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Drinks

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Desserts Drinks

Classic Caribbean Banana Punch (banana smoothie).

7 Comments on Classic Caribbean Banana Punch (banana smoothie).

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What’s a month of grilling without a refreshing dessert in a glass? There’s no better way to start (or finish) the day on those hot summer days, than a refreshing glass of banana punch. I guess for most people outside the Caribbean this would be called a ‘shake’ or smoothie, but as with all thick fruity drinks in the Caribbean.. it’s a punch! With ripe bananas and cold milk as the base, we’ll build on that foundation with some spices, rich vanilla ice cream and if you’d like to make this ‘big people’ exclusive, you can go in with some rum!

You’ll Need…

2 ripe bananas
1 cup vanilla ice cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoon honey
3 cups cold milk
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

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Basically all you have to do is place all the ingredients in a blender and give blitz until you have a smooth (and creamy) consistency. I didn’t add any ice to this as you’d normally do with a smoothie, but you can do so if you want to impress your kids. I don’t like adding ice to the blender (or in the glass I’m serving it in) as I find that it dilutes the overall flavor of the banana punch, so I start off with very cold milk.

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You can always go in with some coconut flavored rum (or any rum you like) to give this banana punch a more grown-up appeal, and it’s also an excellent way to put overripe bananas to use. If you like banana bread, you’ll love the subtle notes of cinnamon and nutmeg in this drink. Do serve immediately.

Are you liking the food and drinks of this year’s July Month of Grilling? Do leave your comments below and kindly share the recipes on Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook.

Special Note: This recipe is traditionally done with sweetened condensed milk and not necessarily the honey and ice cream my version adopts!

Drinks Gluten Free

Traditional Caribbean Sorrel Drink

33 Comments on Traditional Caribbean Sorrel Drink

If there’s one drink in the Caribbean which screams “Christmas” it would definitely have to be sorrel. From Trinidad and Tobago in the south (include Guyana in mainland South America) to Jamaica in the north, as you make you way up the island chain… islanders all appreciate a cold glass of sorrel on those hot Caribbean days. As we have islands in the Caribbean so do we have variations of this refreshing drink (recipe), so please use this as a basic guide for making sorrel and do add your own personal touch.

You’ll Need…

1.5 lb sorrel flowers (trimmed)
8 cups water
1 cinnamon stick
2 pieces of dried orange peel
4 cloves
thick slice of ginger
sugar to sweeten

* Note: If you like your sorrel drink stronger, be sure to double up on the amount of sorrel petals you use. Also note that if you’re using dried sorrel petals, 1 lb will give you a much stronger brew than freshly picked leaves.

This is a very simple recipe and all it really takes is patience. Remove the core out of the sorrel flowers and discard, then place all the ingredients in a large pot, cover with the water and bring to a boil.

* Remember to see my note above about achieving a strong brew! Reduce to a gentle simmer and let it go for about 30 minutes. Then remove off the heat, cover and let it steep for a few hours. Mom would always go overnight for maximum flavor. If you’re wondering what orange peel is.. mom always had the peel (skin) of oranges she would peel for us, hung in a corner of the kitchen to dry. The dried orange peel (skin) would then be used to flavor drinks like sorrel and also make some wonderful (soothing) teas.

It’s now time to strain (and discard).. I would recommend double straining with a very fine strainer or cheese cloth to remove any debris. Chill and sweeten to your liking.

Traditionally brown sugar cane sugar is used in sweetening sorrel, but you can use whatever sweetener you prefer.  Remember to add some crushed ice and sliced limes or lemons when serving and you can certainly spike things up with a dash or two of rum and Angostura bitters.

Tip.. double or triple up on the amount of sorrel petals you use and the resulting brew can be used as a concentrate. Simply bottle and store in the fridge. Then use as needed (add a small amount to water, sweeten) when you crave a tall glass of chilled sorrel.

Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. Oh yea! Leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated!

Recipe Card

Pitcher of Caribbean Sorrel with filled glass next to it
Print Recipe

Classic Caribbean Sorrel Punch

Cuisine: Recipe Keys: Cold Dairy Free Juice
Difficulty: Beginner Prep Time 10 mins Cook Time 30 mins Total Time 40 mins
Servings: 8
Diet:
V Vegan

Description

A festive Caribbean beverage made from hibiscus petals and spices, offering a refreshing and tangy flavor perfect for celebrations.

