Hibiscus Punch

With it's beautifully deep red colour, this punch is refreshingly tart and sweet with a cranberry like flavour. 

Hibiscus Punch (Agua Fresca de Jamaica)

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makes 6 to 12 servings

12 cups (3 quarts) water

1 1/2 cups caster sugar

1 1/2 cups dried Hibiscus flowers

the freshly squeezed juice of 1 lime

In a large stock pot, bring to a boil, over high heat, the water and caster sugar. Remove from heat and add the dried Hibiscus flowers. Let steep for 15 to 20 minutes.

Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a large, non reactive bowl or pitcher. Add the lime juice and let cool. Refrigerate until ready to drink. Serve over ice and garnish with a lime wedge, if you wish. 

Notes: Hibiscus will stain so do not use plasticware. Be sure to use glass or stainless steel. Try adding fresh ginger and or cinnamon sticks while steeping. Replace the fresh lime juice with freshly squeezed orange juice for a different flavour.    

Have a great Halloween and Day of the Dead (Dia de Muertos)  everyone! - JD 

Hibiscus Dry Martini

With many wonderful cocktail syrups out there, this hibiscus syrup was begging to be tried and it made a beautiful cocktail.  

Hibiscus Dry Martini

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Makes 2 cocktails

5 oz gin

2 oz dry vermouth

1/2 oz Hibiscus syrup 

Place all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake. Strain into a cocktail glasses. Enjoy!

Notes: may be garnish with an edible flower or an orange peel. 

Have a great weekend everyone! - JD

Food Photo of the Day ~ Lemon Shortbread with Vanilla Sugar and Hibiscus Flowers

These lemon shortbread are divine. Gilded with vanilla sugar and dried hibiscus flowers on top these biscuits are bursting with lemon flavour. 

Make whatever shortbread recipe you like except add lemon extract to the butter and add the grated rind of 1 lemon to the dry ingredients. Add the butter to the dry ingredients. When dough has been shaped and flatten; sprinkle with vanilla sugar then the dried hibiscus flowers before baking. Enjoy because these will disappear fast!

I have made my infamous chocolate and chili shortbread which disappears fast too!  

Almost one week before Christmas so we are trying to accomplish many things. Baking and preparing are the priority. Which leads me to this quote... 

The colder temperatures are hanging on. Stay warm and have a great weekend everyone!  - JD 

Hibiscus Soda

I never heard of hibiscus soda until cruising the aisles at the one of the local organic grocery shops. I have drank hibiscus tea so I thought I would give this soda a try. It is quite tart, which I enjoyed immensely, refreshing and we all thought it had a cream soda like taste. It is low in sugar only 14 grams unlike other sodas and juice which can run anywhere from 25 grams up to 43 grams. Hibiscus soda is great on it's own or you could add a bit of gin for a lovely summer cocktail. 

Have a great weekend everyone! - JD