Kesi Asher, Staff Reporter
THE SORREL Festival, organised by the Scientific Research Council and Organic Thinkers, and held on Saturday at the East Lawns of Devon House, showed just how many uses the plant has.
Organic Thinkers launched two products, Real Jamaican Sorrel Jam and Sorrel Juice. But there was also sorrel jelly, sorrel wine, sorrel chutney, sorrel sauce, sorrel squash, sorrel roots drink, sorrel juice, pancake syrup, rum punch, and sorrel teabag.
"Sorrel is almost in competition with your Cranberry Juice and Orange Juice," said Mark Redgard, brand manager for Sorrel Roots. "We've used this event as a platform to launch the products."
SORRELCARE LINE
There was also a Sorrelcare line of cosmetics made from the oil extract of the sorrel seed. The cosmetics included bodywash, shampoos, hand and body lotions and eye cream. "The cosmeceutical nature of sorrel, where the herbs are used into a cosmetic base, has a lot of potential. The products are still in the research stages, there's more work to be done," said Sheridan Hibbert, research scientist at the Scientific Research Council, where the products are being created.
ANTI-AGEING EFFECTS
And Dr. Diane Robinson, nutritionist, explained that sorrel is good for its anti-ageing effects. "Sorrel is high in Vitamin C, thiamine, amino acids, and has antioxidant properties," she said. "Sorrel is one of the safest drinks that you can have, you are getting the healthiest drink."
But the festival was not without a little entertainment. There were performances from Spanner Banner, Banana Stain, and Schoolboy, among other entertainers.
ACOUSTIC PERFORMANCES
Spanner Banner touched on a few of his more memorable songs, What We Need is Love, Life Goes On, If There's Trouble at Home, Michelle and Tease Me before closing with his brother, Richie Spice's song Earth a Run Red.
Banana Stain brought comic relief with Nuh Buy Nuh Water Gun Pan Christmas and Food fi di People. And Schoolboy also entertained with Leave the Little Girl Alone, Put Down the Gun, Mr. Madden ah Bawl Seh him Fridge Full and Cost a Living Get Higher Than Pressure.
Kai provided a soothing opener with an acoustic guitar and drum in Created for Love. She followed with Transmission. "Most of my songs are inspired by love," said Kai, and the audience felt the love.
Imani took the stage area with his controversial song Rasta Nuh Hello. "Most ah we grow up and hear we mother and father answer the phone and say 'Hello'. Bun hello. Hello is too low for a high people. You fi seh 'Blessed love'," said Imani. He also performed For Jah is Love.
Other performers included I Lions, Ras Penko, Fire King, and Cry Cry.
