Made in Statia farmer Euline Marshall (left) preparing sorrel, assisted by Rogers Rosa.
ST. EUSTATIUS--Christmas is around the corner and sorrel has arrived from the gardens of local farmers’ cooperative Made in Statia.
Caribbean sorrel is a member of the hibiscus family. Its red petals are used to make a local beverage that is usually spiced with cinnamon and optionally rum to make a seasonal punch.
St. Eustatius Historical Museum guide Misha Spanner swears by the beverage’s medicinal properties. “Our Museum’s Statia Cookbook has numerous fine recipes for making sorrel drink. It has been proved to lower blood pressure and thus reduces hypertension,” she said.
Spanner, who is also an expert on local heritage and culture, adds that Statians traditionally use sorrel juice to make tea, jams and pie fillings.
Her favourite recipe is borrowed from Historical Foundation’s treasurer June Boulton whose grandmother Henrietta Lampe would busy herself preparing it in the kitchen at this time of year.
Farmer Euline Marshall expects to harvest the sorrel crop for at least the next four weeks. Her popular produce is sold alongside other seasonal favourites such as butter squash, long beans, pigeon peas, eggplant, wild cilantro and lettuce.
