!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book for review.

What a reference manual for preserving fruits and vegetables! Aside from recipes scribbled by my grandmothers on the back of envelopes, a reliable reference for preserving fruits and vegetables as jams, jellies, dried goods, and frozen preserves is something I have been lacking.

I think this book does a great job of breaking down how to use with handy reference tables to refer back to. During my first reading, I was concerned that there were not enough recipes that would utilize the foods that this book guides you in making. The last chapter is a beautiful bouquet of simple but still imaginative recipes. I made the lemon, lilac, and poppyseed bread as well as the chocolate tahini banana muffins. Both recipes came together easily and were gobbled up with expediency.

I would be thrilled to have this book amongst my collection of cookbooks to refer back to. I may even make fancy ice cubes for my next get together.

I really enjoyed this book. It's full of helpful tips and information regarding many ways of preserving our seasonal foods, whether through canning, freezing, or dehydrating. I'm so excited to try some of it's easy to follow instructions and recipes.

Preserving the Seasons is a recipe and tutorial collection to creating and using jams, jellies, chutneys, preserves, foraged foods, herbs and flowers by Holly Capelle. Due out 29th July 2025 from Simon & Schuster on their Simon Element imprint, it's 352 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats.

This is a really comprehensive collection to both preserving foods and using them. The layout is easy to understand and accessible. The introductory chapters cover tools, supplies, ideas for harvest preserving, equipment, ingredients selection, and general tips.

The recipes are arranged roughly thematically and include different preservation methods (freezing, dehydrating, water canning, drying, freeze-drying, etc, followed by a large selection of recipes for use.

The recipes each contain an introduction, ingredients listed bullet style in a sidebar, and step by step instructions. Measurements are given in imperial (American) units. The ingredients are mostly relatively easily sourced, but some might require mail order or access to canning supplies and tools.

The book is not lavishly illustrated, but the included photography is clear and easy to follow and sufficient. The photos which are included are well done, and some are truly sublime (botanical candy bars, for example, are breathtaking). If the book has a flaw, it's that it felt like it tried to be too much. It's not just a collection of preserving tips and recipes, but also tries to include recipes to use those items.

Five stars. This book would make a superlative selection for smallholders, orchardists, gardeners, local food fans, adventuresome cooks, and other lifestyle readers. This is a well written, eminently reasonable, usable guide to making and enjoying the excess produce of our gardens.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

On my initial flip through the Kindle version of Preserving the Seasons, I thought I’d gotten in way over my head. The pantry shots were beautiful but seriously intimidating, and there were edible flowers everywhere: frozen in ice cubes, adorning compound butters, perched on biscuits and cookies, even embedded in candy bars. I wasn’t sure what kind of situation I’d gotten myself into.

But then I started cooking, and to my surprise, it was mostly straightforward. Take the fruit leather, for example. I knew it was possible to make without a dehydrator, but I hadn’t realized just how easy it could be. In your face, Ron Popeil.

The oven-roasted beet chips were less successful. Some combination of slice thickness, oven temperature, and the lack of a dehydrator meant they didn’t crisp up. But roasted beets are never a total loss.

Next came the potato roses (made with vegan butter), which were an ideal mix of form and function. The potatoes cooked more densely and crisped up better than they usually do on a sheet pan, and they looked so impressive that people wanted to take pictures.

The slow-cooked dried beans were solid, though unremarkable. Mine were a little old and probably needed a longer soak or cook time. As for the herby pizza dough, I was skeptical, and the result was more pizza bread than a proper crust, but it came together quickly and was a crowd-pleaser.

The Kindle version, unfortunately, hasn’t been optimized, a common issue with cookbooks. Page numbers interrupt the text, there’s no index, photos run off the page, and sections run into each other. Still, it’s usable.

So am I going to be making the “Fancy Pants Ice” anytime soon? No. But I can definitely see myself repeating some of the functional basics: the fruit leather, the potato roses, and the pizza dough. And I’ll need to revisit this to explore more of the actual canning and preserving.

Thanks to Simon Element and NetGalley for providing an advance reading copy.

Every hostess wants to offer condiments and sides that are homemade, but most don’t have time. Store-bought pickles and condiments are okay, but never as good as homemade ones. Preserving the Seasons: A Guide to Canned, Jammed, Frozen, Dehydrated, Freeze-Dried, Quick-Pickled, and Infused Produce, Herbs, and Flowers is an excellent cookbook to educate all of us on how to can, freeze, dehydrate, and pickle, as well as make infused vinegars and oils. Most of us are trying to waste less and use everything we have in our gardens and kitchens, and this book will give readers dozens of great ideas on how to use everything up and preserve it to use later.

The cookbook includes dozens of mostly easy recipes, and most are for fairly small batches, so there won’t be a need to purchase bushels of fruit or vegetables to make them. The recipes are written in the traditional manner with the ingredients listed first, followed by step-by-step instructions that are easy to follow. There are also beautiful photographs of most of the recipes. The author has also included photos of her perfect pantry loaded with different things from the book. It inspired me to clean out my pantry and order new storage jars; actually it is a bit intimidating.

