Taste Etc: Ghetto Gastro

Red drink, popular throughout African American culture, is related to sorrel and other beverages made from roselle hibiscus. Pairing Frank Bowling’s Dog Daze 1971 with our recipe for ‘Red Drank’ celebrates the deep cultural connections between the Caribbean diaspora and their African roots. Bowling, a Guyanese-born artist, explores themes of migration and identity in his vibrant, abstract work. Similarly, sorrel, a popular Caribbean beverage, originates from Africa, symbolising the rich intertwining of histories and traditions. This pairing celebrates the resilience and creativity of the Caribbean people, blending art and culinary heritage to honour their enduring legacy and shared cultural experiences. We need Sir Bowling to drop off a piece with the gang in the Bronx!

Red Drank

^{Makes 2 litres}

^{› 2 litres water
› 180 ml agave syrup,
plus more as needed
› 14 g dried sorrel
(hibiscus) leaves*
› 2 5-cm pieces fresh ginger, sliced
› 4 whole cloves
› 1 1⁄2 tablespoons orange zest
› 1 cinnamon stick}

In a large pot, combine the water, agave, sorrel, ginger, cloves, orange zest, and cinnamon stick. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat. Allow to cool before refrigerating. Let the ingredients steep in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.

Strain the liquid and discard the solids. Do it twice to make it nice. Taste and add more agave as needed. Store in a jug or bottle.

*Sorrel is the Caribbean name for hibiscus (not to be confused with the tangy green herb also called sorrel).

^{Frank Bowling’s Dog Daze has been on long term loan from a private collection since 2020 and is included in the free collection displays at Tate Britain.}

^{Ghetto Gastro is a Bronx-born culinary collective from Jon Gray, Pierre Serrao and Lester Walker. Their cookbook Ghetto Gastro Presents Black Power Kitchen is published by Artisan.}