Marcella was a fun grownup. She lived in an apartment complex in our town with a pool (!), and would invite all her nephew's friends over to play in the pool with him on hot summer days. My son and daughter were always welcomed with enthusiastic open arms.

I didn’t know Marcella well myself, but I’m betting she was a tomboy as a kid. She seemed kind of scrappy, up for rough-and-tumble fun, ready to mix it up. Not one for sitting on the sidelines. She wanted to be right in it, having a good time, with gusto.

When my kids would go to Marcella’s, I found myself too awkwardly focused on the mom-ish etiquette questions of the whole thing. Did they behave? Are you sure they’re not an intrusion? Wait - you ordered pizza? And Doritos? I didn’t send any money with them. How much do I owe you? Should I send money next time? (But then will it seem like I expect you to feed them…?)

Marcella didn’t have time or patience for any of that foolishness. She would just laugh and tell me not to worry. They were all having fun. That was what mattered.

And of course she was right. Friendship and fun. Kindness and love. That’s what matters.

Marcella deCaires passed away on March 29, 2020 of Covid-19. She leaves behind nieces, nephews, brothers, sisters and many, many more family and friends who will miss her dearly.

Guyanese Food

Marcella was originally from Guyana, on the north coast of South America. Her niece Bonu tells me she loved Pepperpot, a Guyanese food with a rich history. I’ve never had it but it seems like an intensely delicious, slowly simmered stew of pork, beef or other meats, in a sweet broth heavily spiced with hot peppers, cinnamon, cloves and orange peel.

She also loved Sorrel, a sweet hibiscus drink common throughout the Caribbean, and served cold. Sorrel is the word used for hibiscus in that area (both the drink and the flowers are called sorrel), and the drink is also infused with spices such as cloves and allspice.

I don’t have a recipe for either of these on the website (yet?), but I can’t tell you how many Caribbean and Guyanese friends love our Hibiscus-Spiced Apple Cider in cold weather. They always say it reminds them of a hot version of sorrel (the drink). So I’ll share the recipe below. I hope that would make Marcella smile as much as the pizza and Doritos made my kids smile. Thank you, Marcella.

Hibiscus Mulled Cider Recipe:

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