This is my dear sweet mama's recipe, which was handed down through generations past. I love preserves so she shared the recipe with me. I have made these preserves countless times. When I was first learning to make them it was a disaster. I cooked them too long and once they cooled I could barely get my spoon out of the jar. I was so disappointed but I have these babies down pat now. You can make either fig, peach or pear preserves with this same recipe. They are so good in a biscuit, on toast or on a saltine cracker.