Stand in any market in Dakar and the drinks tell you what time it is. Midday, the coolers come out - deep red bissap, pale bouye, golden ginger - and vendors ladle them over ice for anyone passing in the heat. Early morning, a different sound: the hiss of Café Touba being poured from a street kettle, served hot and sweet before the day really starts.
Those four drinks are the ones that carry Senegal from morning to night, and they are all easy to make at home. Here is what each one is, what it tastes like, how it is served in Dakar, and the simplest way to get it into a glass in your own kitchen with Tonton Jeb.
Bissap: the deep red hibiscus pour
What it is. Bissap is Senegal's hibiscus drink, made from the dried calyces of the roselle flower - the same flower called karkadé in Egypt, sorrel in the Caribbean, and agua de Jamaica in Mexico. In Wolof it is bissap; in English, hibiscus.
What it tastes like. Tart and bright, closer to cranberry than to any sweet fruit, with a soft floral note running underneath. In Senegal it is sweetened just enough to round off that sharp edge - plain it is bracing, sweetened it is easy to drink by the glassful.
How it is served in Dakar. Cold, almost always. Bissap is the market cooler drink, sold from jugs and reused bottles on street corners and poured over ice through the hottest part of the afternoon. At home it turns up with lunch and at gatherings, where a big bowl is set out for guests.
Make it at home the easy way. There are two simple roads. The fastest is Bissap Syrup: dilute it with cold water to taste and add ice. If you would rather brew from scratch, Dried Hibiscus Flowers steep in hot water, take a little sugar, and chill. For the full method, our guide to making bissap at home walks through it step by step.
Bouye: the baobab fruit drink
What it is. Bouye is Senegal's baobab drink, made from the fruit of the baobab tree. The pods are cracked open and the dry, powdery pulp inside is whisked into water. In Wolof the fruit is bouye; in French it is pain de singe, "monkey bread."
What it tastes like. Gentle and creamy-tart, somewhere between citrus, pear, and a whisper of vanilla. Bouye is milder than bissap - less sharp, softer on the finish - which is exactly why it suits anyone who finds hibiscus a touch too tangy.
How it is served in Dakar. Cold, and mostly through the hot months. Like bissap, it is a cooler drink: mixed up fresh in a big bowl, sweetened lightly, and served over ice. Because the pulp is dry and powdery, it is one of the quickest of the four to stir together at home.
Make it at home the easy way. For a no-fuss glass, chill and pour Bouye Juice. To make it from the fruit itself, soak Baobab Fruit pieces in water, blend, strain, and sweeten to taste.
Ginger: the warm-spiced cooler
What it is. Senegal's ginger drink is built on fresh ginger, usually blended with mint - a fiery, aromatic cooler that sits alongside bissap and bouye in the market.
What it tastes like. Bold and hot, with the kind of ginger heat that lingers at the back of the throat. The mint version softens it with a fresh, cooling edge, so you get the fire and the freshness in the same sip.
How it is served in Dakar. Cold, poured over ice from the market cooler like its two neighbors. Because it is such a warming drink, some people serve it hot on cooler evenings too - it works both ways, and it is the one of the four you can pour either way without changing a thing.
Make it at home the easy way. Ginger Syrup brings ginger and mint together in one bottle. Dilute it with cold water and ice for the market version, or stir a spoonful into hot water when you want it warm.
Café Touba: the spiced coffee
What it is. Café Touba is Senegalese spiced coffee. Coffee beans are roasted with djar - the Guinea pepper - and often a few cloves, which is where that unmistakable aroma comes from. It takes its name from the holy city of Touba and is the drink of the Mouride community.
What it tastes like. Warm and peppery: coffee first, then a citrus-and-floral spice that lingers after. Serve it sweet - in Senegal, sugar is part of the recipe, not an afterthought.
How it is served in Dakar. Hot and sweet, starting at first light. Café Touba is the morning drink, poured from street kettles into small cups, strong and generously sweetened, from dawn through the morning. It is the cup that opens the day.
Make it at home the easy way. Café Touba comes as infusion sachets: steep one in a cup of hot water for four to five minutes, then add sugar to taste. For the story behind the cup, our beginner's guide to Café Touba, Senegal's spiced coffee covers where it comes from and how it is made.
Which one to try first
- Like tart and refreshing? Start with bissap. It is the clearest introduction to Senegalese drinks and the one most people reach for again.
- Prefer something softer? Start with bouye - gentle, creamy-tart, and the mildest of the four.
- Want a little fire? Start with ginger. The mint keeps it fresh; the ginger keeps it lively.
- A coffee person? Start with Café Touba. It is the warm, spiced cup that opens the day in Dakar.
If you are buying just one thing to begin with, the syrup is the most versatile place to start - dilute it to your own taste, and you will know within a glass whether bissap is your drink. From there, the four make a natural set: two for hot afternoons, one you can pour either way, and one for slow mornings.
Shop the drinks collection to bring all four home, and keep exploring the pantry one drink at a time.