Experience Local Agriculture
Jam/Jelly
Fruit preserves are prepared fruits, vegetables and sugar, often canned or sealed for long-term storage. The preparation of fruit preserves often involves adding commercial or natural pectin as a gelling agent, although sugar or honey may be used, as well. The term "jam" refers to a product made of whole fruit cut into pieces or crushed then heated with water and sugar to activate its pectin before being put into containers.
In-season: Year-round
Difference Between Jam & Jelly: Jam and jelly are both preserves, but they are very different when it comes to ingredients, recipe, and overall composition. Jams are usually made with whole fruits or sometimes vegetables that are boiled in sugar until they form a thick, spreadable gel. Chunks of the original produce are usually visible and tend to make the end result somewhat lumpy. It is usually pretty easy to tell a jam’s main ingredients just by looking at it. The same is not true for jellies. In most cases, jellies are made only from juices, which means that they contain no fruit pieces or seeds. They tend to have a smoother, more uniform consistency as a result, though they often also have a lot more additives. Jellies also tend to be higher in sugar than jams, though a lot of this depends on the specific recipe.
How to Store:
- Keep unopened jams in a dry cool place.
- Once a jam has been opened, consume it quickly to avoid contamination. It is best eaten within a month of opening.
- It is best to avoid refrigerating sugar preserved jams because jam doesn't taste as good when refrigerated.
- If the jam was made without sugar as a preservative, the unsweetened jam must be refrigerated to prevent mould growth.
Farms:
Winding Drive
