Romero & Julieta

I’m always on a quest for cocktails that don’t require too many special ingredients. I know that cocktail books and blogs can be frustrating when they call for 3 or 4 bottles of specialty liqueurs. I also like good options for traveling when you want a fun beverage but can’t bring all the goods with you. Last weekend I discovered such a beverage on Saveur’s website called Romero and Julieta. It’s a cocktail created by Danny Sanchez of Rancho Pescaredo in Mexico. Made with hibiscus flowers, rosemary, and tequila, it’s a lovely spring or summer sipper that is perfect for daytime or evening. I mean, it’s half herbal tea; it basically qualifies as hydration! Never you mind those 2 ounces of tequila!

The first time I made the Romera and Julieta, I didn’t have hibiscus flowers on hand but did have raspberry hibiscus tea so I used that. It was good but a little too sweet. I decided to get some hibiscus flowers and try again. So yes, you’ll need hibiscus flowers but that’s far more affordable than when I tell you to pick up an $80 bottle of Green Chartreuse! What I love about this drink is that while it has some similarities to a margarita, it finishes really clean. It’s not too sour or sweet. Instead of cointreau or triple sec, you make a simple syrup with rosemary. It’s a beautiful beverage that would work wonderfully as a batch cocktail. Hope you enjoy!

Romero and Julieta, adapted from Danny Sanchez

Ingredients:

3 oz hibiscus iced tea (instructions below)

2 oz tequila (I used El Tesoro Reposado)

1 oz rosemary syrup (recipe below)

1/2 oz freshly squeezed lime juice

kosher salt, if desired

rosemary sprig, as garnish

Method:

If a salted rim is desired, use a q-tip and rub the rim of the glass with the rosemary simple syrup and then dip the glass in kosher salt. Set aside.

Combine hibiscus tea, tequila, rosemary syrup, and lime juice in a shaker with ice. Shake until well chilled and strain into prepared rocks glass filled with ice. Garnish with rosemary sprig.

Rosemary Simple Syrup:

Combine 1 cup water with 1 cup sugar in a small sauce pan. Heat mixture until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and add a rosemary sprig. Allow to steep for an hour. Remove the rosemary and chill syrup.

Hibiscus Iced Tea:

1 oz hibiscus flowers

1 cup water

In a small sauce pan, bring hibiscus and water to a boil over high heat. Heat for 3 minutes and then let cool before straining.