Layer the roselles in a large, clean glass jar, using about 2-3 tablespoons of sugar for each cup of roselles. Shake the jar and set it on a spot on your kitchen counter that’s out of direct sunlight.

Shake the jar daily to distribute the sugars and later the syrup that starts to emerge. After 2-3 days, the calyces should have collapsed considerably. Fill the jar with water to barely the same level as the calyces. Less is also ok. Re-cap and leave back on the counter.

At this point you don’t have to mix daily, but keep an eye on the jar and burp it if you feel the need. You can add a tablespoon of sugar every other day or so if you don’t see enough bubbling or signs of fermentation.

In about a week to 10 days, the liquid should have turned a vivid red. Now strain the liquid—taste it, it should be tart and not overly sweet—and transfer to a clean swing-top bottle. Do not fill the bottle right to the top; use two bottles filled halfway if you must, though with this recipe you will likely have only a single half bottle anyway. (Save the mushy calyces to make jam or puree and use in place of rhubarb in a cake.)

Leave this bottle out, undisturbed, for another week or so. How fast it fizzes up now depends on ambient temperatures where you are; it took me about 5-6 days to get the proper pop and fizz that you see. Shaking the bottle ever-so-gently should bring forth bubbles—that’s a good sign. Don’t test by burping or opening or you’ll lose the fizz each time and will have to double your wait-time for it to re-fizz.

A day ahead of when you want to “uncork” your roselle figlia fiore, refrigerate it. Be sure not to disturb the bottle too much before you open it!