Wild hibiscus, whether you’ve experienced it or not, is probably one of the most elegant additions you can supply to a cocktail…
With their vivid red/burgundy colours and stunning petal work, Hibiscus Flowers, fresh or preserved are stunning to look at and will capture the focus of any avid customer/drinker.
And the best thing about them is they can be bought by anyone. You don’t have to be a bartender at a top bar, or a scientist stuck in a mixology lab, Hibiscus flowers are a garnish/ingredient anyone can buy and use. However, and here is the catch, you have to know when to use them and with what alcohol (especially when making cocktails).
There are not just flowers on the market either as you can purchase hibiscus flavoured sugar syrups, sodas and even sorbets.
These ingredients will all add a flavour enhancement to your cocktails, but the flowers are what we will be focusing on, as they are the most dramatic and stunning of garnishes you could wish for…
Most commonly used as an elegant addition to any glass of champagne, Wild Hibiscus flowers can make any champagne cocktail look that little more vivid. They’re even edible which makes them the perfect garnish in my mind.
After perusing the official website of Wild Hibiscus, the company who make and sell the flowers in syrup (the ones you’ll want for your cocktails) it is apparent that not only is this an elegant product but also the company is somewhat elegantly run. Family owned and the sole distributor of their flowers to 30 countries worldwide (including here in the UK, and over the other side of the pond in both the USA and Canada). Their brand ambassador, Canadian Mixologist Danielle Tatarin, distributes them across Canada and has helped create some of the magical cocktail found on the website I mentioned earlier.
The links I refer to in this blog can be found at the end of this blog, including a few extra links for further reading. Until then why not try out these 3 great cocktail recipes I love to use the flowers in…
1) Adam & Eve Martini
Recipe:
2 measures Vodka
3 measures apple puree
1 measure wild hibiscus syrup
Garnish: A skewered, cherry & stuffed Hibiscus flower
Method:
1) Shake all the ingredients over ice and strain into a chilled Martini cocktail glass.
2) Garnish with the stuffed hibiscus flower.
2) Inaugural Cheer
Recipe:
½ measure Hibiscus Syrup
¼ measure freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 measure Hypnotiq Liqueur
Top up Champagne
Garnish: Wild Hibiscus Flower
Method:
1) Place the Flower upright in the bottom of a champagne flute.
2) Mix the syrup and lemon juice together and pour over the flower.
3) Add crushed ice on top of the flower and syrup.
4) Gently pour in the Hypnotiq Liqueur
5) Top up with the champagne.
3) Wild Hibiscus Daiquiri
Recipe:
3 measures Havana Club 3yo
1 measure fresh lime juice
1 measure Wild Hibiscus Syrup
Garnish: Hibiscus Flower & lime wheel
Method:
1) Place the flower upright in a martini glass.
2) Shaker ingredients over ice vigorously for around 10 seconds.
3) Strain into the glass and garnish further with a lime wheel on the glasses rim.
All these cocktails and further information on both the flowers and mixologist Danielle Tatarin can be found through the following links:
The Fervent Shaker 