Hibiscus Flower Cocktail

"I made this cocktail often in Mexico during our vacations there. The first time I bought jamaica, or hibiscus, flowers at the local market, I did not know what they were, but they looked and smelled wonderful. I soon learned from local friends how to transform them into an aromatic and refreshing bright red tea. Then I graduated to a cocktail by adding lime juice and tequila. If you can’t get dried hibiscus flowers, use 3 Red Zinger tea bags." --Jacques Pépin

Recipe: Hibiscus Flower Cocktail

Makes 4 cups tea, enough for 8 cocktails

Ingredients
For The Tea
• 4 cups water
• 1 cup dried hibiscus (jamaica) flowers (see headnote)

For Each Cocktail
• 1/2 cup Hibiscus Tea (above)
• 2 tablespoons Mexican jarabe or other simple syrup, grenadine, or sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 1/2 to 2 ounces tequila
• A dash or more of habanero hot sauce
• Plenty of ice

Instructions
For The Tea
1. Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan.
2. Add the dried flowers, bring back to a boil, and boil for 1 minute.
3. Cover and let steep for 15 minutes.
4. Strain the tea and cool.

For Each Cocktail
Combine all the ingredients in a large glass, mix well, and serve.

Recipe from Heart & Soul in the Kitchen by Jacques Pépin. Copyright © 2015 by Jacques Pépin. Used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.