Hibiscus Tea

As many of you know, my mother is from Mexico., and because of this, most of her cooking is influenced by her heritage. The main drink that we always have in our house is Hibiscus Tea. She goes to the local Mexican tienda and buys pounds and pounds of dried hibiscus flowers to make the juice / tea throughout the year. Unfortunately, I am both lazy and unfamiliar with a Mexican tienda in NYC, so I have yet to recreate this drink. However, recently, at the local grocery store, I came across, sachets of hibiscus tea! Yes, more expensive than bulk leaves — but so convenient and easy! I can’t wait to try all the different flavors and make it in NYC!

 

Not only does my mom loves hibiscus tea made from scratch, but she also loves tea. She is a tea snob and knows more about tea than anyone. And apparently, this tea company, Steven Smith Tea Company, is wonderful and she loves it.

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Hibiscus Tea

In order to keep hydrated during these hot summer months, it is important to drink a lot of fluids. It is always a good idea to have some variety in your diet and beverage intake. Although I am good at being creative in the kitchen (although not always successful), I am not great at varying my beverages. My mom, on the other hand, is a pro at creating her own concoctions. Her drinks are out of this world good — totally unique and delicious. She is known for her watermelon juice, limeade, and her hibiscus tea.

Hibiscus

Hibiscus Flower.

Hibiscus is a flower grown in tropical regions, such as Mexico. When dried, one can use it to create a distinct and tasty, tart treat. You can purchase dried hibiscus at most groceries that have international sections. And, obviously, you can even buy it online at amazon.com (because you can buy absolutely everything online at amazon). And did you know that Starbucks now sells a Very Berry Hibiscus Tea?

My mom, a native of Mexico, drank hibiscus tea throughout her childhood and continues to make it on a regular basis. It is easy to make and requires few ingredients. Hibiscus is high in Vitamin C and is good at lowering blood pressure — quite the nutritious value in a simple juice! Caution though, the flower is quite tart and requires a lot of honey to sweeten up the taste….

Ingredients:

Dried flowers

Dried flowers.

* Dried hibiscus

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