I prefer my teas iced. No burning liquid to sear the taste buds, thank you. I like to savor the taste of my tea, and the same goes for coffee. Hibiscus tea is apparently enjoyed on nearly every continent, which makes me wonder why it took me this long to make it. The process is simple. The first step is to find the hibiscus flowers. (My online research reveals these are not the true flowers, but I'm putting technicalities aside for now.)
You can look for hibiscus flowers at a specialty food store. They're available on Amazon for $5.99. But the easiest and maybe cheapest option is to stop by a Mexican grocery or convenience store. In Spanish, hibiscus is "jamaica" (ha-MY-kah), and instead of iced tea, ask for agua de jamaica. I found this bag hanging over the produce section at a store down the block. It cost $2.991.99 (whoops, typo).
HIBISCUS ICED TEA WITH GINGER AND LEMON
Inspired by 101 Cookbooks
This is a mellow tea that you can enjoy at any time of day. As someone who doesn't care for floral teas, I like the tart flavor of the hibiscus flower. Some say it tastes like cranberry, which is fitting. Agave nectar adds a subtle sweetness that's not cloying. Ginger and lemon are detectable but not overwhelming.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup dried hibiscus flowers
Approx. 1 tbsp. fresh sliced ginger
Peel of 1 lemon
5 tbsp. light agave nectar
2-3 cups of cool water
How-To:
- Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium sized pot.
- Add the hibiscus flowers, ginger, and lemon to the pot.
- Turn off the heat and let the ingredients steep for 10 minutes. Taste and steep longer, if desired.
- Strain the liquid into a glass carafe. Add the agave nectar and stir until dissolved.
- Add 2-3 cups of cool water, tasting as you go along to know when the tea is the desired strength.
