The red drink in a Senegalese fridge, the Christmas sorrel of Jamaica and the karkadé of Cairo cafés are all the same plant: Hibiscus sabdariffa, called bissap in Senegal. It is the ingredient behind three products in our range, so it deserves a proper introduction.
1. It is not the flower, it is the calyx
What looks like a dried red petal is actually the calyx, the fleshy cup that holds the flower. It is picked after the bloom fades, then sun-dried. That is what fills our Dried Hibiscus Flowers pouch.
2. A plant that crossed the Atlantic
Hibiscus came to the Caribbean and the American South with West Africans centuries ago. Sorrel drink in Jamaica and agua de jamaica in Mexico descend from the same tradition as bissap.
3. Naturally tart, naturally red
The colour and sharp taste come from the plant itself; nothing is added. Hibiscus is known for its naturally occurring antioxidants, and its acidity is why bissap needs sugar to balance it.
4. Flowers, powder or syrup?
Dried flowers give the deepest flavour and let you control sweetness; they need 15 minutes of steeping. Hibiscus Powder dissolves straight into cold water for a fast glass. Bissap Syrup is the finished drink concentrated: dilute one part in four or five and serve.
5. Beyond the glass
Bissap makes a striking sorbet, a syrup for pancakes, a glaze for roast chicken, and a natural food colouring for rice or cakes. The strained flowers can be candied or cooked into jam.
Start with the classic bissap recipe in this journal, then experiment. Once you have the deep red base, most of the kitchen is open to it.