Have you ever wondered what the difference is between jam and jelly? Here's the deal.
Jam v. Jelly
Jam: made from fruit and sugar; has the texture of “crushed” fruit
Jelly: made from fruit juice; has a gel-like texture and is easy to spread
People often use the words interchangeably (and I noticed Smuckers uses jam incorrectly), but as you can see, there's a difference.
Marmalade, "Butter" and Preserves
Marmalade is just a citrus-based jam, usually containing fruit rind. And if you prefer to say "apple jam" over "apple butter," that's perfectly reasonable—they're the same thing. The word "preserves" is used as the overarching category for all of these fruit spreads.
More Facts About Jam and Jelly
- The most popular flavor is grape, followed by strawberry.
- Cranberry sauce, a popular Thanksgiving food that comes in a can, is really just cranberry jelly.
- The average American eats around 1,500 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches by the time they turn 18.
- In Japan, grass jelly is eaten as a dessert.
Do you prefer jam or jelly, and what's your favorite flavor? I love boysenberry and blackberry jams, and every once in awhile I get a craving for orange marmalade.
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