Sorrel: The Christmas Drink That I Smash Year Round.

This very delicious edition of WMTPS is sponsored by my peresonal obsession with this (mostly) Holiday drink!

Chef Roxanne Melville & KJ Kearney (SOURCE: KJ Kearney)

I remember the first time that sorrel—the sweet nectar of the Melanated Gods—touched my lips. The year: 2019. The location: the only Trinidadian restaurant in the state of South Carolina, Ma Gloria’s Trinidadian. Ma Gloria’s, owned by Chef Roxann Melville, was a culinary love letter to her country and the food she was raised on. It had just opened in my hometown of North Charleston, in a restaurant that looked very much like a regular ass house, that was conveniently sandwiched between the historically Black neighborhoods of Accebee and Chicora Cherokee.

I can’t tell you the exact date that I tried sorrel but I can say that once I sipped on that ice cold, dark red beverage—I was forever changed. For undergrad, I attended the state’s premiere HBCU (the illustrious South Carolina State University, Home of the Mighty Bulldogs and the Marching 101), so I was quite familiar with Trinidadians. But what I had not realized, until the moment I stepped foot in Ma Gloria’s, was that I was only familiar was a very small slice of Trinidadian culture—Soca music. Them Trini students knew how to throw a party but all I learned through my interactions with them was: 1) a few dance moves and 2) how to turn hairspray into a flame thrower (I know it is a Jamaican thing but I learned how to do it at a Trini party); I knew nothing about the cuisine! Now that I have had the privilege of eating Bake & Shark and Doubles, I am very upset with my line brother Sheldon, for not putting me on sooner. Anyway, ever since that first taste of sorrel, I’ve been absolutely obsessed. Whether is sold under the name agua de Jamaica, bissap, or hibiscus water—if it’s on the menu, I’m getting it. But as I’ve grown in the food and beverage space, I’ve come to learn that most Caribbean folks associate this magical elixir with Christmas.

To find out why, I called my homie Nneka Nurse, the founder of Best Dressed Plate, a platform that highlights the vastness of Caribbean cuisine. The answer is simple: at one time, the roselle hibiscus plant (which is used to make the drink) was only available during the holiday season. But like many things we eat and drink, once people saw a year round desire for it, the plant became more widely available.

One of the things that Nneka explained to me was that while everyone in the Caribbean drinks this, there are some slight variations on how it’s made. For example, unlike everyone else in the Caribbean, Trinidadians typically do not use ginger in their sorrel plus Angostora’s White Oak rhum is what they put in their adult’s only version. Jamaicans, on the other hand, use Wrey & Nephew’s Overproof white rhum. She also told me about this thing called “Parang” which, if I understood her correctly, is basically Trinidad’s answer to American Christmas caroling. But sung in Spanish. You can read up on it here.

As you get ready for the Christmas/Kwanzaa/Hanukkah season, make sure you add some sorrel to the proceedings. If you need a recipe, you can find a few at the end of this newsletter. I’ll also link a few spirited versions as well, for your 21 and older celebrations. Until then, enjoy this assortment of BLACK FOOD NEWS.

With love & respect,

KJ

BLACK FOOD NEWS is a bulletin of interesting Black food news and information from around the African Diaspora. If you want your Black food news to be added to a future newsletter, please send a press release to news@blackfoodfridays.com for consideration.

• James Beard Award winning food essayist, Jamaal Lemon, wrote a beautiful piece about how oysters became the an unlikely glue, bonding him to his father. (Eater)

• Someone was upset about the name of the Black Brooklyn collective, Ghetto Gastro, and made a video about it. Well, their video went viral…as did the response by Harvard professor and linguistics expert, Sunn m’Cheaux. (Sunn m’Cheaux Instagram)

• A Black Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles franchise owner has put an inflatable Donald Trump in front of their location AND removed the “Obama Special” from the menu. And people have thoughts! What say you ?! (Epicurious Expeditions Instagram)

• More interwebs goings on: Black America’s favorite Unc, Shannon Sharpe, dropped a three hour interview with Black America’s favorite food reviewer—Keith Lee. I haven’t watched it but it’s almost 3 hours, so get you some snacks if you plan on watching this straight through. (Club Shay Shay YouTube)

