Fruit Preserves, Jams & Jellies

Updated on March 1, 2017

There is nothing like the smell of fresh from the farm and still-warm fruit jam you could eat right from the jar. While jams and jellies are popular among kids, fruit preserves are more serious for adults.  

"Jams use mashed up fruit, while preserves use whole or large pieces of fruit. Both of them, however, is easier and more economical to make than jelly, since they are made of entire fruits instead of just the juice, and can be good either thick or runny. Both are also delectable when homemade!" -The Old Farmer'sAlmanac

Since its first blend, old-style fruit preserves have come a long way and have striven its tradition of only natural and all-fruit way. Many find making conserves, or whole fruit jams tricky as it requires steeping fruit in the hot sugar mixture for an adequate time to extract the pure flavor in fruit and for sugar to penetrate the fruit. The trick lies in not cooking too long to prevent the fruit from dissolving.  Although preserves today are no longer made in the farm kitchen, there is still this real fruit jammed and sweetened with natural white grapes.

History of Fruit Preserves

Drying varieties of food in the sun to make food preserves has been known since the ancient civilizations. Its long history catered to the introduction of fruit conserves which became popular during the Middle Ages in countries where sugar cane grew naturally. It is believed that fruits preserved in sugar cane created the first jams and jellies.

The French Revolution also adapted eating sweet conserves where the elite and middle classes took pleasure spending for the gourmet favorite. With chefs and home cooks experimenting ways to master their own flavors for jams, fruit preserves became a basic luxury food that born the earliest natural methods of making fruit jams.

The taste, smell, and color of jams delighted a royal demand for sweet preserves of fruit rich in sugar. Pineapples were started to be grown in royal gardens, ending every royal banquet with jellies and marmalades served in silver platters. Fruits preserved in kingly sweetness rose to popularity until the 19th century leading to the artistry of slow-cooked fruit blends in small batches, using honey, maple sugar or molasses. 

Serving Suggestions

Jams put a rich indulgence with cheese or pate savored on a toast or baguette, while jellies make excellent toppings for waffles, cakes, yogurts, and sundaes, let your marmalade garnish a fruit plate.

Jams make a special condiment for meat or poultry. On your weekend mornings, spread jam on scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, or fresh fruits. Kids will love jams on their crispy chicken, bacon, or meatloaf. I love strawberry and mango jam on my fried eggs!

Spreading jams will continue the sunshine of fruits on your food. That brings back childhood memories to the table.

Bring back the old-fashioned jams

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Nestled in the foothills of the Catoctin Mountains, the McCutcheon family has been producing premium old-fashioned jams since 1938.

                         

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