Serves 72.
10 lbs cherries
7 1/2 C red wine (a little more than a 1.5 liter bottle)
4 C sugar
2/3 C butter
2 loaves of soft white bread (not Wonder bread)
1/2 tsp salt
Turn the loaves into breadcrumbs, either by hand or in a food processor. Puree the cherries along with 3 cups (or 1/2 a large bottle) of the red wine and 2 C sugar.
Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the fruit puree, breadcrumbs, salt, and the rest of the wine and sugar. Simmer, stirring steadily, until the puree is very thick.
Pour into a bowl, cover, and leave to cool. You can refrigerate it, although this obviously isn't part of the original preparation. Sprinkle sugar over the top. The original recipe calls for small flowers to be placed around the edge of the bowl; this part is up to you.