Roots wine more commonly known as "roots drink" or "herbal drink" is a type of medicinal beverage popular in
Jamaica
Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of Hispa ...
. It is believed to have healthful and aphrodisiacal qualities for men.
[Polly Thomas, Adam Vaitilingam, Polly Rodger Brown. ''The rough guide to Jamaica''. Rough Guides, 2003. . Pg 40]
/ref>
Roots wine is made from a variety of herbs and roots, often blended with honey or molasses. It is naturally fermented and slightly effervescent, typically containing less than 5% alcohol.
Ingredients
Typical ingredients could include:
water
brown sugar
molasses
chainy root ('' Smilax, Smilax balbisiana'')
sarsaparilla ('' Smilax regilii'')
tan pan rock ('' Dryopteris filix-mas'')
search mi heart ('' Rhytidophyllum tomentosum'')
dandelion (''Cassia occidentalis
Cassia typically refers to cassia bark, the spice made from the bark of East Asian evergreen trees.
Cassia may also refer to:
Plants
;Cinnamon trees
* ''Cinnamomum cassia'' (, ''ròuguì''), the cassia or Chinese cinnamon, found in southern Chin ...
'')
blood wiss ('' Vitis tiliifolia'')
raw moon (''Trophis racemosa
''Trophis racemosa'', commonly named white ramoon, is a species of plant of the fig
The fig is the edible fruit of ''Ficus carica'', a species of small tree in the flowering plant family Moraceae. Native to the Mediterranean and western Asia, ...
'')
medina (''Alysicarpus vaginalis
''Alysicarpus vaginalis'' is a species of flowering plant in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is native to parts of Africa and Asia, and it has been introduced to other continents, such as Australia and the Americas. It is cultivated as a fodder ...
'')
coconut root (''Cocos nucifera
The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family (Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or the f ...
'')
mint (''Mentha
''Mentha'' (also known as mint, from Greek , Linear B ''mi-ta'') is a genus of plants in the family Lamiaceae (mint family). The exact distinction between species is unclear; it is estimated that 13 to 24 species exist. Hybridization occurs nat ...
sp.'')
cola bark (''Cola
Cola is a carbonated soft drink flavored with vanilla, cinnamon, citrus oils and other flavorings. Cola became popular worldwide after the American pharmacist John Stith Pemberton invented Coca-Cola, a trademarked brand, in 1886, which was imi ...
'')
strongback or strongbark
''Bourreria ovata''
chew stick ('' Gouania lupuloides'')
cherry bark (''Vanilla claviculata
Vanilla is a spice derived from orchids of the genus ''Vanilla (genus), Vanilla'', primarily obtained from pods of the Mexican species, flat-leaved vanilla (''Vanilla planifolia, V. planifolia'').
Pollination is required to make the p ...
'')
giant wisp (''Brosimum alicastrum
''Brosimum alicastrum'', commonly known as the breadnut or ramon, is a tree species in the family Moraceae of flowering plants, whose other genera include figs and mulberries. The plant is known by a range of names in indigenous Mesoamerica ...
'')
poor-man-friend
''Stylosanthes viscosa''
man back (''Desmodium incanum
:''The ''Desmodium incanum'' of many older sources is actually '' Desmodium laxiflorum''; see below.''
''Desmodium incanum'', also known as creeping beggarweed, Spanish clover, Spanish tick-trefoil or hitchhikers is a perennial plant native to C ...
'')
blood wisp (''Iresine diffusa
''Iresine diffusa'', or Juba's bush, is a species of plant in the family Amaranthaceae
Amaranthaceae is a family of flowering plants commonly known as the amaranth family, in reference to its type genus ''Amaranthus''. It includes the former ...
'')
sassafras (''Sassafras albidum
''Sassafras albidum'' (sassafras, white sassafras, red sassafras, or silky sassafras) is a species of ''Sassafras'' native to eastern North America, from southern Maine and southern Ontario west to Iowa, and south to central Florida and eastern T ...
'')
hops (''Humulus lupulus
''Humulus lupulus'', the common hop or hops, is a species of flowering plant in the hemp family Cannabinaceae, native to Europe, western Asia and North America. It is a perennial, herbaceous climbing plant which sends up new shoots in early s ...
'')
nerve wisp
''Drymaria cordata''
See also
* Jamaican cuisine
Jamaican cuisine includes a mixture of cooking techniques, flavours and spices influenced by Amerindian, African, Irish, English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Indian, Chinese and Middle Eastern people who have inhabited the island. It is also ...
* List of Jamaican dishes
This is a list of Jamaican dishes and foods. Jamaican cuisine includes a mixture of cooking techniques, flavors, spices and influences from the indigenous people on the island of Jamaica, and the Africans who have inhabited the island. It is also ...
* Baba Roots Baba Roots is a herbal drink popular among young people in Jamaica. The drink was founded by entrepreneur William Webb. The manufacturer sponsors events featuring dancehall music, and several Deejay (Jamaican), deejays have promoted the drink. It is ...
References
Jamaican cuisine
Alcoholic drinks
{{Jamaica-cuisine-stub