Made with sweetened fruit preserves, fruit jams are a delicious breakfast food as well as a unique cooking ingredient. Ranging in taste from bright and tangy to sweet and fruity, fruit jams are perfect for adding flavor to both sweet desserts and savory dishes. Their counterparts, fruit spreads, are extremely similar, with the key difference being that fruit spreads contain more fruit and are not sweetened with sugar. The first fruit jams came out of the necessity for food preservation during ancient Roman times, with sugar being added in the 15th century, and today, many premium fruit jams and spreads are made with the same wonderful flavors as the traditional Old World recipes.
What kinds of fruit jams can I buy?
Popular jam brands such as Rigoni Di Asiago and D’Arbo carry the classics, such as peach, apricot, and cherry. Frantoi Cutrera, specializing in Sicilian flavors, offers blood orange and lemon. Dalmatia makes rare and unique fruit spread flavors like fig, tangerine, sour cherry, and fig orange. These distinctive fruit flavors can be added to desserts like cake, pastries, and other baked goods. For fruit jam with an Asian twist, Supermarket Italy also features an exclusive selection of unique imports such as Yuzu Marmalade by Yakami Orchard. For those who are calorie conscious, Walden Farms features a line of zero-calorie, sugar-free spreads that are made with fruit extracts and natural flavors.
What can I do with fruit jams?
With the versatility of fruit preserves, the possibilities in the kitchen are endless. To transform ordinary food into a marvelous treat, try spreading fruit jam on breakfast food such as toast and bagels. You can also add a small dollop to a cured meat and cheese plate, which will balance the salt with a bright zing of fruit flavor. Use fruit jams and preserve as a convenient ready-made topping for your favorite desserts, from waffles to cheesecakes and so much more. Fruit jams can also be used to sweeten marinades, dipping sauces, duck meat, and other savory dishes.
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