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Post by macmex on Nov 18, 2016 12:32:16 GMT -6
Years ago, when our family first went to Mexico to serve as missionaries, we were introduced to a red, fruity drink called agua de Jamaica (pronounced Ha-Mike-ah). Within a short time of our arrival in the country I came down with a terrible kidney stone attack (ALL kidney stone attacks are terrible!), which lasted a month. During that time I was in and out of several hospitals, saw a number of doctors and, ultimately, was sent back to the USA for treatment. But before crossing back into Texas I believe I drank MANY gallons of this drink. Everyone I ran into in Mexico, from doctors and nurses, to little Mexican grandmothers recommended it for my problem! It was probably ten years before I actually sought out one of these drinks on my own. I had “overdosed” on Jamaica! In the United States and most of the English speaking world Jamaica is known as roselle. Unfortunately, I rarely meet anyone who knows about roselle. Another name I’ve heard is “Florida cranberry.” This makes sense in that while it’s not a berry, the drink looks and tastes a lot like cranberry juice. Now, a good many years down the road, we live in Oklahoma, which is a wonderful place. But fruit production, here, is a real challenge due to our erratic weather. Whereas, in the Northeastern US, apples, pears, peaches and plums volunteer and even produce in hedgerows, here, they rarely volunteer and pretty much never produce without intervention! To get my apple trees to fruit, I have to apply compost every year. Then, when they do fruit, the squirrels steal the the fruit! Peaches average a successful crop about one out of five years, due to the erratic warming in the spring and late frosts. And… squirrels love peaches! Blueberries need need life support to make it through our heat and drought. I could go on and on! This year, however, I thought to to try roselle. I had read that it did well along the Texas/Oklahoma border. I purchased seed from Southern Exposure Seed Exchange (http://www.southernexposure.com/roselle-thai-red-06-g-p-181.html) and started it just like I start tomatoes, about five weeks before the average last frost, transplanting the seedlings into the garden when I did my tomatoes. For a week or two I wasn’t sure that the little plants would make it. In fact, a couple did die. I don’t remember what killed them, whether it was an accident or a pest. The surviving three plants started to grow. The plants were relatively nondescript for much of the summer. There were no flowers until sometime in July. Interestingly, of the three plants, only one flowered in July. The other two waited until sometime in August. Eventually they were all flowering and setting seed. I ignored them. In October I started taking pictures. They were loading up with calyxes. In early November, when the plants were slightly over 3 1/2’ tall and about as big around, I picked the calyxes. A calyx is part of the flower, but not what we generally think of as part of the flower. A calyx consists of sepals, which are the outer part (generally not the showy part) of a flower. Roselle flowers look like okra flowers. Roselle is a hibiscus, as is okra. They’re relatives. The flowers are pretty enough. But the calyxes are red and attractive in and of themselves. Whereas the flower only lasts for part of a day, the calyx remains on the plant until picked.
When harvesting Jamaica one picks the calyxes. When making the drink or processing the calyxes, one peels the calyx off of the actual seed pod. The calyx can then be steeped in hot water or it can be dried for future use. My three roselle plants produced about 15 gallons of calyxes! I reckon we could easily use four or five times this amount. With roselle calyxes (dry or fresh) one can make a fabulous drink or jelly. In Germany, where they are particularly strict on artificial coloring in foods, roselle is important as a source of natural red food coloring. The sweetened tea, drunk cold, is nearly indistinguishable from cranberry juice. In much of the English speaking world it is best known as the main ingredient of Red Zinger Tea. The leaves have a lemony “sorrel flavor.” In fact, in some parts of the English speaking world, roselle is called “sorrel.” (https://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/roselle.html) They can be eaten in mixed salads or used in cooking to add a lemony flavor to a dish. In Latin America the drink is considered to help with weight loss. It’s also considered helpful in reducing high blood pressure and cholesterol. The drink is supposed to help with indigestion. (http://cafeyte.about.com/od/Tisanas-Y-T-E-De-Hierbas/a/Agua-De-Jamaica-Bebida-Adelgazante-Y-Digestiva.htm) In another article I read: “Nutritionists have found roselle calyxes as sold in Central American markets to be high in calcium, niacin, riboflavin and iron.” (https://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/roselle.html) I’ve heard that it’s high in vitamin C. How ever you look at this plant, it’s good for you. But let’s be clear, I wouldn’t recommend going on a Jamaica binge. If it can help your physical condition, then overuse might hurt it. I am excited about roselle! This is a plant which thrives on heat. It’s low maintenance. It’s productive. And, it produces lots of a crop which is not only good for you, but it also fills a need which is generally a challenge to meet in my neck of the woods. Roselle’s calyx can actually help meet some of our need and desire for fruit! And,… it can be grown as an annual! I don’t know just how far North it can be grown for the calyxes, as, aside from being a heat lover, it is day length sensitive. But think of this: New Jersey is on the same latitude as my location in Oklahoma. So, there is a chance that this plant might be worth growing that far North. Also, though I still need to experiment with the leaves, I have read that the plant was once rather widely grown in parts of the Midwest, for nothing more. Many people, these days, are very interested in a healthy diet. Combine this interest with the fact that roselle is easy to grow, highly productive and delicious; and I believe this plant deserves much more attention! I could foresee Jamaica being sold in farmers’ markets and grocery stores in much of our country, but especially in states with hot summers.
