Sorrel is as much of a Jamaican Christmas tradition as Jonkunnu, Grand Market or midnight church service. The bold red beverage with the distinct flavour of Jamaican spices reflects the colours of the season, and is undoubtedly one of the best things about Christmas that Jamaican households and even some companies look forward to. Whether you’re a Jamaican at home or a Jamaican abroad, Christmas just isn’t Christmas without a few glasses of sorrel.
Also known as Red Tea, Roselle or Sudanese Tea, the sorrel drink is made from the sorrel plant – a member of the Hibiscus family with origins in Sudan in northeast Africa. The sorrel plant is started from seeds or cuttings and is usually planted outdoors in April or May. The plants begin to bloom as the days shorten over the next four to five months; the blooms being ready for harvest in October or November when they’re tender, plump and a deep burgundy red. The sorrel plant does best in well-drained soil and needs plenty of sunlight to thrive.
The sorrel drink is usually prepared well in advance of Christmas Day. Boiling water is poured over sorrel petals, grated ginger, cloves and pimento and left to ‘draw’ for four to six hours. The mixture is then sweetened with sugar and flavoured with rum or wine. Alcohol also preserves the drink which is usually enjoyed throughout December and sometimes into the first few weeks of the new year. Sorrel is typically served on ice.
If its bold taste and distinctive, festive colour aren’t reasons enough for you to indulge in a glass or two during the holidays, then sorrel’s health benefits will surely win you over. Consumption of sorrel can help lower high blood pressure and its diuretic properties also being beneficial to kidney health. Wary about catching a cold during the cooler holiday months? Sorrel’s high vitamin C content can help protect you from cold and flu viruses. It is also believed that having a few glasses of sorrel in the days before the start of the menstrual period can even help ease cramping.
Perhaps the most important thing to consider in maximizing the health benefits of the sorrel drink, is how the drink is prepared. Too much sugar and alcohol can have adverse effects. If you do opt to sweeten and spike the drink, it’s best to have it in moderation and increase water intake. Want to get creative with sorrel while it’s in season? Try making a sorrel sauce for use in fruit and vegetable salads.
Whether this is your first time experimenting with sorrel – or it’s a tried and true staple of your festive celebrations – you can’t go wrong with making this delicious, versatile beverage a part of your Christmas spreads. Happy Holidays!