begin when the first birds of morning are lifting the roof of dawn...
bringing two cups of pure water to a passionate boil.
turn off heat and immediately allow 1 3/4 cup of
dried hibiscus flowers to fall gently from your grateful hands.
use a favorite wooden spoon to gently submerge the floating flowers,
cover and infuse for twenty minutes while you
walk barefoot in the garden.
in a separate large pot add your sweetener...
i love the smokey tangyness of these garnet petals so use less than 1/2 cup of
blue agave nectar.
(traditionally 1 cup sweetener would be added,
adjust to your taste
you could also use honey or sugar)
place a strainer across the mouth of your large pot.
simply pour your jamaica infused water into the strainer
catching all the flowers and mixing the bright cranberry liquid with the sweetener
waiting below.
now boil four cups of water, once boiling pour slowly over the flowers
that are gleaming
in the strainer to release more flavor.
repeat once more with two final cups of boiling water.
use your wooden spoon to press any remaining garnet flavored
liquid from the flowers.
place the spent flowers in your compost grateful for their bright gift.
stir to mix and allow this jubilant refresco to cool.
place in a favorite pitcher, preferably transparent
so the intensity of colour shines through.
serve in large glasses over a generous stack of ice,
return to the garden with family and friends
who will smile with each delicious sip of
Agua de Jamaica!
send your guests home with handfuls of dried jamaica flowers
so this ancient mexican ritual of
summer refreshment is passed garden to garden,
friend to friend, all summer long.
saludos!
Oh my goodness that's wonderful. Yes I think I will go to my Mexican store and look for the flowers. Excellent. As I was sitting here, I saw the vibrant reds and then it dawned on me that I had strawberries on the stove for jam and had forgotten about them. Thanks, you saved them.:)) Oh I haven't done Ruby Tuesday for a while, maybe I'll do my strawberries if I have time. Great post and beautiful photos as always. Have a great day.
Posted by: gloria | June 28, 2011 at 07:55 AM
Those flowers produce such a beautiful shade of ruby red! Love your shots too; they are very artsy - could be in a food and bev mag! Enjoy the day.
Posted by: Linnea | June 28, 2011 at 08:06 AM
Ooooh, hibiscus ice tea in the garden with you and Steph sounds dreamy.
Posted by: Jenny | June 28, 2011 at 08:07 AM
oh my God...we drink this nectar every day...agave,fresh lime juice, maybe some fresh torn basil leaves too! This is a gorgeous post...thank you for something so delicious...and Stephs photos are gorgeous! We also make Happy Belly Tea during Antique Festival and it is our concoction of Hibiscus Tea and lemonade!! Oh yes.....sweet, happy bellies!
Posted by: deb taylor | June 28, 2011 at 08:31 AM
Such a wonderful and magical brew. I feel like I'm there with you instead of overcast wa. But it is beautiful and my sis is fine.
Posted by: Fran aka redondowriter | June 28, 2011 at 09:08 AM
Oh my. Oh yes. I must.
Posted by: Ms. Moon | June 28, 2011 at 09:41 AM
Sounds and smells delicious. I've never tried drinking flowers but I'd love to try. Thanks for the recipe.
Happy RT!
Mine's here.
Posted by: Maria @ LSS | June 28, 2011 at 09:58 AM
Mmmm I am getting on a plane now! This is an amazing drink. I love the ritual of making it and that colour! I wonder where on earth I would get hibiscus flowers but still I can dream! Thank you for inviting me Rebecca!
Posted by: Sarah | June 28, 2011 at 09:59 AM
I am happy to say that even way up here near the Canadian border, we have Mexican stores too! I will ask about hibiscus flowers - I love red zinger tea, which has hibiscus in it. I love the tang of it :)
Thank you for sharing! Kimmie
Posted by: Kim A. | June 28, 2011 at 10:33 AM
This sounds wonderful. I also use the Agave nectar in my strawberry,lime and basil smoothies. Will look for dried hibiscus flowers and try your garden ritual perhaps on a moonlit evening as it is too HOT during the day.
