what is the difference between jam and marmelade ?

Jelly is made from fruit juice and so has no fruit bits. Jam is made by boiling fruit and does have fruit bits. Preserves are basically the same as jam unless you buy them from Smucker's, in which case if it's got seeds in it it's preserves and if it doesn't it's jam. Marmalade typically is a citrus-based preserve, sometimes containing the rind, but other fruits can be used.

Jam can be made of almost any fruit while marmalade refers to a sweet spread made w/ citrus peel.

jam

Definition: A thick mixture of fruit, sugar (and sometimes pectin) that is cooked until the pieces of fruit are very soft and almost formless. It is used as a bread spread, a filling for pastries and cookies and an ingredient for various desserts. See also jelly; preserves.

--Copyright (c) 1995 by Barron's Educational Series, from The New Food Lover's Companion, Second Edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst http://web.foodnetwork.com/food/web/encyclopedia/t...

marmalade

Definition: [MAHR-muh-layd] A preserve containing pieces of fruit rind, especially citrus fruit. The original marmalades were made from quince--the Portuguese word marmelada means "quince jam." Now, however, Seville oranges are the most popular fruit for marmalades.

--Copyright (c) 1995 by Barron's Educational Series, from The New Food Lover's Companion, Second Edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst http://web.foodnetwork.com/food/web/encyclopedia/t...