Types of jams: what do you know about them? 

Since the beginning of humankind, food preservation – and on this occasion the different types of jams – has been known to all cultures from the Far East to America (North and South). It contributed to the settlement of humans since they could keep meat, vegetables, and fruit for later times.

In the beginning, humans preserved food by smoking, freezing, drying it. Later, with the arrival of sugar cane from the Far East to Europe and then to America, the preservation of fruit with the aid of sugar became very popular in the whole world. Although English men and women were known for centuries for being very skillful in this science (National Center for Home Food Preservation, 2002).

And we call it science because for obtaining good results, humans had to observe, experiment, repeat the process and then draw conclusions as with any other science (Britannica, n.d.). Nowadays, food preservation and the production of different types of jams have become a very prosperous industry, especially in the countries producing tropical fruits.

Different types of jams 

Before sugar cane arrived in Europe, Greeks, and Romans used honey to preserve their fruits. Some centuries later, sugar cane and sugar itself came to Europe from India via seafarers. And with the entrance of sugar, people discovered a very useful way to preserve fruit, in many cases only produced during some seasons.

Under the category of types of jams, we can enumerate different types of fruit preserves. Let us look at the differences between some of them (Jam Making, n.d.). 

1. Chutney

Chutney is a spicy mixture of vegetables and fruit preserves coming from India. For this preserve, they use not only sugar but also vinegar.

2. Conserves

Conserves usually mix different fruits with raisins, nuts, and citrus fruits. Typically, conserves can be eaten with bread or fill different pie types and types of pastry. 

3. Compote or purees

A compote is a thick syrup with pieces of fruit or vegetables, while purees are a thick sauce made by crushing fruit and meat or potatoes. Compotes and purees are often included, for example, in babies’ diets.   

4. Jam

As told before, jam is the generic name given to different fruit preserves made with sugar. It is also very similar to jelly.

5. Marmalade  

Marmalade is a very well-known type of jam. It is normally made with the peel and not the pulp of the fruit. 

Pulp of the fruit