<3
Posted by: gemma | June 28, 2011 at 11:46 AM
what a lovely and delightful tea post...thank you for taking us along barefoot in the grass even :)
Happy Days to you
oxo
Posted by: ~*~Patty | June 28, 2011 at 01:40 PM
That sounds delicious and looks amazing! I love visiting Kimmie for tea on Tuesdays and will do so here as well!
Posted by: Elizabeth | June 28, 2011 at 11:10 PM
Hi Rebecca, thank you for your friendly visit! Ooohhh, I love the look of your delicious tea!! So refreshing and delightful! Makes me feel happy! I hope you enjoyed every sip of it! Love Wini xo
Posted by: wini | June 29, 2011 at 04:40 AM
wow, that looks amazing! cin-cin :)
Posted by: sperlygirl | June 29, 2011 at 05:51 AM
Jenny...it WAS dreamy!
Thank you Rebecca for your huge and generous heart!! I look forward to brewing up a batch and bringing back the sweetness of our visit!!!
x..x
steph
Posted by: Stephanie | June 29, 2011 at 03:28 PM
Agua de Jamaica! that and homemade Horchata are my summer favorite drinks. Barely again among the living I could use some right now to chase the remnants of this darn migraine away. We are back and my new laptop is sort of behaving, but I am going back to bed now.
Much love as always.
Posted by: Allegra | June 29, 2011 at 03:39 PM
I love hibiscus tea..it is one of my son's favorites also. Not only does it taste wonderful...I love agave syrup in it...it looks so beautiful! I admit I use commercial preparations and had no idea I could make tea from actual dried hibiscus....where would one get the good stuff?
Posted by: Kathleen | June 29, 2011 at 06:48 PM
Rebecca,
I've long believed that you make the best jamaica on the planet! Your loving rendition now makes it possible for others to share in this true joy. I absolutely adore your beautiful post today, honoring the sacred and reverent hibiscus.
Posted by: Dawn Elliott | June 30, 2011 at 06:38 AM
this is a delicious post. in many ways. the color is divine. thanks for sharing your joy, it has lifted me up this morning.
Posted by: Ms. Becky | June 30, 2011 at 07:14 AM
Oh, what a beautiful ritual and result. The slowness of it, the garden strolls in between, the light filtering through that garnet color...magic. If only the flowery treasures were more abundant here so far north from you. Thank you for the visual joy, Beautiful One !
oxoxo
Posted by: Kim Mailhot | June 30, 2011 at 07:33 AM
ahhhh, the JOY
and more JOY posted of you...
x..x
Posted by: Stephanie | June 30, 2011 at 07:36 AM
I never drank flowers... (or does tea count?) but it looks beautiful and delicious! What a JOY I find here today!
Posted by: Marit | June 30, 2011 at 08:26 AM
Wonderful colors and looks so cooling. Thank you!
Posted by: Cathy | June 30, 2011 at 10:40 AM
I have a bag of hibiscus flowers for tea, but didn't know how to make it so I'm not only joyful, I'm grateful!
Posted by: Meri @ Meri's Musings | June 30, 2011 at 10:48 AM
Yummy Rebecca!!!!
xox
Constance
Posted by: rochambeau | June 30, 2011 at 05:33 PM
I bought some this morning at the mercado in Zacatecas! :-)
Posted by: Magical Mystical Teacher | June 30, 2011 at 05:57 PM
This looks great rebecca. When I am home, I will try it. You make it sound like an art as much as a cool summer drink. Lovely.
xoxo,
Noelle
Posted by: Noelle | June 30, 2011 at 07:40 PM
I haven't stopped in for a while, and this post is lovely in so many ways. Oh, the colour! Thank you Rebecca.
Posted by: Mary | June 30, 2011 at 08:27 PM
Garnet hibiscus herbal tea with blue agave nectar! Sipping it in the ladybug garden! The poetry of preparing food as in Like Water for Chocolate. JOYful bliss, Rebecca!
Posted by: Margaret | June 30, 2011 at 08:45 PM
Oh wow! The pistil sticking above the edge of the glass is a lovely detail. I have to google agave nectar. It's new to me; sounds interestingly sweet :) Thanks Rebecca for sharing this post. It's beautiful!
Posted by: Hazel | March 02, 2013 at 04:27 AM