Food

Food

When we think about sweets, one of the first foods that come to mind is jam. Many of us associate jam with warm memories, whether it's a tablespoon of jam spread on a scone, childhood jam sandwiches, or making jam as a personal present. Jam manufacturing has fascinating ties to historical ways of food preservation since this sweet condiment extends back far longer than you may expect. Jam has been manufactured and consumed by cultures throughout history, from Ancient Greece to Napoleonic troops.

We have a wonderful selection of preserves by Diane Pepple of Whimsey Doodles. Diane is a local artist and author. She produces 7 specialty preserves that we keeped fully stocked on a regular basis. Her preserves are so popular that she has even written two books that give our customers recipes on how to use her preserves including ‘Diane Pepple Possibilities with Preserves’ and ‘Diane Pepple What Can You Do With Lemon Curd?’ . Lemon Curd is a luscious lemon treat that is perfect on toast, scones, croissants, or muffins. You can put a spoonful on pound cake, serve between layers of lemon cake, spread over cheese cake, serve in pastry cups with whipped cream and fresh fruit or in meringue shells. The list is endless!

Jam Preservation

Preserving spicy grape jelly, spiced grape jam, and other related products goes back thousands of years. Jam-making techniques are tied to some of the earliest methods of food preservation, dating back to the time of the Stone Age. One traditional technique of preservation was honey or sugar, and the Ancient Greeks also used honey to preserve quince. Honey and sugar syrups were also employed to preserve food since honey has no moisture and hence retains any food contained inside it.

Napoleon & Jam

Although jam remained popular among the higher classes, mass manufacture of jam and preserves was impossible until pasteurization was discovered. We should thank Napoleon Bonaparte, the French military leader, in part for the widespread manufacture of jam. Napoleon offered a reward to anyone who could devise a method of preserving vast quantities of food for on-the-move soldiers, and it led to the method being showcased.

Jams In Wars

Food shortages were a major concern due to rationing and the broader impact of World War II, but it was members of the Women's Institute who came to the rescue. They received a government grant of more than 1000 euros at the time in 1940, which they used to purchase sugar for jam. This allowed for the preservation of a large volume of fruit over a longer period, ensuring that nothing went to waste.

Preservation centers were established in farm kitchens, village halls, and even sheds and were mostly administered by community volunteers.

Find the best jams at Fiveanddivine

Jams, in all of their vibrant variations, are an indispensable part of our mornings. Plants and fruits in jams provide a lot of health advantages for humans.

Since jams contain sugar, they quickly dissolve in the bloodstream and provide energy. They also help with cardiac problems. They keep you from sweating if you have an illness that causes you to sweat. Consume natural jams to stay healthy. Check out our wide variety of jams at fiveanddivine.com and order one of each!

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