Agua de Jamaica
As many of you know, David and I got married 👰🤵 in January this year in Mexico. With our lovely friends, we had a spectacular day; a private villa, ceremony on the sand, open bar, dinner outside under the palm trees facing the ocean, amazing food & service, a nice selection of wines 🍷, a beautiful wedding cake, fireworks ✨ (twice… cold fireworks for our first dance and later on big ones on the beach), a dance floor that looked like a Rubik’s cube with all its colors, great music, games and more food later on that night. It was magical! I couldn’t imagine a more perfect wedding even in my dreams… thanks to our dear friend and event planner Kelley.
The first two weeks when our guests were arriving, going out for dinner every night, getting ready for the wedding, was a total blur for David and I. When the dust finally settled after the wedding, we slowly started relaxing. There were two activities I really wanted to do; swimming with the dolphins and taking a cooking class 👩🍳👨🍳.
The dolphins were incredible! We, the newlyweds, had such an amazing time with these adorable creatures 🐬. They are so playful and gentle… what a great experience! The cooking class was also very nice. I went there with our friend Monique. We learned how to make Mole Poblano which I will share with you sometime soon and also this recipe… Agua de Jamaica aka Rosa de Jamaica or Agua de flor de Jamaica!
This delicious beverage wasn’t on the “cooking program” but I couldn’t resist asking our instructor how to make it as it was so refreshing! He served it after we were done making the mole. This beverage has a dark ruby red color that’s so flavorful! If I could give an example of what Agua de Jamaica tastes like, I would say that it’s slightly tart… like a mix of cranberry and pomegranate juice.
This is made with dried Hibiscus flowers 🌺 that you can find at the bulk section of your grocery store otherwise on line. This “agua fresca” is so inexpensive and can be enjoyed not only cold but also hot. This is a popular beverage in other countries besides Mexico like Egypt, Trinidad and Tobago, Panama, Thailand, and many more.
There’s one thing I would like to highlight. My measurements are not firm when it comes to sugar because it all depends on how sweet or tart you prefer yours. I like it slightly on the sour side while David prefers it sweeter.
Besides Lemon Iced Tea, Homemade Lemonade and Vietnamese Iced Coffee, this Agua de Jamaica is definitely the perfect summer beverage to quench your thirst! If you want to take it a step further, adding a little rum can turn it into an original cocktail. You can also use it to make a fruit punch which makes it quite different from others…
Cheers! 🧉
Here are some great alcohol-free beverage recipes for you to enjoy… 😀
– Berry Fusion Smoothie
– Strawberry Milkshake
– Garden Vegetable Juice
– Indian Masala Chai
– Homemade Holiday Eggnog
– Green Smoothie
and for even more great alcohol-free beverage, smoothie and cocktail recipes, click on this link… Recipe Category • Beverages
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Agua de Jamaica
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Ingredients
- 4 cups dried Hibiscus flowers aka Flor de Jamaica
- 4 cups water, for steeping
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar (substitute agave nectar), or to taste Footnote
- 4 cups cold distilled water
Directions
- In a large pot, pour in 4 cups water and add hibiscus flowers. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover and let it steep for 30 minutes.
- Strain the mixture into a fine sieve over a large bowl or measuring cup; discard the flowers.
- Add sugar to concentrate Agua de Jamaica and stir well before adding 4 cups cold distilled water. Stir well again, taste and adjust if necessary. Transfer to the fridge to chill, about 4 hours.
- Pour Agua de Jamaica in a tall glass over ice cubes.
Notes
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