[PW] confusing food terminology

[Early, Charles T. (GSFC-272.0)[LIBRY]]

In the US I believe we usually distinguish between jellies, which
contain only fruit juice (and are clear and jiggly like Jello), and
jams, which include the pulp in one form or another (e.g., pureed).
Preserves are like jams, but with chunks of fruit added (or with whole
fruit, although like Nichael I would probably have called those "canned
fruit" back in the Midwest).   


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-----Original Message-----
From: project-wombat-open-bounces at lists.project-wombat.org
[mailto:project-wombat-open-bounces at lists.project-wombat.org] On Behalf
Of Brian Whatcott
Sent: Friday, April 18, 2008 12:47 PM
To: list at project-wombat.org
Subject: Re: [PW] confusing food terminology

At 10:19 AM 4/18/2008, you wrote:
>Vance:
>
>I'm sure others will post more complete answers, but bear in mind that 
>many of these are not "fixed" terms.  Their meaning can have a lot 
>regional (and
>other) variance.
>
>For example, here in the Northeast, where I now live they use the term
"jam"
>to refer to what we knew as "preserves" in my Hoosier boyhood.  (We 
>would have just called "preserves" something like "canned fruit".)
>
>Similarly, someone told me recently that in England "jelly" is used 
>primarily to refer to the product that we on this side of The Pond know
as Jell-o.
>
>Nichael


It seems to me that Nichael has it right.
There is a difference in labeling between US and English usage.
Fruits stewed with pectin and packed in glass jars are called jams in
England.
The upmarket term is 'preserve' for the same article.
  The comparable US term is jelly.
There is one fruit preserve marked out for special treatment, originally
  a Scots staple  called marmalade - which is essentially a somewhat
  tart orange jam usually with a good helping of chopped peel.

The English jelly is a fruit flavored gelatine dessert;  here in the US
called by the trade name Jello.
Compote is a further upmarket designation for some jams in a jar, but
more likely  to indicate a fruit or savory decoction of several
  different kinds prepared on the spot.

Brian Whatcott    Altus OK    Eureka!  

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