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Is this going to be the 'next big thing' as the press release would have us beleive? It is a Hibiscus drink made from pressed hibiscus flowers.
The drink is entirely natural and caffeine-free, with a colour of the original flowers - a gorgeous ruby red. Hibiscus is also known as Indian sorrel, Rosella or Florida cranberry and contains powerful anti-oxidants believed to have positive health benefits. It can be drunk cold (refreshing) or hot as an non-alcoholic alternative to red wine. While the manufacturers stress its versitility in various cocktails.
Available in the UK in delis and on line where 24 250ml bottles can be brought for £8.99 or 4 750ml botles for £6.99.
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7-18-2006 @4:30PM Ed said... How is this different from jamaica, the agua fresca available in almost any good mexican restaurant?
It's a sweetened chilled hibiscus tea. Seems pretty similar.
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7-18-2006 @4:31PM SC said... Agua de jamaica, which is the same thing except sweetened, is available at every decent Mexican place. You can even get jamaica-flavored Tang at latino groceries!
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7-18-2006 @5:09PM Lucito said... I agree. This definitely sounds like 'agua de jamaica' which is essentially a cold, sweetened, tea made from hibiscus flowers or jamaica. It is omnipresent here in Mexico and it is also said to be a great diuretic. It can be made like a regular tea, by steeping the dried flowers in hot water, then sweetened and chilled. Some people boil the flowers too, to increase extraction. My wife prefers just soaking the flowers in room temperature water for most of a day. A lot less effort and easier to prepare, and just as nice tasting. It is a great tasting and thirst quenching drink that most Mexican families, most restaurants and street vendors always have on hand.
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7-18-2006 @8:12PM Andrew said... We dont have many proper Mexican places in the UK (I know of just one actually) and I have never heard of the tea to which you refer. Interesting...
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7-18-2006 @10:17PM cybele said... Hibiscus has been sold in the mainstream for at least 25 years here in the States as Red Zinger tea by Celestial Seasonings. Far cheaper than this bottled stuff and you get to control how strong you like it.
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7-19-2006 @8:27AM Laura said... I was just going to mention the Red Zinger, but cybele beat me to it!
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7-19-2006 @9:43AM shelley said... "Hibiscus drink" is better known as sorrel all over the english speaking Caribbean where it is made in nearly every home around Christmas or other special occassions. You can pick up the dried flower in nearly any Caribbean grocery store or a really good health food store and make it yourself. Make a concentrate by steeping a large handful of the flowers in hot water with some whole cloves and cinnamon overnight. Some people add fresh ginger (I don't). Strain, add water (or seltzer if you're being fancy) and sweeten. This is far far better than anything you can get commercially. This drink has been around for hundreds of years, its just that the British found a nice way of packaging it.
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7-19-2006 @9:52AM Lucito said... Andrew,
Agua de jamaica is one of the favorites daily drinks here in Mexico. People think that tequila or beer would be considered that, but the various 'agua frescas' are vastly more popular as they are consumed with most meals. Jamaica is different because it is really a tea, but most aqua fresca are made with fresh fruits that are blended and/or pressed, then filtered and diluted. It can be made with piña (pineapple), guyaba, sandia (watermelon), tamarindo, and almost any fruit you can think of. Think of it as sweetened diluted fruit juice. Another favorite drink is agua de horchata which is mostly rice water, but I am not too crazy about it. If you like fruit juices, the agua frescas can be a bit disappointing, as they feel diluted, but the jamaica is in a class apart as it very refreshing and great tasting.
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7-19-2006 @1:02PM Lisa said... Thanks for reminding me that I just ran out of hibiscus flowers for iced tea and need to get more. It's the perfect summer drink. I usually make a strong infusion, then strain and sweeten with honey before refrigerating. Then you can dilute it with water or pour it over ice.
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8-01-2006 @11:56AM MJ said... Sounds refreshing. I have ahad the tea hot and cold and that was wonderful cant wait to get this one! Cheers!!
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