Post #288591 by KuKuAhu on Tue, Feb 27, 2007 6:26 PM

Using tea is sort of a hot trend right now... or so I have read. Sounds like an interesting drink.

You might try this as well:

Hibiscus liqueur and syrup

1 cup dried hibiscus flowers (available at many health food stores, some grocers, and bulk tea shops)

2/3 of a bottle of white rum (approximate.. just drink some of it til it looks right)

1 cup of water

1 pound of sugar

Heat one cup of the rum gently in a pot on the stove. Just to a simmer. Toss in the flowers, stir, and turn off the heat.

Pour through cheesecloth and then squeeze to reserve the liquid.

Add this to the remainder of the rum.

Now put the flowers back in the pot and add the water.

Repeat the same procedure to extract the liquid.

Put this liquid back into the empty pot, and add the sugar.

Heat and stir until disolved, and then stop stiring, put a lid on it, and remove from the heat. Leave it be for around 5 minutes.

Now, fill the rum bottle to the top with the syrup and shake it. This is your hibiscus liqueur. Try it with soda and lemon. Or use it anywhere really. It works well in lots of experimental tropical drinks.

Any small remainder of the liquid is of course hibiscus syrup. Use it as if it were grenadine. Nice for dripping onto the top of a blended drink, or for spooning into the bottom of a cocktail in a clear glass. Try using it in a drink with vanilla rum.

"blended"... that always sounds odd to me. Any drink whirled in a blender should be a "blent" drink. Sounds better anyway.

Never mind.

Ahu