Ingredients

Instructions

Video
  1. Remove the cores from the sorrel flowers and discard.
  2. In a large pot, combine the sorrel petals, water, cinnamon stick, dried orange peel, cloves, and ginger.
  3. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer for about 30 minutes.
  4. Remove from heat, cover, and let it steep for a few hours or overnight for maximum flavor.
  5. Strain the mixture using a fine strainer or cheesecloth to remove solids.

  6. Sweeten to taste with sugar. Chill the drink in the refrigerator. Serve over ice, and add a splash of rum if desired.

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Drinks

A Non Traditional Caribbean Ginger Beer.

12 Comments on A Non Traditional Caribbean Ginger Beer.

Give the kids some orange juice and let’s make some big-people ginger beer. Spiked with rum and balanced with the juice of freshly squeezed limes, this is NOT your grandmas ginger beer recipe. I took ah-borrow of my dad’s ginger beer recipe (which is very traditional), but you know I had to add my own twist on things. So YES.. this is my take on holiday ginger beer!
You’ll Need…

1lb ginger
1 1/2 cups sugar *
4 Limes
3 drops Angostura bitters
1 teaspoon Mixed essence
5 Cups Water
4 Cups carbonated water
4 cloves
1 cup rum

 

Notes. The traditional way our dad would make ginger beer meant having it soak (steep) for at least a couple days, less limes and of course.. no rum was added. But after fermenting for a few days  you’d have a very STRONG ginger beer. This recipe is very quick and a great way to enjoy excellent ginger beer without having to wait days.

In a large bowl grate (or puree with a blender) the ginger. You can peel the ginger first, but I prefer using it with the skin still on.. be sure to wash the ginger well though. Then add the juice of the limes and cloves. Heat 5 cups of water in your kettle or on the stove top and pour it into the bowl. This heated water will force the steeping process. Leave that for at least 2 hours. Be sure to add the lime skin in the bowl for added flavor.

Strain the contents into another container, be sure to give the grated ginger a good squeeze to get all than lovely ginger flavor out. You may need to double strain to make sure you don’t get chunks when enjoying a cold glass!

Add all the other ingredients and whisk to make sure the sugar dissolves. Do taste to ensure there’s enough sugar to your liking.

The carbonated water will add a lovely lightness to the ginger beer and the limes (yea I know I used a lot) will give it a rounded citrus twist! Remember we have rum in this so do keep that in mind when serving it this holiday season. If the one cup of rum is not enough (lush) you can always add more. I used white rum, but for additional flavor you can use a dark spiced rum. Vodka would also work well if rum is not your thing and remember you can also make this without the rum altogether!

The mixed essence can be found at West Indian markets, but you can also use a couple drops of vanilla if you can’t source it. Remember to chill before serving!

Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. oh yea! leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.

Drinks

Big People Lemonade?

4 Comments on Big People Lemonade?

Give the kids some chocolate milk and let’s proceed to make a drink for the grown! Our family home like so many in the Caribbean was surrounded by citrus trees… oranges, grapefruit, shaddock, limes and lemons. Basically we were never out of freshly made juice with our meals and on those scorching Caribbean days when an ice-cold glass of juice would hit the spot. Though I don’t have access to the variety of citrus fruits these days, here’s a concoction I made up in true island style.

Granted as a young fella there wouldn’t be any rum in our ‘lemonade’, but with the holidays quickly approaching I thought I’d add some to get us in the festive mood.

 

You’ll Need…

3 lemons
3 limes
4 juice oranges *
5 cups water
3 drops Angostura bitters
1 teaspoon mixed  essence
1 cup sugar (adjust accordingly)
3/4 cup white rum

* 3 lemon and 3 orange slices for adding some brightness to the jug.

Note: Juice oranges are a bit smaller than the everyday oranges, have seeds and it’s juice is well balanced between sweet and tart. Mixed essence can be found at most Caribbean specialty grocery stores. BTW if you want to make this like the spike drinks you get at the liquor stores, you can replace the rum with vodka.

