Hibiscus Agua Fresca

So I neglect this project for over a month and come back with a mocktail?! I know, I know! Summer is full of fun and often lots of indulgence so I thought I’d start throwing in some mocktail options for the days we want to give our livers a break! I was flipping through my copy of “America’s Test Kitchen: the Best Mexican Recipes” and found a couple of recipes for agua frescas, which are very refreshing. The first one I made was a Hibiscus Agua Fresca. It’s made with steeped hibiscus flowers, sugar, and water. It’s super simple and tastes really good on a warm evening. Serve it in a fun glass with a little garnish and you’ll still feel like you treated yourself to happy hour! Cheers!

Hibiscus Agua Fresca

Ingredients:

8 cups water

2 cups dried hibiscus flowers

1 cup sugar

pinch of salt

berries and/or mint sprig, as garnish

Method:

In a medium saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Remove from heat and add 2 cups of dried hibiscus flowers, cover, and allow to steep for an hour. After an hour, strain tea into a pitcher. Add sugar, remaining 4 cups of water, and a pinch of salt. Stir and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, as it tastes best cold.

Once cold, pour into an ice filled glass and garnish with berries and a mint sprig.