Drinks made from the hibiscus flower (or flor de Jamaica as it’s know in Latin America) refresh people in Latin America, North Africa, the Carribbean and parts of Asia, but about the only version common in North America is Red Zinger herbal tea. Nothing wrong with that, of course, but this drink has a deep, sweet-tart flavor that’s a lot more exciting.
To make it, you’ll need to make up a batch of hibiscus syrup in advance, but it’s worth the small effort, and it’s a nice thing to have on hand. You can add it to tequila, rum or vodka to make delicious summer drinks. Or just mix it with sparkling water and lime for a refreshing mocktail for the kids or designated drivers.
My favorite version is to mix the syrup in equal parts with a good silver tequila and then add the juice of a half a lime and a good splash of soda. You should play with the proportions, though, to find the right sweet-tart balance for you.
Hibiscus flowers are inexpensive and easy to find at Latin American groceries or online.
Recipe
For one drink:
3 oz hibiscus syrup (see below)
3 oz tequila (optional)
juice of 1/2 lime
about 3 oz soda (or 6oz if you’re making a mocktail)
Pour all ingredients over ice and stir. Garnish with a slice of lime.
For the hibiscus syrup:
4 cups (1l) water
2 cups sugar
2 cups dried hibiscus flowers
Put all the ingredients into a medium saucepan and stir. Simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes, then turn off the heat and let it steep for at least two hours. Strain the flowers out of the now beautifully dark purple syrup and discard them. The syrup will keep in the fridge for at least a week.
