Subj : Agua de Jamaica To : All From : Ben Collver Date : Wed Dec 27 2023 13:15:26 MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06 Title: Agua De Jamaica (Hibiscus Cooler) Categories: Beverages, Mexican Yield: 1 Quart 1 c Dried hibiscus flowers 4 c Water 1/3 c Sugar; or more if needed Rinse the flowers in cold water and drain thoroughly. Put them in a saucepan, cover with water, and let steep for at least 4 hours or overnight. I like to soak the flowers overnight, as is traditional in my family, because I feel this extracts more of the subtle, tart, berrylike flavor. Once you're done, instead of discarding the hibiscus flowers, save them to snack on. They'll be a little sweet, and I think they're delicious. Just be sure to keep them refrigerated. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the sguar and continue to cook, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved. Let cool to room temperature. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher, pressing the solids with the back of a wooden spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Ad water to bring the volume up to 4 cups. If the flavor is too intense, add more water as needed. You can also add a little sugar if you like. Refrigerate until completely chilled. Serve as is or over ice. To make a concentrate: Double the amount of hibiscus, eliminate the sugar, and cook the mixture down until the liquid is reduced to one-third. This will keep for several weeks in the refrigerator. To make a beverage, simply put about 1/4 c of the concentrate in a glass, add about 1 c water, and sweeten with sugar to taste. Feel free to adjust these amounts to fit your taste. Recipe by Fany Gerson MMMMM .