• The Heinz Black Kitchen Initiative grant recipients have been announced! Check out the list and see if anyone from your area was awarded. (Heinz BKI Instagram)

• Nominations for the 2025 Black Women in Food awards close on December 18th. Honorees will be announced in March 2025. Previous honorees include notable figures such as Osayi Endolyn, Anela Malik, Dr. Cynthia Greenlee, Deborah Freeman, Fawn Weaver, and Carla Hall—just to name a few. (Black Women In Food)

• Black Vines (one of my favorite Black wine festivals) will be in Belize this weekend, with a series of events that run from December 5th through December 8th. DID YOU KNOW: While Belize is located in Central America, the official language is English? (Black Vines)

• Award winning wine educator and expert Tahiirah Habibi has created a 7-part wine course—for the culture. The aim of her Secure Wine course is “…to make wine approachable, fun, and empowering, whether you’re a curious beginner or want to refine your palate.” If that sounds like you, sign up today! (TahiirahHabibi.com)

• Have you ever been on a Kwanzaa Crawl? Well there’s one going down on December 26th, in the Kingdom of Brooklyn. Tickets start at $48 but go up as the event gets closer. (Kwanzaa Crawl)

• Soul of Sonoma is hosting their second Kwanzaa Extravaganza seven-course dinner, with wine pairings, in Oakland (December 27th) and Los Angeles (December 29th). Tickets are available for $185. (Soul of Sonoma)

• The owner of Swank Desserts—a Black woman owned bakery in Summerville, South Carolina—will be releasing SEVEN new cookie flavors on December 14th in celebration of the bakery’s fifth year and her father, who recently passed away and was a fixture in the shop. (Swank Desserts Instagram)

• Vogue Magazine has a video series called “Now Serving” where celebrities cook *checks notes* stuff!! They recently dropped a Christmas cookie video featuring none other than the Queen of Christmas—Mariah Carey! (Vogue YouTube)

• Read this Op-Ed by food justice advocate, Mya Price, about the food insecurity faced by Black Appalachian families. (Civil Eats)

• Learn about a Black-led agricultural movement taking place in the state of Maryland. These Black folks aren’t just talking about getting back to the land—they are doing it. (Civil Eats)

• The founder of one of the oldest restaurants in Atlanta, brought back by rappers and entrepreneurs T.I. and Killer Mike, dies. (Black Enterprise)

Adding some sorrel to your life? Here are a eleven options for you to check out:

• [RECIPE] Jamaican sorrel drink cocktail or juice by Jam Down Foodie.

• [RECIPE] Guyanese style sorrel drink by Metemgee.

• [RECIPE] Trinidadian Christmas sorrel drink by This Bago Girl.

• [RECIPE] This was crafted, by Jaylynn Little, for Juneteenth but it still works for Christmas.

• [SPIRIT] Marvee Rum made with hibiscus and Jamaican ginger (NOTE: United Kingdom).

• [SPIRIT] Brooklyn-based Sorel is a hibiscus liqueur created by Jackie Summers.

• [DRINK] Speaking of Brooklyn, if you want a non-alcoholic version, you can get some from Brooklyn Brewed.

• [DRINK] Try this hand pressed sorrel drink created by Althea’s Almost Famous.

• [DRINK] Hibiscus Brew (Brooklyn) has 750ml bottles for pickup, delivery, or shipping.

• [DRINK] Chef K has 64 ounces of Jamaican sorrel ready for you to enjoy.

• [DESSERT] Island Pop has a sorrel rum sorbet on their menu. And yes, they are also based in Brooklyn.

Do you know more Black-owned, sorrel-based businesses or products? Leave their name in the comments! Maybe you can help them make some money this holiday season!

UPDATE: Jackie Summers, founder of the previously linked Sorel Liqueur, sent me a text message alerting me to the OUTSTANDING article, written by Ramin Ganeshram, about the history of sorrel. It’s WAY MORE EXPANSIVE than we realized! READ IT TODAY: https://imbibemagazine.com/how-red-drink-has-endured-and-evolved/