West Africa · Drink
Bissap (Spiced Hibiscus Flower Drink)
A deeply ruby-red, tart hibiscus infusion perfumed with fresh mint, crushed ginger, and aromatic orange blossom water, served chilled over ice.
The story
Prepared across Togo from maritime Lomé to the northern savanna, Bissap is the quintessential welcome drink for communal festivities and Sunday family gatherings. It features dried calyces of Hibiscus sabdariffa simmered with ginger rhizomes, mint, and citrus peel. A technical secret of Togolese market vendors is steeping sweet pineapple peelings alongside the calyces, which naturally balances the hibiscus's sharp malic acidity with tropical fruity esters before sweetening.
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