Sorrel I thought for a long time was totally a Jamaican thing. We make a special Christmas and New Year’s drink using the sepals. It is a flower, the Hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa), in Spanish el flor de la Jamaica or roselle in other parts of the Caribbean, and is originally from Asia. It is not that bitter green leaf that Americans use sometimes for cooking. Yet recently, and possibly because of the growing strength of the celebration of Juneteenth in the United States I have learned that there is a red drink widely enjoyed in the southern states as part of their celebration. This red drink originated in West Africa, and especially Senegal and brought to America by African slaves. Red represents the blood shed during slavery and in West Africa is a color for special occasions and symbolizes spiritual power. The red is from bissap or hibiscus tea. This was confirmed one day one day by a Senegalese friend, Sharif, who asked me, “What do you know about sorrel?” How much of a coincidence is that? I think we need a food historian or anthropologist to explain this.
As children in Jamaica, my sister and I were made, and I do mean made, to sit and pull the sepals out. Our hands were blood red and sore by the end of the day. I certainly don’t remember it as being any fun. As an adult I realize that the red was from the sepals, and not actually blood, but as a child I guess gorier thoughts were much more entertaining.They were dried in the sun and then a tea was brewed together with spices of varying combinations (cloves, pimento, ginger, cinnamon, allspice) as well as cane sugar, orange peel and then left to steep for at least 24 hours. I prefer not to use all the spices with the exception of my favorite, the ginger, adding pimento and cloves, but I have given the measurements for tradition sake. At the end, and given it is a Jamaican recipe there is the addition of rum, to preserve or enhance. A tablespoon or so of rice is added to increase the fermentation. My sister Dawn uses a sweet red wine. I prefer a dry red like a chianti and a bit of Grand Marnier. So unlike West Africa, Jamaicans have always added alcohol to this drink. Then come New Year’s I like to add either a sparkling white like Prosecco or Champagne to make it more festive.
Sorrel is supposedly excellent for lowering your high blood pressure, is a natural diuretic and high in vitamins and minerals, an antioxidant and a great detox; the ginger is fantastic for digestion and a diuretic; the allspice(pimento or Jamaican pepper) gives the warm tones of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves; and the lemon, lime and orange are an excellent source of vitamin C. It is an amazing drink without the alcohol. Fill a tall glass with ice and pour half way the sorrel and then top it off with sparkling water or seltzer. It is super refreshing. In the summer I drink it instead of ice tea. I love, love the flavor. Keep the drink refrigerated. It can last quite a long time and just keeps fermenting. Keeps about 2 – 3 weeks, depending on how addicted you are. I actually make it all year round and in the warm months love to make sorrel sorbet.
Sorrel Drink:
Preparation: 20 minutes + 24 hours to steep
5 cups dried sorrel
12 cups water
1 ½ - 2 cups of brown sugar, add to taste
Peel of one orange
4 inches ginger, grated, and squeeze out the juice
10 pimento seeds or allspice
6 - 8 cloves
Juice of 1 orange, 2 lemons and 2 limes, add the peel or save for another use
1 Tbsp. rice, optional for additional fermentation
1 cup rum (preferably white Jamaican rum)
Orange, lemon and lime slices for garnish
Bring the water to boil with the brown sugar, stirring until the sugar is melted. Add the dried sorrel, ginger, cloves and allspice and cover, steeping overnight. Pour the sorrel batch through a sieve to eliminate the flowers. Then add the other ingredients and refrigerate. Sorrel is served cold.
Variation:
I like to make a Christmas punch for my parties. For stronger flavor and reminiscent of Sangria, I add a couple bottles of dry red wine, and slices of oranges, limes and lemons. On New Year’s Eve instead I favor the addition of either Prosecco or Champagne. Laughingly we call it Caribini, you know, like a Caribbean Bellini.
My Christmas Punch
Add the following ingredients with the sorrel drink in a punchbowl:
½ cup Grand Marnier
1 – 2 bottles dry red white
My New Year’s Punch / Caribini
Add the following ingredients with the sorrel drink in a punchbowl:
¼ cup Grand Marnier
1 bottle of Champagne or Prosecco
To be honest the Caribini is my little cocktail that I like to serve if I have sorrel and champagne on hand. It is a wonderful way to welcome your guests. So instead of making a punch bowl directly, I place the sorrel in a glass pitcher and fill with slices of oranges, limes and lemons and add the Grand Marnier if desired. Fill halfway a champagne glass and then add either champagne or prosecco. I prefer not to add the Grand Marnier because if you have a guest who doesn’t drink alcohol you can add seltzer or sparkling water instead for a lovely bubbly feeling. Enjoy the party.
Summer Sorrel Drink
For a cool refreshing and fun alternative to lemonade, add the following ingredients to a tall glass:
1 scoop sorrel sherbet (p. )
fill glass with sparkling water or seltzer
Place a half slice of orange on the rim of the glass and add a sprig of mint
