One Sexy Beverage

I seem to be on a kick of Mexican cuisine the last two weeks.  There is a lot to be learned in this small town.  There are many first generation Mexicans.  Where else would you have that advantage?  Ever lived next door to a first generation Egyptian?  Or African?  Have you ever lived up the road from someone fresh from Denmark?  Yet, we seem to be a little anoyed with Mexican food and culture around here.  I find the tone negative anyway.  Sometimes for some good reasons, there are some real political issues in regard to the country of Mexico.  Still, as a Christian, I have really had a burden to get to know the families around us, right where we are, and part of that is delighting in their culture and the pride they have in it.  Loving people means getting to know who they are.  The politicians may do their thing, and there will always be issues, but we can love the people and learn about them.  I love doing that.  On a culinary level, there is a lot more to them than bean burritos.  

As I mentioned in my last post on Poslole, we went to a celebration for my eldest's 8th grade class.  Around here, that means we were the only Caucasian family there.  Those who were Caucasian just dropped their kids off and left, which I found sad.  We may have not known what a lot of the conversation was but we went up and talked to people who we could talk to and got to know them.  There is so much to learn from eachother!

One thing I learned that evening was about Jamica.  Pronounced Ha-MIKE-ah.  The mom hosting had made a pitcher of this and I thought it was some cheap colored drink full of food coloring.  I graciously tasted it and asked about it.  In her very strong accented Spanish (which I love hearing), She told me it was made from a flower.  I found that very curious.  I had never heard of it.  She warned me it was tart, she was right!  I did not like it much.  It was at room temperature/warm and very sour.  

I did not think much of it after that.  Then, yesterday, when I was in the Mexican isle at Food For Less buying my dried chilies for the soup, I saw this large bin of very dark red dried flowers labled "Jamica".  

 

I immediately knew what they were. I was intrigued.  I stood there in the isle with my iphone and got on Safari looking up "Jamica Tea Recipe".  Gorgeous pictures of iced red beverages kissed with lime wedges popped up on Google.  I clicked and read that it was a simple infusion and sugar was added.  Ah, I think that was what they did not do, add sweetener.  I decided since I was making an authentic Mexican dinner, I would also grab some of these.  I had to ask a Mexican lady in the isle how I bought from the bins.  She graciously showed me the bags and ties and told me how to do it.  See, we can all learn things people lol! 

Well, I made it for everyone but did not remember to sweeten it.  I put out some agave nectar but I don't think anyone used it.  Let's just say, there was a lot left.  I also depended on my Pampered Chef pitcher with the plunger to filter out the flowers and that was not good enough.  Our guests were amused I think with the floating flowers in their drink...ah well.  I was rushed at the end ok!:)

Today however, I took the leftover tea and strained it, added sweetener and lime juice.  Then I poured it over LOTS of ice.  It was fabulous!  (Just google it in images and drool over refreshing red glasses much more glamorous than mine here!) It was still tart but much more enjoyable with a little sweet. I decided to find out more about this flower.  Here is what I learned: 

• It is the Hibiscus flower! Oh, okay, I know what that is!  It is called many things in many different countries.  
• It is VERY good for you! That is when it clicked in my head that this is in a lot of the herbal teas!  It's what turns them red, and gives them high tart levels and vitamin C.  
• It lowers blood pressure.  
• It is a natural diuretic detoxing your body (yippie!)
• It is being used to replace red die in healthy versions of food (trust me, when you make it, you will see why!)
• Tahitian women wear a flower (fresh, not dry lol) behind their ear to indicated availability for marriage.
• Polynesians use the fibers from the stems (after letting them soak in the sea for the organic material rot away) to make grass skirts and wigs (the skirts I'm sure are way more sexy than the wigs...lol)
• The flowers are sometimes candied and used as a dessert garnish.  

I'm not sure why, I just found this all fasinating.  I also loved how cheap these flowers were at FFL.  They were four-something a lb. but you have to realize it takes a lot of flowers to make a lb.  They are fresh, and unpackaged, rustic and unprocessed.  What a great way to make a colorful refreshing drink.  I'm thinking with the color being so bright, this could be a fun healthy kids drink as well as a colorful Popsicle.  In Jamaica they add rum to it for an adult beverage.  I'm okay with it as it is, but it sounds fun!  I used sugar to sweeten this batch but I'd like to do honey next time.  I think the flavors in honey (especially a good honey)  would really go with the natural flavors of this tea.