29.8.06

A bollywood drink: agua de jamaica


Agua de jamaica is a cold drink made from the flowers of the hibiscus.
I´d never heard about this exotic and colourful drink in my life. Heidi blogged about it, and I looked for the dried flowers high and low, with no luck.
Then Matt wrote about them, and I renewed the search, going to every specialist tea shop and Latin American supermarket, but again, nada.
It turns out that it´s very popular in Latvia and Estonia, so I brought back a packet. Please let´s not add up the air miles. This had become a sort of spiritual quest, I just had to know.
When I did it, I couldn´t beleive my eyes. It´s the pinkest thing you´ve ever seen outside a Bollywood movie.
It even tastes pink, tart, sharp, like berries, almost.
It´s the first time in my life something I´ve done has looked as good as the photo of the original recipe. And when we´re talking of someone with Matt´s or Heidi´s talent for food photograpy, that´s saying a lot.
Go try it.It´s really fun, and almost impossible to believe that anything so outrageously colourful isn´t artificial.

13 comentarios:

xps dijo...

ideal!!!!!!!!!!!!

Raquel dijo...

PINK??? then it is YOUR drink! (look mum! I´ve made a slogan!)

Anónimo dijo...

Now, I guess you've put me on the quest.

Anónimo dijo...

Hi Ximena! Sounds almost artistic - appeasing both the eyes and the tastebuds with colour!

Meredith dijo...

I love jamaica. In Greek cuisine, they make a hibiscus flower drink too but its called karkiade, I believe. For my SHF #21 entry, I made a jamaica sorbet which was pretty tasty if you want somethng else to do with your hibiscus, besides drink it.

Julie dijo...

I am a sucker for a pink drink. Would it be so terrible to suggest adding a little vodka, perhaps? I am glad you finally fulfilled your quest for the hibiscus!

Anónimo dijo...

Ximena, I'm so glad you liked it! It really is the prettiest drink (maybe ever?). I make a hibiscus margarita too.

I love love love your mussel illustration. -h

lobstersquad dijo...

guru: I know. it felt just right
tanna: good, I like to make converts
gilly : it´s unbeleivable to look at
meredith: will have to try that too. I´m in love with the stuff
Julie: I thought about vodka. and heide suggests tequila. sounds good to me
Heidi: absolutely the prettiest. thanks so much

Julia dijo...

Wow, I want as well to drink pink! =)
it's completely new to me but it sounds really, really good!
hope I can find those hibiscus flowers here in Holland... :s

Anónimo dijo...

oh yes, absolutely, go with tequilla and make a margarita! and maybe a wee touch of something spicy, to enhance the sweet flowery flavors.
or make a martini
mmmm... cocktails before noon...
super cute piccie ximena!

Anónimo dijo...

Oh, you make me curious now! Getting on a search too....

Anónimo dijo...

Ok! Now I have to begin a quest for this as well ... I especially love the line about it even tasting pink!

Anónimo dijo...

Drinks made from flowers work wonderfully for me.
My favourite, Elderflower Cordial. Elderflowers are out of season at the moment, but now is the perfect time for Elderberries, so on comes the elderberry wine making!

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