Caribbean Favorite – Sorrel

During festival season Sorrel is made in almost every house hold in Caribbean.This drink is prepared from the fruit of a species of hibiscus flower, sorrel is a refreshing holiday drink that’s popular across the Caribbean. The sorrel plant (also known as the roselle hibiscus) is believed to have made its way to the region from West Africa during the transatlantic slave trade, and it has connections to African medicinal tradition.

The drink became popular at Christmas time due to the fact that the roselle was once available only during that particular time of year, and today it’s a Caribbean hallmark of the holiday season.

Sorrel recipe: Sorrel is made by boiling ginger, cinnamon and other ingredients such as allspice berries, star anise or orange peel, and then adding the roselle flowers steep for a few days. After the mixture is prepped, wine, rum and sugar are added.