What name would you give to my English, rosehip and quince jelly?!?

Hi!

I'm lost in translation. Can anyone tell me what you would call this preserve on the other side of the Atlantic?

My rosehip and quince jelly is not a jam. Do you differentiate between the two processes? An English jelly is made by cooking the fruit and flavourings in water that is strained through a muslin cloth/jelly bag. After twenty-four hours or so, the strained liquid is heated in a preserving pan with sugar and cooked in the same way that you would a jam/USA 'jelly'.

This recipe was based on one found in Diana Henry's book, 'Salt Sugar Smoke'. I simply switched apples for quinces.

If I didn't have the rosehips in the mix, the remaining quince flesh can be turned into dulce de membrillo (quince cheese) but that's another story entirely.

If rosehip jelly and any other kind of 'jelly' exists in the USA, I would greatly appreciate a bit of transatlantic translation, please. If it's of any help at all, quince jelly in German is 'Quittengelee'.

I hope that this all makes sense but it might become a little clearer if you have a look at my Instagram post - https://www.instagram.com...

Thank you!

Ken Noakes
  • 937 views
  • 8 Comments
Question image

8 Comments

Wendy November 1, 2022
Ken,

We call that jelly in Canada and your jelly looks beautiful 😍! Your jars are lovely too. Thanks for posting your Instagram link.
What about “Quincessential Hippy” for a name…🤔
 
Ken N. November 2, 2022
Hi, Wendy.

Thank you for your kind words, response to my question AND 'hippy' name for the jelly! :o)

I thought that the Insta-link might come in handy for illustration purposes. My perilously thorny trip to the hedgerows to pick the wild rosehips only produced enough for one batch but I am very happy with the contents of the three and a half jars.

The antique, open-topped jar is one that I use when I reach the bottom of the pan and I know that it won't completely fill the gingham-topped, sterilised jars. It's a good way of testing the end product (checking the flavour and the set) and it looks good on the breakfast table, too!
 
702551 November 1, 2022
It really comes down to whether or not you intend to commercialize your product.

Here in the USA, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) dictates labeling laws and certain conditions have to be met for the various jelly, jam, preserve monikers. Disclaimer: I'm not an attorney. I believe a certain amount of fruit (percentage by weight) needs to be present.

As a common household term, American English uses the term jelly much like British English: to indicate a preparation where the fruit solids have been strained out.

Use the term jelly if you are not commercializing your production because that's the supermarket product it most closely resembles.
 
Ken N. November 2, 2022
Hello!

Thank you for your kind reply.

I have neither the resources nor the inclination to commercialise my quince preserves.

Over in the UK, there are similar standards that specify minimum fruit and sugar content for commercial preserves, conserves, jams etc.

I set the question because I was trying to explain what I had made to an online friend who lives in Massachusetts.

All in all, I have confirmed that Food52 is the key resource that I had hope it would be, and I have cleared up a long held misconception over the naming of jam as jelly in the USA!
 
702551 November 2, 2022
Send a photo of it to your Massachusetts friend and call it jelly. They won't be confused by the name because it looks similar to the commercial products in a shop.
 
Nancy November 1, 2022
Yes, in US (and Canada) we differentiate between jam (which has bits of the fruit in it) and jelly (which is strained of the fruit or herb after it has given up its flavor and before finishing the product with sugar and/or some sort of jelling agent).
Both the main flavors (quince, rosehips) are relatively low in usage in US...so less familiar to cooks and you may have some work to do in arousing their interest.
Consider names that engage one or more of:
* flavor (sweet/tart)?
* seasons for harvesting or usage (fall, winter, Christmas or the dreaded "Holiday")?
* regions where the produce is grown (southern England, Cornwall or Devon for the quince? woodland for the rosehips)?
* health benefits (vitamins, et al)?
* most common usage ideas?
Last, if you want to name this, it's likely for commercial purposes. If you have a retail outlet (promised or secured) in the US, maybe ask them for advice.
 
Ken N. November 2, 2022
Hi, Nancy.

Thank you for replying to my question. I now know that I was under the misconception that jam was called jelly in the USA. I asked the question because I have been trying to explain quite what I had made to an online friend in Massachusetts.

The request was purely a personal one with no commercial interest at all. I have only made three and a half jars after collecting the hips from local hedgerows. :o)

As for the quinces, I have several tubs waiting for me to process them into various forms. All were grown in the east of England but they can be found all across the country.

As a key source for food information, Food52 was my first choice and, I am happy to say, has proven to be more than helpful.

Thanks again!

Ken
 
Nancy November 2, 2022
Ken -
Glad to be of help. Enjoy the rest of your quinces 😉😉
Nancy
 
Recommended by Food52