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Post by heavyhitterokra on Nov 21, 2016 22:43:24 GMT -6
WOW! George, those are beautiful plants!
Thanks for introducing this variety to us here in Cherokee County, Oklahoma. I had never heard of them until you sent me photos this Summer. We've really enjoyed the tea! I think it tastes a lot better than cranberry juice, which seems to be a little more astringent than the Roselle tea we've made.
The calyces I peeled contained a few mature seed pods. Most of them were still green in color, but quite a few were nice and wheat straw colored, which is a good indication of full maturity.
I kept all of the pods whether green colored or wheat straw colored. I put them in separate paper sacks and suspended them from my kitchen ceiling with my okra seeds for 2017. I will definitely be growing these wonderfully flavorful plants for sustenance next season!
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Post by heavyhitterokra on Nov 22, 2016 2:20:31 GMT -6
George,
I Just made a delicious early morning breakfast dish, using the most recent Greek yogurt you sent me, along with fresh Roselle calyx, blueberries, bananas, a sprinkle of sugar to counter the tartness of the Roselle, and Special K cereal with sliced almonds for that distinct "crunch".
It was an awesome use of the fresh calyx.
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Post by macmex on Nov 22, 2016 5:29:12 GMT -6
Ron, I think we're just scratching the surface with this plant. Sunday, Jerreth and I made Roselle jelly. It's amazing! It was only Sunday, as I was reading a bit more on the plant, that it sunk in that there are cultures which eat the calyxes cooked, and not just in a salad. I took the calyxes from the jelly making process and sweetened them a little... WOW! That was delicious! Next year we need to experiment with the greens too. Some cultures use the greens as a potherb. Combining all these wonderful ways to use Jamaica with the fact that it's custom made for our heat, and ... I think we may have found another "okra," meaning a plant so perfectly suited to hot climates that it becomes ubiquitous throughout the South.
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Post by heavyhitterokra on Nov 22, 2016 8:40:48 GMT -6
I looked up Roselle calyx recipes and found probably thousands of photos of Rosselle calyx based food items, on both Pinterest and Photo Bucket. People have used them to flavor ice cream, to make cakes, cookies, and bread. I saw homemade jello cubes made from gelatin rendered on the homestead, several drinks, both hot and cold, and also saw them used as colorful, syrupy toppings on waffles and many desserts.
Okra ice cream doesn't have much appeal, and okra juice is not very appetizing as a drink served hot or cold, but Roselle calyx appears to have many, many, uses.
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Post by heavyhitterokra on Nov 22, 2016 10:42:14 GMT -6
George,
My granddaughters are visiting this week. We found a tea recipe calling for 5 Roselle calyces per cup of boiling water.
They are hooked!
They've been making Roselle tea all day.
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Post by macmex on Nov 24, 2016 6:39:38 GMT -6
That's so great! Can't wait to plant more roselle in 2017. Yes, I think it would be very easy to make a Roselle (Jamaica) syrup for pancakes or ice cream, etc. The tea is wonderful.
