Caribbean Sorrel Drink is my Christmas drink obsession!
Made from scratch, I additionally spike it with rum, turning this amazing Trinidad sorrel drink into a holiday highlight.
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Sunita, originally from Trinidad, introduced me to this wonderful beverage prepared with flower buds.
Her brother was so kind to send us some pictures from the flower fields growing right now in Trinidad and Tobago.
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📕 What is Sorrel drink?
Sorrel drink is a traditional Christmas beverage from the Caribbeans, prepared with the Roselle hibiscus flower variety and spices.
The ruby-red sorrel drink is popular during the holidays on the islands such as Trinidad and Tobago, as well as Jamaica (just to name a few). The dried flowers color the water red.
Sorrel drinks should not be confused with the green, sour sorrel leaves! Sorrel leaves have nothing in common with the sorrel beverage, except the name because it's another plant variety.
🔪 How to make it?
Here is an overview of how to make this drink from scratch.
Step 1
Pour water and roselle into a pot with spices, cinnamon, clove, and star anise.
Step 2
Steep the Roselle flowers and spices to infuse the water.
Take from the heat, strain, and allow it to cool completely.
Step 3
Add ice cubes to the glass, sweeten and pour in cooled hibiscus tea.
Add white rum (optional) and mix it up.
🍋 Variation Ideas
Here are some ingredients that you can add for flavor.
- orange zest - use zest from untreated (no pesticides) oranges. Add it to the other ingredients during cooking process.
- lemon or lime slices - untreated only. Can be added with the ice cubes during
- pimento - aka allspice, can be used instead of cinnamon, star anise and cloves.
🍱 Storing and Serving
You can serve your sorrel drink in a glass, in a pitcher or you can turn it into a part bowl.
Keep it cooled at all times.
The cooked dried flowers need to be strained and discarded right after the cooking process.
The infused spiced sorrel drink is good for at least 3 days if refrigerated.
🌸 What is Roselle?
Roselle is the red bulbous hibiscus variety.
People call Roselle sometimes sorelle too and in some parts of America, it is better known as flor de Jamaica.
The flower of the roselle plant is used as an infusion in the American/Caribbean peninsula and in Africa.
In Asia, local regional tribes and people tend to use the roselle leaves instead of the buds.
Red Roselle flower buds can be used fresh or dried.
That way the flower buds are infused in boiling water or alcohol such as rum.
Roselle originated in Africa and people prepare a plain roselle infusion (minus the spices) all year round in the French-speaking African countries.
💖 Flower benefits
Sorrel is quite a health bomb!
Turns out you do well to enjoy this healthier Christmas time beverage because the hibiscus flowers pack a punch in nutrients and health benefits.
These are some of the Rosella health benefits:
- lowers blood sugar (heart health)
- promotes liver health (hangover help)
- may boost weight loss
- rich in antioxidants (prevents the future formation of cancer cells)
- cooles you down (thirst quencher in the heat)
- may be good for pregnant ladies
💭 FAQs
Skip adding sugar altogether. I still recommend adding some sweetness to the drink to balance the tartness of the flowers.
Yes, just skip adding the alcohol.
Yes, per Roselle hibiscus flowers cup, add about 2 teaspoon Black Tea to the cooking process and the spices as per recipe. Steep for 5 minutes and strain. Add some ice cubes to serve it cooled.
Please consult your doctor.
👁️ More flower recipes
Dear Reader, have you ever come across Sorell? If yes where?
📖 Recipe
Caribbean Sorrel Drink
Ingredients
- 6.5 Cups Water
- 1 Cup Dried Roselle Hibiscus Flower Buds see Notes
- 1 Cinnamon stick
- 8 Cloves Whole
- 1 Star Anise optional
- Sugar or Simple Syrup or Honey as per taste
- Rum optional
- Ice Cubes
Instructions
- Pour the water into a pot and keep on the heat.
- Add the roselle hibiscus flowers, as well as the cinnamon stick, cloves, and the star anise.
- Mix and bring to a boil. Take from the heat and let it all steep covered for about 20 minutes.
- Sweeten with sugar when it's still hot or add corn syrup to the glass later.
- Pick out the spices, let the sorrel drink cool down.
- Serve with rum (or not) and ice cubes cooled and mixed.
Notes
- Dried Roselle flowers tend to be more intense in taste. So when using fresh flowers you might want to adjust the amounts by adding some and taste testing it.
- You can add sugar during the cooking process or let cool and pour into glasses with liquid corn sugar.
- You may or may not add rum to your Sorrell. I use white Caribbean rum. You can prepare an alcohol-free version by just skipping the rum.
- Recipe adapted from the Naparima Cookbook
