Christmas in the Cookrum Happy Hour
It’s the Christmas edition of Happy Hour – Let’s Make Sorrel! Drop in from wherever you are and join King Navassa and special guest Athena Robinson – winner of the 2021 Cayman Day Heavy Cake Competition – as they make this traditional Christmas beverage. The team will be using the recipe from Miss Cleo’s Cayman Kitchen: Treasured Recipes from East End (reprinted in 2012) – mix along with us!
Ingredients
- 4 cups dried sorrel sepals (flowers)
- 2 pieces cinnamon stick or 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 12 whole cloves
- 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 2 quarts boiling water
- White or light rum to taste, if desired
Directions
Remove the seeds from the sorrel and place sorrel, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and sugar in a large pot and cover with boiling water. Cool and let stand, loosely covered, for two or three days at room temperature. Strain the liquid into another container, discard the solids and add rum if desired.
Let sit, covered, for two days longer to age. Makes about 2 quarts. Store in refrigerator and serve chilled over. Image: 80degreestoday.com
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This chat is 60-minutes and open to current and prospective members as well. Come find out about our not-for-profit organisation’s programmes and the ways we support Caymanians across the globe.
Host King Navassa
King Navassa hosts our monthly Happy Hour chat in the Virtual Yard for all members to have a fun and relaxing ‘night out’ wherever they are in the world. He is also host of our podcast, Celebrating Cayman Overseas… Out of sight not out of mind” and our video series, Passin’ Tru.
When not interacting with Cayman Connection members, he hosts his own podcast, The King and I, and performs as a storyteller and vocalist. King, who resides in Manchester, released his first solo album, The Ride in 2023.
Guest Athena Robinson
Athena Robinson resides in London and is an avid home cook and baker. She also caters and enjoys making cocktails and other beverages.
Athena is the winner of the 2021 Cayman Day Heavy Cake Competition and is a strong believer in passing on Caymanian culinary traditions.
“[Being in the kitchen] brings back memories of watching my grandmother in Cayman Brac making it every Christmas Eve. It was our little tradition… before Mr. Tibbetts had the fire works. We would sit and talk and laugh about everyone in the family it was one of the best times of life.”