DIARY OF A MAD DIVA * VISSINO GREEK CHERRY PRESERVES

Diary of a Mad Diva by Joan Rivers - Joan Rivers has been around so long that she finally grew on me.  I love Fashion Police and her reality show Joan and Melissa Joan Knows Best, so I had to read her latest book.  In diary form, it covers an entire year, and it's just one set up and punch line and one liner after another.  It's no holds barred, so if you have any holds, don't bother! I know that she's a nice person in real life after watching the reality show, and I love that she is relevant into her 80s and can make fun of herself.  My dad loved Joan, and he would have loved this book, too,

Vissino - Last year I'd tried making the Greek Sour Cherry Preserves that I love so well out of a jar, but it didn't work. This year I asked questions, read not only the recipe but the intro to preserves section in Vefa Alexidou's Desserts cookbook, and I was ready to go.Cherries - pitted and left whole  Sugar - 3/4 the amount of dry measure to the cherries, so if you have one cup of cherries, you'll use 3/4 cup sugarWater - When pitting the cherries, drop the pits into 1/2 cup water. Drain the pits and use this waterCombine the Cherries, Sugar and Water in a saucepan or large pot very gently and well. Cover and let stand overnight. (I didn't refrigerate this)The next day, start with low heat and slowly bring to a boil. Boil for a minute or two, then turn the heat down and simmer gently almost constantly stirring with a wooden spoon until the syrup thickens and "sets". It's set when you drop a drop of the liquid onto a plate and the drop doesn't spread. Or, if that's confusing, and it is, it's set when the back of a metal spoon stays coated with the mixture. 
If you boil to long, too fast, too hot, don't stir gently, and don't let it gently simmer, it might not turn out. (When you finally think you're finished, it will be cherry brittle instead of preserves.)  When you really are finished, remove from heat and let cool. I keep it in a pretty bowl in the fridge and enjoy a spoonful every day. So be thoughtful and take your time, and the preserves will be delicious!Tastes great with  plain Greek Yoghurt or on chocolate ice cream, or just by the spoonful whenever you want something sweet but not too sweet.  Yum.  My favorite commercial Sour Cherry Preserves are the ones by Sarantis in the pretty hexagonal jar: