To some this may seem irrelevant and to others reading this may be just a way to past time.  The other night a friend of mine, who happens to be a chief at a popular Milwaukee restaurant, and I were up at Nomad discussing the subtle nuanise of different hot sauces.  This conversation shortly turned to what is the difference between jams and preserves.  Neither of us could answer this question so consequently my inquiring mind had to know.  I found the answer at my favorite cooking website, Epicurious.com (link below).

Jam
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.

Preserves
Fruit cooked with sugar and usually pectin, used as a spread for bread. Preserves differ from jam in that the chunks of fruit are medium to large rather than the texture of thick puree.

Also Noted:

Jelly
A clear, bright mixture made from fruit juice, sugar and sometimes pectin. The texture is tender but will be firm enough to hold its shape when turned out of its container. Jelly is used as a bread spread and as a filling for some cakes and cookies.
Marmalade
[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.