Jam season is here again. Actually, it started 4 weeks ago, it’s just taken me this long to start typing up.

The basic premise for Jam, and indeed all conserves such as pickles and chutneys, is to extend the supply of a given seasonal crop. Or in English, it lets you enjoy strawberry goodness all year round. There are many different names given to fruit conserves, such as Jam, Extra Jam Jelly, Marmalade etc..

Thankfully we have the EU Council, who have produced “Council Directive 2001/113/EC of 20 December 2001 relating to fruit jams, jellies and marmalades and sweetened chestnut purée intended for human consumption”, legally defining each term and advising that you are forbidden from adding Pumpkins to “Extra Jam”.

Preserving fruit is one of my more retired interests, so I’m planning on drilling down into some detail in later posts, but in the meanwhile: