Hibiscus tea
Bottles of sobolo | |
| Alternative names | Bissap, tsobo, sobolo, sorrel, wonjo, agua de jamaica, zobo |
|---|---|
| Serving temperature | hot or cold |
| Main ingredients | Roselle flowers, water, sugar |
| Variations | Ginger |
Hibiscus tea, when served hot, or roselle juice, when served cold, is an infusion made from the crimson or deep magenta-colored calyces (sepals) of the roselle flower (Hibiscus sabdariffa). It is consumed both hot and cold and has a tart, strong cranberry-like flavor.
The drink made out of the flowers of Hibiscus sabdariffa has many regional variations and names: it is known as bissap in Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea and Senegal; wonjo in The Gambia; zobo in Nigeria; sobolo in Ghana; foléré, dabileni, tsobo, siiloo or soborodo in different parts of Africa; karkadé in Egypt, Sudan, Palestine and Italy; sorrel in the Caribbean; and agua de Jamaica in Mexico. Although generally called a "juice", due to its being sweetened and chilled, it is technically an infusion, and when served hot is called "hibiscus tea".