I'm kicking myself, as I made a number of batches of the cold tea (which tastes like cranberry juice) before I realized that the cooked calyxes were good to eat. I threw them over the fence for the chickens! Yikes! That's like throwing a couple pounds of blueberries or blackberries over the fences!
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Post by duckcreekfarms on Nov 26, 2016 18:40:14 GMT -6
George I grew some Florida Cranberry back in the early 90's. It only grew about 3 feet tall and started blooming early and loaded up with calyxes. . We had a garage sale and about ever other person that stopped wanted to know what those pretty red flowers were growing in the garden. About three years ago I decided to grow it again. Got some seeds from a SSE member listing. Those grew tall maybe 5 feet plus and didn't start to flower until about frost. I don't think I got any seed to mature. Sounds like the one you have was the shorter and much better clone. gary
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Post by macmex on Nov 27, 2016 6:07:07 GMT -6
Yes, I have the Thai Red variety, which, as I understand, is the best suited for the North.
George
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Post by heavyhitterokra on Dec 8, 2016 19:53:35 GMT -6
My Daughter came to visit tonight and saw me brewing the last of my Roselle calyces. She wanted to know why I was cooking flowers?
I had forgotten that she had missed out on the whole calyx harvest and seed saving thing. Now she'll have to wait until next year to see them growing.
I can hardly wait until Spring to get the seeds started.
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Post by macmex on Dec 8, 2016 22:02:15 GMT -6
I just had to get up (from bed) and drink some tea, to settle a cough. I found the website of the Florida Cranberry Alliance and joined! I'm excited. Here's quote from their site about the nutritional value of this plant's calyxes. According to the USDA nutrient database, 100g of raw roselle contains the following nutritional information: 49kcal 11.3g Carb .6g Fat (1% RDI) 1g Protein (2% RDI) 1.6g Fiber* 287IU Vitamin A (6% RDI) 12mg Vitamin C (20% RDI) Thiamin (1% RDI) Riboflavin (2% RDI) .3mg Niacin (2% RDI) 215mg Calcium (22% RDI) 1.5mg Iron (8% RDI) 51mg Magnesium (14% RDI) 37mg Phosphorous (4% RDI) 208mg Potassium (6% RDI) They state that drinking three cups of its tea per day can lower blood pressure by as much as 13.2%. www.floridacranberry.org/resources
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Post by heavyhitterokra on Jan 19, 2017 15:43:40 GMT -6
Man, now that the Roselle is all gone, I sure do miss it. I can hardly wait to plant the seeds George gave me. the Roselle made a wonderful Christmas tea. It will be a family tradition from now on.
Thanks, George!
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Post by heavyhitterokra on Jan 22, 2017 8:34:08 GMT -6
George,
Today is January 22, 2017.
How soon should we be planting our Roselle seeds in starter pots?
Mine will be in the kitchen, on the table, near the South window, where I start my tomatoes and peppers.
Do they need a heating pad? Or should I pre-germinate them in a ziplock bag with a wet paper towel, like I do okra seeds? I just carry those in my shirt pocket to keep them warm until I see root tips cracking the husk.
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Post by macmex on Jan 23, 2017 7:30:19 GMT -6
Ron, I just started my 2016 crop in a small flat, on my porch, on March 6. However, they seedlings were only about 2 1/2 - 3" tall when I transplanted them into the garden. They did well. But I would think, if you have a place for them, it might be good to start at the same time you do your tomato plants. For me, that would be sometime in February. I would also tend to think that you couldn't go wrong pre-sprouting with heat.
I truly think they would be marketable, as transplants, in the Farmers' Market. One plant would be worthwhile for a small gardener. I got to harvest from only three, in 2016. I was thrilled with the harvest. But, of course, I'm going to plant at least 30 plants this year!
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Post by heavyhitterokra on Jan 29, 2017 5:37:36 GMT -6
Wow! That was a lot of Roselle blossoms from only 3 plants. And the photos looked great too! Not many things in Oklahoma are so prolific. Now, I'm even more excited about getting my Roselle seeds started!
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