Strawberry jam is a sweetened spread made by cooking crushed or chopped strawberries with sugar, pectin, and typically an acid (like lemon juice) until it thickens. It consists of fruit pulp and pieces, resulting in a soft, spreadable consistency that is less firm than jelly but often thicker and more fruit-filled than preserves.
Strawberry jam originated from ancient fruit preservation techniques, evolving from honey-preserved fruits in Greece/Rome to sugar-based preserves in the Middle East. It became a luxury for European royalty—notably Louis XIV—before, during the 19th century, industrialization, and Nicholas Appert's canning methods made it a widely accessible, popular staple.
Uses
Strawberry jam is a versatile pantry staple used primarily as a spread for toast, biscuits, and scones, or paired with peanut butter for sandwiches. Beyond breakfast, it serves as a delicious filling for cakes, crepes, thumbprint cookies, and donuts. It can also be used as a topping for ice cream, yogurt, and pancakes, or incorporated into sauces, glazes for chicken/pork, and salad dressings.
[1] Otter, Chris (2020). Diet for a large planet. USA: University of Chicago Press. p. 91. ISBN 978-0-226-69710-9.
[2] Walter, Reginald (1991). The Chemistry and Technology of Pectin. Academic Press Inc. ISBN 9780127338705.
[3] "The Science of Jam and Jelly Making UK Cooperative Extension Service (University of Kentucky College of Agriculture)" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 6 September 2015.
[4] "How to Make Your Own Natural Pectin for Use in Making Homemade Jam and Jelly". pickyourown.org. Archived from the original on 31 August 2015.
[5] Pectin for Jam, Jelly & Marmalade Making allotment garden.org (British site) Archived 1 October 2015 at the Wayback Machine
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
