Jam is the sweet, spreadable result of combining mashed fruit, sugar, and an acid, such as lemon juice. Jam may also contain salt to balance the sweetness and pectin, a naturally occurring fiber found ...

For the past five years, I’ve spent my late-summer birthday making plum jam. Parties are fun. Cake is good. But all I want is the quiet pleasure of standing over the stove, stirring and staring as the ...