Juice all the citrus fruits mentioned above, and strain into a big bowl so you can prevent seeds from getting in. Then it’s just a matter of adding all the other ingredients and giving it a good whisk.

Tip: Dissolve the sugar in 2 cups (off the 5 mentioned in the ingredients list)  of warm water, so it dissolves faster. After you’ve mixed everything together you can pour it into your serving jug, add some ice (or chill in the fridge) and top with some slices of fruit to give the jug a punch of color and to make people really thirsty when the  see it. If rum is not your thing you can leave it out and have a virgin drink the entire family can enjoy. If rum IS your thing.. you can certainly go a bit heavier.

* do not add ice if you plan on serving later, it will only water-down the drink.

Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. oh yea! leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.

Drinks

Extreme Caribbean Peanut Punch Recipe.

3 Comments on Extreme Caribbean Peanut Punch Recipe.

I don’t have to remind you that if you or anyone sharing this drink is allergic to peanuts, stay away at all costs. Peanut punch or peanut drink as it’s sometimes called in the Caribbean, is a rich and creamy drink made with peanuts as the base as the name would hint. Traditionally it’s made with peanut butter (or you can grind freshly roasted peanuts, but who needs all that work), milk, condensed milk and with a hint of vanilla, but this time we’ll take things to the extreme by adding some more ingredients. So this is not your traditional peanut punch recipe.

 

You’ll Need…

2 cups milk (cold)
2 heaping tablespoon peanut butter
6 blocks milk chocolate
2 scoops vanilla ice cream
1 ripe banana

Notes. You can personalize this further by using whatever (fat content) milk you normally use and try to use a good milk chocolate – one you enjoy. The chocolate and vanilla ice cream will be enough to sweeten this drink, so there’s no need for sugar or condensed milk.

 

Give the chocolate a rough chop so it’s easier for the blender as well as the banana. Then place everything into the blender and blitz until you have a smooth consistency. Try to ensure the milk is cold as we really don’t want to add ice in the blender as I’ve seen other recipes do.

Chill in the fridge and serve cold (add ice if necessary to the glass) . This can remain in the fridge for a couple days, but do remember to give it a good stir before serving as the ingredients may settle when stored.

There’s enough in this recipe for 2 people and it’s easy to multiply the recipe if you plan on making a bigger batch. This is really a meal in itself and great way to start your Caribbean morning.

Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. oh yea! leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.

Drinks Gluten Free

How To Make Caribbean Style Carrot Punch (juice).

26 Comments on How To Make Caribbean Style Carrot Punch (juice).

Carrot punch or carrot juice as it’s also called in the Caribbean is one of those rich and creamy drinks you’ll find being made throughout the region. Recipes may differ, but the base ingredient of freshly grated (or food processor as in my case) carrots is constant. Chilled with a few cubes of ice on a hot Caribbean day, this drink is both filling and very refreshing.

You’ll Need…

3 lbs carrots
6 cups water
1 can condensed milk (sweetened)
1/4 teaspoon finely grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

 If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

Wash and peel the carrots. I find that peeling the carrots with a peeler causes a lot of wastage, so I scrape the side of it with my knife under cool water. This way only a thin layer is removed. Then you have the option of either cutting each carrot into small pieces and using a food processor or blender to puree everything. Or you can certainly go old-school as our dad would and use a box grater.

In two batches I placed half the carrots and half the water into my food processor and had it go on high for a few minutes, until you have pureed pulp. Empty into a large bowl and do the other batch.

It’s now time for some manual labor. Strain the pulp/liquid into another bowl (use a fine strainer or cheese cloth), then squeeze the remaining pulp to get every drop of juice out. If you use a cheese cloth you’ll find that you can wring out a lot more juice than if it’s just your hands. Give the remaining juice another strain to remove any remaining pulp.

It’s now time to spice things up and sweeten the punch as it’s traditionally done. Whisk in the cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla, then pour in the sweetened condensed milk. Start off with 1/2 a can and add more as needed. I used the entire can! Whisk well, chill and serve.

There’s enough carrot punch here for about 8 people and if you’re impatient like me and can’t wait for it to chill in the fridge, you can drop in a few cubes of ice and enjoy! You can also add a few shots of rum to the mix, if you want to serve as a sort of cocktail to the grown folks.

Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. oh yea! leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.