We love this refreshing, colorful tea made with Roselle hibiscus calyxes, which are the base of the actual flower. The tea from this plant is known as “Jamaica” in Mexico, and “Sorrel” in Jamaica.
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 1 gallon of finished tea
Ingredients:
- 12-18 fresh hibiscus calyxes, washed, seed pod removed
- 1/3 cup organic raw cane sugar (optional)
- 1 gallon water
- Sprigs of fresh mint to garnish
Preparation:
- Rinse fresh hibiscus calyxes under cold running water, slice off the bottom tip, remove the seed pod, discard the tips and seed pods. Another option is to break them off by hand.
- Place calyxes in a medium sauce pot, pour enough water to cover the calyxes.
Cooking:
- Place sauce pot with water and hibiscus calyxes onto burner set at high, bring to a boil then remove from heat. If adding sugar, stir it in to dissolve.
- Steep for 30 minutes.
- Pour through a strainer into a pitcher.
- Refrigerate.
- Garnish with fresh mint leaves.
- For a traditional Jamaican Sorrel, try spicing the roselle tea with ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cloves, and serving with orange slices. For the traditional holiday punch version, add rum and/or sparkling wine.
Worden Farm to Table 
Do you have a recipe for turmeric and ginger iced tea?
We like to simply pour boiling water over freshly sliced ginger and/or turmeric and let it steep to desired strength, about 15 minutes. If you like, add a squeeze of lemon juice and a touch of honey.
If you don’t have fresh ginger on hand, and you could use instead a few teaspoons of bottled ginger juice per cup of water.
This is excellent served warm, or for iced tea, Can be refrigerated and served over ice.
Oh my. I picked up hibiscus roselles from an organic farmer at the market today but passed on their homegrown tumeric and ginger. This is all in season here in Northern VA in late Oct 🙂