Jamaican Christmas Sorrel Punch

Though holidays are still not upon us, our Collection of Zion has me reminiscing of all favorite things from Jamaica – including their Christmas sorrel drink. Through December and early January, you can’t get far without finding natives sipping this bright red, sweet rum drink.  The sipping of the Sorrel heralds the beginning of the holiday season.    Christmas season in Jamaica is the most festive time of year with endless celebrations, family gatherings, parties and feasts.

Sorrel (as the drink is commonly called) derives from the plant it comes from. The scientific name is Hibiscus Sabdariffa and is a bushy plant that blooms deep red buds. The drink’s red color is alluring, the aroma is sweet and pungent and the flavor a bit tart. Sipping Sorrel is an integral part of the Jamaican holiday celebration.  

Though this drink would make a perfect offering at a holiday brunch or open house, I had to make a batch already to sip alongside the Rasta truffle (Jamaican sorrel + fresh ginger + nutmeg + mango + white chocolate + hibiscus flower).  Give it a try but beware… a few sips and you may start to hear the faint sounds of the reggae Christmas carols and feel a hint of Jamaican “Christmas breeze” luring you to book a flight and spend your holiday on the island.

Jamaican Christmas Sorrel Punch
 
1 oz dried sorrel petals, or sorrel concentrate
1 cinnamon stick
1 orange, freshly peeled
6 cloves
6 allspice pods
2 cups sugar
2 qts boiling water
3/4 cup Appleton Estate Rum

 In a large crock, combine the sorrel petals, cinnamon stick, orange peel, cloves, allspice and sugar.  Pour boiling water atop, cover, steep at room temp for 2-3 days.

Strain the liquid add the rum. Cover and refrigerate for another 2 days. Serve over crushed ice in pre-chilled glasses. Garnish with cloves and orange peel.

Resource: In Chicago we are blessed with a plethora of ethnic markets for every corner of the globe.

One of my favorites for Caribbean treasures:
Old World Market
5129 N Broadway St
Chicago, IL 60640-3018
(773) 728-2197

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009 at 7:01 pm and is filed under recipes - drinks. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.