All told, this is an excellent cookbook to add to your cookbook shelf. It will happily be used whenever any of us has extra produce that we don’t want to go to waste.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

Preserving the Seasons is a visually appealing and accessible guide for beginners or casual home preservers. It covers a wide range of methods—canning, freezing, drying, infusions, and even freeze-drying—with a friendly, encouraging tone.

The section on drying flowers stood out as a highlight. It’s not something you typically find in preservation books, and it added a thoughtful, almost whimsical layer to the usual techniques. I also appreciated the inclusion of some less-expected fruits and vegetables—things many people might not think to freeze, dry, or can.

That said, the canning section felt a bit light. It covered the basics well enough, but didn’t go much deeper than simple water bath recipes. The freeze-drying content seemed tacked on, possibly because the equipment is still cost-prohibitive for many households. A little more detail or clarity on its use would’ve helped.

Some of the recipes leaned toward the niche side, like plum and black pepper jam or lilac sugar. While interesting, they might not appeal to a broad audience and may leave newer preservers unsure of where to start.

Overall, this is a solid entry-level resource with a few unique touches. I’ll be adding it to our library collection—it’s a good fit for those curious about seasonal preserving but not yet ready to dive too deep.

Preserving the Seasons is a must-have guide for anyone looking to embrace the art of food preservation. Holly Capelle has created a resource that is not only approachable and well-organized but also rich with practical knowledge. Whether you're a beginner eager to try your hand at canning or a seasoned preserver looking to expand your methods, this book delivers.

Organized by technique—boiling water canning, dehydrating, freeze-drying, infusing, freezing, and quick pickling—each section walks readers through the steps with clear, concise instructions. The inclusion of troubleshooting tips and best practices adds real value, making it a dependable go-to for anyone preserving at home.

What makes this book truly shine is how it connects the preservation process to everyday cooking. Holly doesn’t just teach you how to preserve—she shows you how to enjoy what you've made. With creative, flavorful recipes like Black Pepper Plum Jam, Rosemary Citrus Bundt Cake, and Quick Pickled Pepper Slices, she brings preserved ingredients into real-life meals in a way that feels both exciting and achievable.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to review this incredible resource.. I’m excited to recommend it to others who are ready to preserve the seasons in their own homes.

I love how this book is broken down by season! It can get overwhelming and difficult to find season-specific recipes so I really appreciated this set up. This book also includes so many great recipes, ideas, and explanations. It feels like a masterclass on season preservation and would be highly beneficial to both beginners and experts.

Nowadays when we are trying to be more sustainable with our food and purchsing, this is a great reference. I have no idea where I will get a lot of these items to preserve, but if i ever do, I am ready!

Fantastic books that covers all the ways to preserve things. From freezing to freeze drying one can find all in here to help with it. The recipes are also wonderful and helpful to have around.

With Today's Prices, You Need This Book! I have been canning vegetables and fruit for at least 40 years now. Mostly using the methods and recipes taught to me by my mother and aunts, as well as my trusty BALL canning book. I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I'm very glad that I did!
Capelle has packed her book with information. The freezing section gave me a lot of tips that I was unaware of. The pickling section had some new recipes for me to try. I've been wanting to expand into dehydrating, and am much more confident knowing her tips now. I have been water bath canning for years, but have been convinced to try some new recipes by the book. And I have never tried freeze-drying or making infusions, but thanks to the author, I am going to give these techniques a go.
All in all, the book is well written, with easy to understand descriptions and recipes. I am ordering a hard copy of it, to put on the shelf with my BALL canning book.

I received an ARC of this cookbook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a wonderful book. I was expecting it to feature one or two options for how to preserve food, but instead it has a variety of different options. The directions are clear and easy to understand. This book would make a wonderful resource for anyone who wants to learn about all the different ways of preserving food!

I really enjoyed this book and it reminded me of my childhood canning with my mom and grandma. I really recommend this book as it has some really good information in it.

Preserving the Seasons is a straightforward guide to preserving techniques. From freezing to canning, this book has suggested so many great tips and tricks for how to get the most out of your produce and to eliminate waste. I can't tell you how many times I've scoured Pinterest for an easy guide like this telling me what to freeze and how to best do it.

Thank you to NetGalley, Holly Capelle, & Simon Element for the ARC!

This was great! Fantastic photos and full of amazing information. A must have for home gardeners or really anyone who wants to make the summer last just that little bit longer.

The copy I received makes the book pretty much unreadable. It’s out of order, with random pieces of recipes, or topics pulled apart, incomplete sentences, grammar missing or spelling errors., or suddenly huge pictures appearing with no labeling or explanation as to what it’s in reference to.


I’m hoping this isn’t ready to go to print in this condition and don’t feel it’s fair to post a review on any of the threads, or websites I publish to.

I’m disappointed because the topics contained in this book held great interest and information that I would’ve loved to have read.

If a more accurate version becomes available, I’d be happy to reconsider posting at that time.

Without posting at least one star, it doesn’t allow the review to go through, so unfortunately I’ve had to rate it at a 1.