Well they say tis' the season to be jolly, lots of parties, lots of entertaining lots of good cheer to go around. And what better way to enjoy the season than with our local festive drinks of sorrel and ginger beer. It's a good year for sorrel, vendors have been selling lovely sorrel, both black and red (we now have varieties).
The black has a softer less acidic tone than the red. Sorrel will stay steeped and unsweetened in glass bottles in your fridge for up to one year. Remember to enjoy in moderation and always have a designated driver in your party whom you can depend on to get you home safely. Here is some Christmas Cheer for you to enjoy this season.
SORREL
To make sorrel drink just clean the sorrel, by removing the seeds, put the sepals into a large non-reactive pot, add some cloves and cinnamon bark.
It does not matter the quantities, do this to your taste preference.
Add enough boiling water to barely cover the sorrel, cover tightly and steep overnight. Sweeten to taste with sugar syrup. Chill and serve over crushed ice or with club soda for a refreshing Sorrel Cooler!
Remember to always store sorrel in glass bottles, plastic can promote spoilage.
BASIC SUGAR SYRUP
1 cup granulated sugar
1 pound sugar
Combine water with sugar in a small saucepan.
Cook over medium heat until sugar has dissolved. Boil for 10 minutes.
Cool , bottle and refrigerate until ready for use.
PONCHE DE CREME
6 eggs
5 8 oz packages of evaporated milk (preferably non combined, or non filled)
14 ozs condensed milk
2 cups dark rum
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
1 tsp minced lime zest
1 tsp bitters
In a blender process eggs with lime zest until light coloured.
Add evaporated milk and condensed milk, process to blend well. Strain.
Add bitters, nutmeg and rum, mix well, taste and adjust flavourings to suit.
Serve over crushed ice, and garnish with lime slices.
CHRISTMAS EGGNOG
6 eggs separated
8 ozs granulated sugar
11/4 cups milk
1/2 cup Cognac
1/2 cup dark rum
1 tsp vanilla essence
11/4 cups heavy cream, lightly whipped
Zest of 1 orange, finely minced
Zest of 1 lime, finely minced
1/4 tsp nutmeg
With an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks with the sugar until thick and creamy. Stir in the milk, brandy, vanilla and rum.
Whisk the egg whites until very stiff and fold into egg mixture. Chill for about 4 hours.
Mix heavy cream with orange and lime zest .
Fold cream mixture into egg mixture, pour into stemmed glasses or cups and top with grated nutmeg.
n Serves 4-6
GINGER BEER
1 pound green ginger
10 cups cold water
1 lime
2 sticks of clove
Wash, peel and grate ginger. Peel and juice lime, keep the peel.
Mix ginger, water, cloves , lime juice and the lime skin.
Pour this mixture into clean bottles and leave to ferment for about one day, preferably in the sun.
Strain the ginger beer and sweeten to taste with basic sugar syrup.
Refrigerate until ready to use.
HOLIDAY PUNCH
This is an especially good non-alcoholic punch- the sort that both kids and adults enjoy. The orange ice ring looks festive and gives the punch a zesty flavour!
2 cans (28 ounce each) fruit cocktail in syrup
21/2 cups ginger ale
1 tablespoon lemon juice or lime juice
4 cups orange juice (approximate)
1 ring mold
30 maraschino cherries
Pour orange juice into the ring mold; add the maraschino cherries and freeze.
In a blender puree fruit salad with syrup. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
In a large bowl combine ginger ale, pureed fruit salad, and lemon or lime juice. Taste and add more lime juice if needed.
Place the orange ice ring in a large punch bowl and pour the punch over the ice ring.
Note: If you do not have a ring mold you can freeze the orange juice in an ice cube tray, add a cherry to each cube and freeze.
n Serves 25-30 4 ounce servings