Hello again!! I was super inspired in my last post about National Nature Photography Day
(here), so I thought I would see what else the month of June had to offer. It turns out that this month is National Ice Tea Month! Ice tea is so versatile and can appeal to all flavor palates. The majority of the teas out there also have amazing health benefits, just like this hibiscus tea I am going to share with you today.
I decided to share how to make hibiscus tea because it is so EASY, INEXPENSIVE and DELICIOUS! The more flowers you use the more flavor you will get. I typically brew about 1-1.5 cups of the flowers at a time to make a concentrated taste. Today, I simply added cinnamon sticks to make a deeper flavor profile. You can brew the tea with any other flavors you and your family like (last time we tried oranges).
Hibiscus is mostly sour, tart and fruity. Which is why I like to make the concentrate first.
As you can see this large bag of hibiscus flowers was only $2.07, I bought it in February and it will stay fresh in a dry pantry until the end of the year, if I don't finish it beforehand. The hibiscus plant is native to the Caribbean but is found in Florida, Hawaii and even Africa. It is a tropical flower that thrives in the sunlight. Just like us Leos! The part of the flower that is dried and then brewed are the petal and sepals (bulbs). This yummy tea has so many benefits and is packed full of antioxidants and Vitamin C!
All you have to do to make this sour red tea is boil it in water for about 30 minutes. I added 2 water bottles to the pot. Let it cool and then filter out the ingredients into a strainer.
Beauty Tip: Look at these beautiful boiled hibiscus petals. Once they are cooled down I like to grind them up and add brown sugar to make a yummy tinted lip scrub. After only 20 seconds of scrubbing your lips will be a soft cranberry color!
Like I mentioned earlier, I make this as a concentrate. We cooled the hot tea down with some water and had a cup before bed. I put the warm pitcher in the refrigerator over night so I could make the iced tea in the morning.
In the glass water bottle above (from Target) I added a few ice cubes, frozen peaches and frozen strawberries.
Then, I poured over my hibiscus concentrate and let all of the ingredients soak together all night. In the morning I have a yummy and fruity ice tea for work!
Look how cute this drink looks on my desk!
I love to make tea because it is simple and healthy. You can add your favorite spices and fruits to cater each drink to the people you serve. Leave a comment below and let me know which flavors you will be trying next in your hibiscus tea!
Much Love, Mariah