Wild Hibiscus Flowers in syrup: found at my local Central Market, sold out at Market Street, and not found at Whole Foods. Yet. Or maybe that's just the ones near me. Anyway, they have a raspberry/fruity flavor and are edible. This is the prettiest cocktail I've ever seen!
Blooming Flower Champagne Cocktail (makes one, but the flower can be used twice):
- In a champagne flute, drop one flower and a few drops of syrup into the bottom of the glass, making sure that the petals are facing up.
- Slowly pour the champagne into the flute, making sure you don't knock over the flower.
- The flower "blooms" and lightly flavors the champagne! (I'm guessing it's like Chambord, which I love.)
- You can refill the glass and not replace the flower, or you can om nom the flower and make another from the ground up.
Yes, please!
To make it a Royale, muddle a few mint leaves in the bottom (I'd personally rub the inside rim, but hey, I'm crazy like that) and then discard the mint. Add the flower and syrup but also add a splash of rose water. Pour champagne and there you have it - rose-mint along with the hibiscus! It's apparently the most popular cocktail at the Dorchester Hotel in London.
Wild Hibiscus Mojito (makes two):
3 oz white rum
1 oz fresh lime juice
1 ½ oz Wild Hibiscus Syrup
2 chopped Wild Hibiscus Flowers
2 halved lime wheels
2 Stems mint
Soda water
- Fill a high ball glass with crushed ice
- Muddle in 1-2 stems of mint, lime wheels and chopped Hibiscus
- Add Rum, syrup & lime juice to shaker with ice shake for 10 seconds & strain ½ into the glass
- Top with soda water
- Garnish with mint tip
OKAY. I would like those, yes, thank you.
More cocktails to use up your hibiscus flowers can be found here.
Now I've got to decide if I want to make gray coconut to properly reproduce Charlie the Unicorn, or just let him be white. I don't want it to be unappetizing, you know... Gray cake? Blergh.