flipSorrel Drink
Sorrel Drink
Why this dish? Sorrel, a blood-red infusion of dried hibiscus calyces, is the drink of great occasions and year-end holidays in Jamaica. Its scarlet color and community pride resonate with the spirit Garvey celebrated — and red is among the colors of the UNIA's red-black-green flag.
Hibiscus (roselle) calyces infused with ginger, allspice, and cinnamon, sweetened and served chilled. Tangy, spicy, vibrant — the quintessential festive drink.
Raise your glass, my friends: see this color, this deep red like the valiant blood that flows in our veins. We let the dried flowers of Guinea sorrel infuse with ginger and the grain of pimento, we sweeten, and we wait until the drink gains its full strength. On feast days, no one went without it. May this color always remind you of the pride of what we are — a red that asks no one's pardon.
- •Dried sorrel (hibiscus/roselle) calyces — two handfuls (infusion, color, acidity)
- •Fresh ginger — a good piece (heat, pungency)
- •Allspice berries — a few (signature)
- •Cinnamon bark — 1 stick (flavor)
- •Cane sugar — as desired (sweetness)
Sorrel Drink
Hibiscus (roselle) calyces infused with ginger, allspice, and cinnamon, sweetened and served chilled. Tangy, spicy, vibrant — the quintessential festive drink.
Why this dish? Sorrel, a blood-red infusion of dried hibiscus calyces, is the drink of great occasions and year-end holidays in Jamaica. Its scarlet color and community pride resonate with the spirit Garvey celebrated — and red is among the colors of the UNIA's red-black-green flag.
Raise your glass, my friends: see this color, this deep red like the valiant blood that flows in our veins. We let the dried flowers of Guinea sorrel infuse with ginger and the grain of pimento, we sweeten, and we wait until the drink gains its full strength. On feast days, no one went without it. May this color always remind you of the pride of what we are — a red that asks no one's pardon.
Ingredients (period version)
- Dried sorrel (hibiscus/roselle) calyces — two handfuls (infusion, color, acidity)
- Fresh ginger — a good piece (heat, pungency)
- Allspice berries — a few (signature)
- Cinnamon bark — 1 stick (flavor)
- Cane sugar — as desired (sweetness)
Ingredients
- Dried hibiscus flowers (sorrel) — 60 g (infusion)
- Fresh ginger — 1 piece 5 cm, sliced (pungency)
- Allspice berries — 6 (signature)
- Cinnamon stick — 1 (flavor)
- Cloves — 3 (optional) (flavor)
- Boiling water — 1.5 L (infusion)
- Cane sugar — 100-150 g to taste (sweetness)
Method
- Place hibiscus, sliced ginger, allspice, cinnamon, and cloves in a large container.
- Pour boiling water over, cover, and steep for several hours, ideally overnight.
- Strain to remove flowers and spices.
- Sweeten to taste and stir well.
- Serve very cold, over ice.
How it was made : Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) is harvested at year-end, hence its place in winter festivities. It was steeped for a long time, sometimes several days, and local cane sugar rounded its natural acidity.
The contemporary twist : Served in a large frosted glass with a strip of candied ginger on the rim, like a non-alcoholic Caribbean punch.
Marcus Garvey · Charactorium
