It’s roselle season in Houston. Scientifically known as Hibiscus sabdariffa, roselle is as beautiful as it is flavorful. Last winter’s freeze claimed the giant roselle bush in my backyard, but ...

Hibiscus sabdariffa, used in hibiscus tea and an increasing number of foods and drinks, is also the primary ingredient for sorrel, a holiday drink in Jamaica and elsewhere in the Caribbean. Shown here ...

Carrie Shawala still remembers the response when friends would join her family for dinner. “Their mouths would drop literally to the floor and they would ask ‘Why do you have so much food?'” she said.