Slatko od trešanja

Slatko od trešanja is a traditional fruit preserve made with cherries. Any type of cherries - red or white, wild or cultivated - may be used as long as they’re firm and not overripe. The cherries are typically cleaned, washed, and pitted before they are cooked in sugar syrup.

The syrup is usually flavored with vanilla and lemon juice or slices of lemon. While they’re being cooked, the cherries should not be stirred but only lightly shaken so that they retain their shape and remain firm. This sweet delicacy is usually stored in clean glass jars and it keeps for a whole year.

Slatko od trešanja is typically made during the summer period when cherries are in season, and it is only one of a wide variety of slatko preserves that have long been prepared in Serbian households. In Serbia, these preserves are traditionally offered to guests as a sign of hospitality and they’re typically accompanied by a glass of water and a cup of coffee or Serbian plum brandy (šljivovica) on the side.