It’s now prime time for jam season in the UK as all our delicious seasonal fruit, such as strawberries, plums and raspberries, are all at their tastiest and ripest. But how much do you know about the nation’s favourite preserves? Jam as we know it has actually been around for centuries, giving us a source of quick energy (and giving us a fantastic toast topping)! Let us talk you through our favourite facts about jam through the ages…
There is a difference between ‘jam’ and ‘jelly’. We all know that Americans usually refer to what we know as jam as ‘jelly’ (think peanut butter and jelly), but technically jam is a preserve made using using pureed, mashed or crushed fruit, whilst jelly is a preserve made from just the fruit juice (no lumps). Jelly is essentially jam that has been put through a sieve so it is smoother. Think of it this way: Jelly (USA) = Jam (UK) and Jelly (UK) = Jell-O (USA). Marmalade is a whole other matter! Marmalade is just a term for jam that is made purely from citrus fruits, usually oranges.
It is generally agreed that it was the crusaders who brought jam to Europe, bringing it back after waging war in the Middle East where fruit preserves were first made thanks to the sugar cane that grew there naturally. Jam then became the go-to food to end royal feasts, becoming a favourite of Louis VIV!
One of the oldest recipes ever found for orange marmalade was in a recipe book written by Elizabeth Cholmondeley in 1677!
Food was in short supply and heavily rationed during World War II, meaning that Brits had to get creative with their food supplies. The Women’s Institute were therefore given £1,400 (around £75,000 in today’s money!) to buy sugar to make jam in order to keep the country fed. Volunteers preserved 5,300 tonnes of fruit between 1940 and 1945, which were kept in over 5,000 ‘preservation centres’, such as village halls, farm kitchens and even sheds! Of all the facts about jam, you won’t find one more British than this…
Fruit is able to thicken and set when exposed to heat and sugar thanks to an enzyme called pectin. It is found naturally in most fruit, but in larger concentrations in some than others. For example, strawberries have a low pectin content so you would need to add jam sugar that has added pectin to help the process along.
In the UK, a preserve is only considered to be a ‘jam’ if it has a minimum sugar content of 60%! This is because that amount of sugar acts as a preservative to give it a shelf life of at least a year.
Jam Jars At Jammy Prices!
Intrigued by our facts about jam and fancy having a go at making your own batch this year? Here at Glass Bottles, we also have a selection of glass jars in all shapes and sizes that are perfect for preserves! Even if you’re a big producer looking for bulk quantities at wholesale prices, we also sell our packaging per pallet, which you can find in our bulk section. We’ve got you covered!
Our 30ml Mini Jam Jar is a cute little jar that is the perfect size for packaging your samples of jam, as well as being great for including in gift sets and food hampers. Just imagine a few of these jars containing bitesize portions of your different flavoured jams… They’re just 22p each with a lid included, with prices going down to as low as 12p each when you buy in larger quantities (5,001 or more)! One of our more traditionally-shaped jam jars is the 324ml Bonne Maman Jar, which features a faceted body design that gives you an easy grip and also manages to bounce light rays off for a shimmering illusion. With lids included, these jars cost just 69p each and as little as 38p each when you buy 751 or more!
If you’re operating on a tight budget, then look no further than our 370ml (E) Jar, which was designed with your money in mind. It’s only 37p for 1, with prices going down to a minuscule 20p each when you buy 750 or more. But no fear, the low price doesn’t mean that we have compromised on quality! Finally, we have the distinctive looking 280ml Hexagonal Jar. This jar is great because you can choose between a massive number of twist-off lid designs to go wth it, including gold, silver, black, red gingham and even a floral pattern. The hexagonal shape of these jars means that you can create fantastic window or shelf displays, as they are able to slot seamless together unlike round jars! Get them today for just 52p each with lids, or for as little as 29p each when you buy 1,501 or more!
Make sure to browse the whole jam jar collection by clicking here.