In Jamaica, Christmas wouldn’t be the same without a sorrel drink and Christmas cake. Both have rum in them … yes, we like our rum during the holidays! The sorrel flower is in full bloom at Christmastime in Jamaica so that’s one of the reasons it’s a traditional holiday favourite. It has a deep red colour and unique flavour enhanced with spices, lemon juice and rum. You can omit the rum, but I personally think it tastes better with it. For this recipe you can use fresh or dried sorrel. I use dried sorrel, which is easier to find where I live. If you’re lucky enough to find fresh sorrel just double the amount you use for this recipe.
Ingredients for this Sorrel Drink
2 ½ cups dried sorrel
3 oz fresh ginger, grated
5 pimento berries
10 cups boiling water
2 cups sugar
2 Tbsp lemon juice
¾ cup white rum
Makes 10 cups
Method
1. Place sorrel, ginger and pimento berries in a large pot or mixing bowl
2. Pour boiling water over the ingredients; stir and place in fridge overnight to steep
3. Using a large strainer, pour the steeped liquid into another container; use a spoon to squeeze more liquid out of the sorrel
4. Add sugar, lemon juice and rum to sorrel and stir until sugar has dissolved
Enjoy over ice
Tip: To prevent if from fermenting, store sorrel drink in the fridge or cold cellar.
