What are preserves, what is spreadable fruit?

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Caslon

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I just want to say that I bought some English muffins, ready for the toaster.

Lately, I can't tell what to buy as far as jelly goes. I bought some Blackberry whatever that's just big globs of berries that I can't spread on my muffins easily.

Lately, I can't tell what are preserves, what is jam? What is spreadable fruit?
 
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Jelly has no seeds or pulp, jam has smallish chunks of fruit, preserves usually have larger chunks of fruit, and 'spreadable fruit' I'm pretty sure is just a fancier way of saying 'preserves'. Marketing, haha.

We have a lot of jam and jelly experts here, which I certainly am not. :) Hopefully someone will weigh in with more info.

(I'm sure Mr. Google has lots of info as well...)
 
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What you call jelly, we call jam. I make raspberry and strawberry jam from fruit I pick from my garden. I also make coulis from the same ingredients. I also do preserves ie, tomato relish , sauce , plum sauce, and curried onions among others.

Russ
 
Jelly has no seeds or pulp, jam has smallish chunks of fruit, preserves usually have larger chunks of fruit, and 'spreadable fruit' I'm pretty sure is just a fancier way of saying 'preserves'. Marketing, haha.

We have a lot of jam and jelly experts here, which I certainly am not. :) Hopefully someone will weigh in with more info.

(I'm sure Mr. Google has lots of info as well...)
Google did indeed have info on the difference between jelly, jam, and preserves.

Basically, jelly is made from fruit juice and pectin, with all of the fruit solids removed.

Jam is fruit that has been pulped and mixed with sugar and pectin to make a smooth spread. Generally there are no chunks of fruit. Seeds are usually left in, but can be removed (I’ve got a jar of seedless blackberry jam).

Preserves are fruit that is cut up into chunks then preserved in syrup.

That’s it in a nutshell!
 
I believe, along with Cheryl's description, that jam is more gelatinous as it's made from fruit juice, and jam is chunkier as it's made with mashed fruit along with the juice.

I wonder what is added to make jam more spreadable?
 
I think that spreadable fruit is often made with no or little sugar added. At least, I have seen jars of stuff that was jam-like and unsweetened or only sweetened with artificial sweeteners. Also, they used something other than pectin to make it gel.
 
Smuckers has a side brand of more expensive jellies. This small Blueberry Smuckers jar cost $8.50. I dipped my butterknife into the jar and came out with a few round berries which didn't spread worth a damn on my toasted english muffin. Not gonna buy that again. Preserves is what I should be shopping for.

Jam, Jelly, Preservatives, Spreadable Fruit. :wacko:
 
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You couldn't squish a semi-whole blueberry across all of those sharp, ragged nooks and crannies of a toasted english muffin?

Not even a butter reinforced cranny?
 
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You culdn't squish a blueberry across all of those sharp, ragged nooks and crannies?

Not even a butter reinforced cranny?

No, the berries were not spreadable, they were a bulky annoyance. Whatever they came with was halfway spreadable.

I'll buy this stuff ground up like someone mentioned. I'm not sure what it is called.
 
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You, sir, are apparently a jelly man.

Just swish your spork around in the jelly jar. It will spread easily enough after that.
 
I believe, along with Cheryl's description, that jam is more gelatinous as it's made from fruit juice, and jam is chunkier as it's made with mashed fruit along with the juice.

I wonder what is added to make jam more spreadable?

I'm assuming you meant jelly for the first one? The more gelatinous one?

You have a tendency to call things by the wrong name.

CD
 
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I don’t like jelly much. Although I do like Jello. Jelly’s too difficult to spread on a PB&J. Jam is my preferred spread. No lumps, good flavor, easy to spread. But I do like just spooning preserves on an English muffin, pancakes, and waffles. Or a fruit compote, also delicious.
 
I give up, your language is too confusing. I will from now ask for fruit spread and hope I dont get applestroop.
 
Mixed fruit jelly is at every breakfast diner. It's apple jelly mixed with grape jelly.

I have to buy it off the net. No stores here carry it. Mixed Fruit Jelly, also known as All Fruit Jelly. Not on the shelves.
 
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