Agua de Jamaica

1. 1

   Rinse the flowers in cold water and drain thoroughly.

2. 2

   Put them in a saucepan, cover with the water, and let steep for at least 4 hours or overnight.

3. 3

   Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

4. 4

   Stir in the sugar and continue to cook, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved.

5. 5

   Let cool to room temperature.

6. 6

   Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher, pressing the solids with the back of a wooden spoon to extract as much liquid as possible.

7. 7

   Add water to bring the volume up to 4 cups.

8. 8

   If the flavor is too intense, add more water as needed.

9. 9

   You can also add a little more sugar if you like.

10. 10

    Refrigerate until completely chilled.

11. 11

    Serve as is or over ice.

12. 12

    To make a concentrate, double the amount of hibiscus, eliminate the sugar, and cook the mixture down until the liquid is reduced to one-third.

13. 13

    This will keep for several weeks in the refrigerator.

14. 14

    To make a beverage, simply put about 1/4 cup of the concentrate in a glass, add about 1 cup water, and sweeten with sugar to taste.

15. 15

    Feel free to adjust these amounts to fit your taste.

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.