While visiting my boyfriend’s family in Guatemala last Christmas, I fell in love with the most amazing drink, Rosa de Jamaica, or Hibiscus Flower Tea. In Spanish, it means the Rose of Jamaica. The drink it produces is tangy, fruity, and sweet, all wrapped up in a vibrant berry red color. It took only one sip to convert me to its magical powers and I was absolutely shocked to hear it was a tea made from flowers and not a local Kool-Aid of sorts.

Turns out the hibiscus flower actually has many medicinal properties to it and is loaded with Vitamin C. Consuming hibiscus helps:

• Digestion
• Lower Blood Pressure
• Coughs
• Reduces the absorption of UV radiation in the skin
• Slows hair loss
• Slows hair turning gray

See, it is magic!

So delicious and definitely a drink I wanted to make back home. After consulting a few family members, I had the recipe in hand. I made a pitcher of it yesterday and it was like being teleported right back to Antiqua. So here’s the recipe:

Rosa de Jamaica

• 1 cup hibiscus flowers* These can be found at most Latin or Asian supermarkets, tea shops, or you can buy them online. Below is what the loose flowers look like:
  
• 16 cups of boiling water
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 limes, quartered
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Directions:

1. Place hibiscus flowers, sugar, and spices in the bottom of a pitcher and add boiling water.

2. Squeeze in the lime juice and stir until well incorporated.

3. Let steep for 20 minutes.

4. Strain out the flowers and limes and chill.

Enjoy!

I hope you’ll try this recipe! It’s also a fabulous mixer for cocktails. 🙂