Fruit fool derive it from the French verb "fouler" meaning "to crush" or "to press" (in the context of pressing grapes for wine), but this derivation is dismissed by the "Oxford English Dictionary" as baseless and inconsistent with the early use of the word. Originally, the most common fruit ingredient in fools was gooseberries, although other fruits and berries are known from early recipes, e.g., apples, strawberries, rhubarb and raspberries. Modern recipes may include any seasonal fruit readily found, but gooseberry fool remains the perennial favorite. Norfolk fool is an old local variation of the fruit fool which seems to treat the
Fruit preserves pH adjusting agent or an antifoaming agent. Both types cannot contain apple or rhubarb fruit. Though both types of jam are very similar, there are some differences in fruit percent, added pectin and added acidity. Fruit jam must have at least 45% fruit and may contain added pectin to compensate for the natural pectin level found in the fruit. Fruit jam with pectin need only contain 27% fruit and is allowed to contain added acidity to compensate for the natural acidity of the fruit. In the U.S., jelly (from the French "gelée") refers exclusively to a clear or translucent fruit