Agua de Jamaica
 

Dried hibiscus flower drink
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hibiscus_tea

I love this stuff. It can be drunk, hot or cold. It's even been known
to be mixed with libations, or so I've heard.
For a flavor twist add a little piece of cinnamon stick.

Dried hibiscus flowers can be found at a Mexican market or online. I
happen to have a nice little stash of them.
http://i36.tinypic.com/9iv57t.jpg
http://i34.tinypic.com/sqi4cl.jpg

For every cup of flowers I use two cups of water.
Bring to a boil. Take off the heat and steep for an hour covered.
Strain through a sieve pressing on the flowers to extract all the
juices.
http://i35.tinypic.com/wsjq5i.jpg

This is where personal taste comes in. Since it is a little tart, some
say it's reminiscent of cranberry juice, (I think it's way better)
water and sugar are added according to personal taste.

I like it a little on the tart side so I add just a little more water.
But I like it on the sweet side so I taste and add, taste and add.
It's as personal as you are.
http://i37.tinypic.com/2ly4we9.jpg

Now, what was that I heard about libations?
http://i34.tinypic.com/v650n5.jpg

And that's that.

koko
--

There is no love more sincere than the love of food
George Bernard Shaw
www.kokoscorner.typepad.com
updated 10/27

Agua de Jamaica
 

On Oct 29, 6:30*pm, koko > wrote:
> Dried hibiscus flower drinkhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hibiscus_tea
>
> I love this stuff. It can be drunk, hot or cold. It's even been known
> to be mixed with libations, or so I've heard.
> For a flavor twist add a little piece of cinnamon stick.
>
> Dried hibiscus flowers can be found at a Mexican market or online. I
> happen to have a nice little stash of them.http://i36.tinypic.com/9iv57t.jpghtt...com/sqi4cl.jpg
>
> For every cup of flowers I use two cups of water.
> Bring to a boil. Take off the heat and steep for an hour covered.
> Strain through a sieve pressing on the flowers to extract all the
> juices.http://i35.tinypic.com/wsjq5i.jpg
>
> This is where personal taste comes in. Since it is a little tart, some
> say it's reminiscent of cranberry juice, (I think it's way better)
> water and sugar are added according to personal taste.
>
> I like it a little on the tart side so I add just a little more water.
> But I like it on the sweet side so I taste and add, taste and add.
> It's as personal as you are.http://i37.tinypic.com/2ly4we9.jpg
>
> Now, what was that I heard about libations?http://i34.tinypic.com/v650n5.jpg
>
> And that's that.
>
> koko
> --
>
> There is no love more sincere than the love of food
> * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *George Bernard Shawwww.kokoscorner.typepad.com
> updated 10/27

I've found that making a jug of simple syrup works better than just
pouring in the sugar.

Harriet & critters in Azusa

Agua de Jamaica
 

On Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:30:45 -0700, koko > wrote:

>Now, what was that I heard about libations?
>http://i34.tinypic.com/v650n5.jpg

OK, it looks FABULOUS!

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

Agua de Jamaica
 

On Fri, 30 Oct 2009 04:02:26 -0500, Kathleen
> wrote:

>Wow, now I have a craving for Celestial Aeasonings "Red Zinger" herbal
>tea. I used to drink it all the time and IIRC, it was mostly hibiscus.

LOL! You're dating yourself now. I haven't thought about Red Zinger
in years/decades.

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

Agua de Jamaica
 

On Thu, 29 Oct 2009 21:27:59 -0700, sf > wrote:

>On Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:30:45 -0700, koko > wrote:
>
>>Now, what was that I heard about libations?
>>http://i34.tinypic.com/v650n5.jpg
>
>OK, it looks FABULOUS!

Thanks sf, it's pretty darned tasty.

koko
--

There is no love more sincere than the love of food
George Bernard Shaw
www.kokoscorner.typepad.com
updated 10/27

Agua de Jamaica
 

On Fri, 30 Oct 2009 04:02:26 -0500, Kathleen
> wrote:

>koko wrote:
>> Dried hibiscus flower drink
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hibiscus_tea

snippage

>
>Wow, now I have a craving for Celestial Aeasonings "Red Zinger" herbal
>tea. I used to drink it all the time and IIRC, it was mostly hibiscus.
>
>I taught kindergarten earlier this week and had a sports bottle of iced
>plum-flavored white tea with me. One of the kids asked me what it was
>and I told her. Then she wanted to know what it tasted like. I told
>her, well, it's tea, mostly, but it sort of smells/tastes of plums.
>It's not sweet because I don't add sugar. It's maybe a little sour, a
>little bitter.
>
>Her eyes grew round with sympathy and she said, "Is it awful? Only, my
>mom drinks tea and it's awful."

Oh, how cute.
Dang, I used to drink Red Zinger, I liked it a lot.

koko
--

There is no love more sincere than the love of food
George Bernard Shaw
www.kokoscorner.typepad.com
updated 10/27