In brief
- Jamaican sorrel, a red and spiced drink made from dried hibiscus flowers, served chilled at Christmas.
- Origin: Jamaica, in the English-speaking Caribbean.
- Key ingredients: dried hibiscus flowers, fresh ginger, cloves, cinnamon and Jamaica pepper.
- A festive drink, served very cold for Christmas meals and family gatherings.
Origins and cultural history of Jamaican sorrel
The plant behind sorrel, the hibiscus Hibiscus sabdariffa, originates in Africa: it has been domesticated for millennia in the Sudan region, in West and Northeast Africa, first for its seeds and then for its fleshy calyces, used in drinks and sauces. The plant crossed the Atlantic in the seventeenth century, carried along with enslaved Africans to the Caribbean colonies, which kept up its use.
In Jamaica, these dried calyces took on the English name sorrel, with no botanical link to the European sorrel plant of the same name. The resulting drink became associated with Christmas, the period when the plant traditionally ripened on the island, and it remains a marker of the end-of-year festivities in several Caribbean countries today. The same flower yields distinct drinks depending on the region: bissap in Senegal, zobo in Nigeria, and karkade in Egypt and Sudan, each with its own spices and its own uses.
What are the key ingredients of Jamaican sorrel
Jamaican sorrel is built on dried hibiscus flowers, steeped with spices that give it its spiced character.
- dried hibiscus flowers (sorrel, Hibiscus sabdariffa calyces)
- fresh ginger
- whole cloves
- Jamaica pepper (allspice berries)
- cinnamon stick
- brown sugar
What to know about the Jamaican sorrel
Jamaican sorrel is a red, spiced drink made by infusing dried hibiscus flowers (the calyces of Hibiscus sabdariffa) with fresh ginger, cloves, allspice, a cinnamon stick and brown sugar. It is served very cold at Christmas and at family reunions. Its name has no botanical link with the European plant of the same name. The same flower gives bissap in Senegal, zobo in Nigeria or karkadé in Egypt elsewhere.
Frequently asked questions about Jamaican sorrel
Are Jamaican sorrel and Senegalese bissap the same drink?
These are two preparations of the same flower, Hibiscus sabdariffa, but not the same drink. Sorrel is made with ginger, cloves, cinnamon and Jamaica pepper, while Senegalese bissap is most often flavoured with mint or orange blossom. The same flower also yields zobo in Nigeria and karkade in Egypt, each with its own spices.
Does Jamaican sorrel contain alcohol?
No, not in its basic version: it is a sweetened infusion of hibiscus and spices. In Jamaica, adults sometimes add a splash of white rum when serving it, during the Christmas season, but this addition remains optional and the drink is very good served plain.
Where to find the ingredients for Jamaican sorrel in France?
NKOSI sells dried hibiscus flowers, cloves and cinnamon sticks, and ships them from the Paris area within 24 to 72 working hours, to mainland France (2 to 3 working days) and to ten European countries. The minimum order is 39 €: in France, delivery to a pickup point is then free, and home delivery is free from 69 €.
