Happy Cinco de Mayo! Food, festivals, and family fill this Mexican/ Mexican-American holiday! Bring a taste of this joyful celebration into your home this year with Spiced Hibiscus Iced Tea – a classic drink served in Mexican taquerias! It’s a great mocktail option to serve along side your favorite margarita!
Here at Little Woods we mix up a special batch the week of Cinco de Mayo as our featured drink until it runs out — which is usually pretty quickly! First made based on a Agua de Jamaica (Hibiscus Iced Tea) recipe over at Simply Recipes, we’ve adapted it over the years for our own tastes and tea bar service. Below is our own variation:
Little Woods’ Agua de Jamaica Adaptation
4 cups water
1 cup dried hibiscus flowers whole (cut would work also)
3/4 cup sugar
2 x 2.75in cinnamon sticks
1t. dried ginger root c/s
1t. whole allspice berries
1/4t. whole cloves
- Add spices and sugar to water and bring to a boil. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
- Remove from heat and add hibiscus flowers. Let steep for 20 minutes.
- Strain into a pitcher.
- Top with 4 cups cold water.
For a sparkling twist, keep as a concentrate and add 1 part concentrate, 1 part carbonated water to a glass when serving.