With sorrel season in full swing, I thought I’d highlight how important this fruit is to Trinidadians. Similar to how pumpkin flavored drinks are for Americans during the fall and winter, sorrel is the staple drink ingredient in the Caribbean during the holidays. It is traditionally used for making popular Christmas-time drinks, but it is also used to make jams, jellies, syrups, cakes and other desserts. A member of the hibiscus family, the sorrel flower is edible. Tart in taste, some locals like to simply eat the petals with a pinch of salt.

Sorrel made its way to the Caribbean hundreds of years ago from West Africa and has planted itself in island traditions. Trinidadians would say that without sorrel, there is no Christmas! The drink is paired with every meal or alongside a rum cake, and for adults, it is mixed with rum, wine or sherry. Every Trinidadian has a fond memory of sorrel during the holidays whether it was helping mother with taking the seeds out of the flower to prepare the drink or simply drinking it during the festivities.

I’d like to feature one of my favorite holiday drinks, the sorrel mojito, created by the amazing mixologists here at Hyatt Regency Trinidad.

Ingredients

2oz Appleton rum

3oz Sorrel juice

1 Lime

8 mint leaves

Splash of soda water

Method

Muddle mint and lime, pour all beverages, roll in a shaker and pour into rock glass garnish with fresh limes and mint.

This recipe was submitted by Hyatt Regency Trinidad’s executive chef Fernando Franco and his team, which are members of this year’s ‘Caribbean National Team of the Year’ at Taste of the Caribbean in Miami.