Bringing friends and loved ones together for fall get-togethers can be a classy affair, especially when you include unusual recipes and gorgeous displays of flowers. The floral experts at Kitty’s Flowers suggest serving drinks infused with edible flowers along with a fabulous centerpiece that compliments your menu.
A centerpiece in varying shades of pink, from the most delicate to the deepest hues, is a natural pairing with our hibiscus tea recipe. Kim’s Favorite, a wooden container bursting with hydrangea, orchids, lilies, roses, and seeded eucalyptus, is the ideal arrangement to compliment this drink.
Delight your guests with this easy-to-create Agua de Jamaica, a hibiscus tea recipe:
INGREDIENTS
- 2 quarts water
- 3/4 to 1 cup sugar (depending on how sweet you would like it to be)
- 1 cup dried hibiscus flowers
- 1/2 cinnamon stick (optional)
- A few thin slices ginger (optional)
- Allspice berries (optional)
- Lime juice (optional)
- Orange or lime slices for garnish
METHOD
1 Boil water with sugar and spices: Put 4 cups of the water and the sugar in a medium saucepan. Add cinnamon, ginger slices, and/or a few allspice berries if you would like. Heat until boiling and the sugar has dissolved.
2 Steep with dried hibiscus flowers: Remove from heat. Stir in the dried hibiscus flowers. Cover and let sit for 20 minutes.
3 Strain: Strain into a pitcher and discard the used hibiscus flowers, ginger, cinnamon, and/or allspice berries.
(At this point you can store ahead the concentrate, chilled, until ready to make the drink.)
4 Add water: Add remaining 4 cups of water (or if you want to chill the drink quickly, ice and water) to the concentrate, and chill.
Alternatively you can add ice and chilled soda water for a bubbly version.
Add a little lime juice for a more punch-like flavor.
Serve over ice with a slice of orange or lime.
Light and refreshing, this taste of the tropics will be an excellent farewell to summer. Tell the floral artisans at Kitty’s Flowers about your favorite recipes with edible flowers!
