Sorrel Drink

Name: Sorrel Drink
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Grenadian
Ingredients: 2 cups dried sorrel (hibiscus) petals; 8 cups boiling water; 1 cup sugar; 6 whole cloves; 2 cinnamon sticks; 2-inch piece fresh ginger, sliced; Peel of 1 orange; Rum to taste (optional)

Sorrel (SOR-rel)

Hibiscus and Spice Christmas Beverage

⏱ Prep Time 24 hours steeping

📈 Difficulty Easy

👥 Servings

A vibrant ruby-red drink made from dried sorrel (hibiscus) petals steeped with cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and orange peel, sweetened and often spiked with rum.

Nutrition & Info

Carbs 30.0g

Dietary

vegetarian vegan dairy-free gluten-free nut-free

Equipment Needed

large pot strainer glass bottles

Presentation Guide

Vessel: tall glass with ice

Garnishes: cinnamon stick, orange slice

Accompaniments: black cake, sugar cake

Ingredients

2 cups dried sorrel (hibiscus) petals
8 cups boiling water
1 cup sugar
6 whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
2-inch piece fresh ginger, sliced
Peel of 1 orange
Rum to taste (optional)

Instructions

1
Place sorrel petals, cloves, cinnamon sticks, ginger, and orange peel in a large heatproof container.
2
Pour boiling water over the ingredients. Cover tightly and let steep for twenty-four hours.
3
Strain through a fine sieve, pressing the petals to extract all colour and flavour.
4
Add sugar and stir until completely dissolved. Taste and adjust sweetness.
5
Refrigerate until very cold. Add rum to taste if desired.
6
Serve over ice in tall glasses. The drink should be a deep, jewel-toned red.

💡

Did You Know?

In Grenada, the sorrel plant flowers in December, making it a natural Christmas tradition that the holiday season has arrived when sorrel blooms appear.

Chef's Notes

Equipment Tips

large pot
strainer
glass bottles

Garnishing

cinnamon stick, orange slice

Accompaniments

black cake, sugar cake

The Story Behind Sorrel Drink

Sorrel drink is rooted in West African hibiscus beverage traditions, carried to the Caribbean through the slave trade. In Grenada, the drink became synonymous with Christmas because the sorrel plant flowers during the holiday season. Families harvest the sepals, dry them, and steep them into this gorgeous crimson beverage. The addition of Caribbean spices like cinnamon and cloves gives Grenadian sorrel its distinctive warmth, making it the essential accompaniment to black cake during the holidays.

🕐 Traditionally enjoyed christmas season 📜 Origins: West African herbal drink tradition

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