As an Event Professional, I am always on the look out for new, exciting and interesting products that my clients and/or colleagues would like. So I was very excited when I had a large package waiting for me the other day.
“Open it, Open it!” Chimes my mini-me, Little Miss Diva. She loves when I receive packages because it’s always something pretty.
Inside this very heavy, long box, filled with burgundy raffia was….(drum roll please):
Wild Hisbiscus Flowers in Syrup
A very unique product created for Signature Cocktails! Surely to be appreciated by the Fabuluxe Terrica.
From the company’s marketing intoduction letter: Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup was discovered by a happy accident at a lively Australian dinner party, where specialty foods business own Lee Etherington playfully placed a crimson wildflower in a champagne flute.
The flowers are preserved in cane sugar and spring water, with a flavor reminiscent of raspberry and rhubarb. They have many cocktail and culinary applications, athough its classic use is with sparkling wine. Simply place a whole hibiscus upright in bottom of flute, pour a bit of crimson syrup on top and fill with bubbly. The presentation is eye-catching and flower quite tasty. Wild Hibiscus Flowers are heat stable, retaining firmness, shape and color when used in cooking.
Besides its classic use, there are SEVERAL more recipes for a unique signature drink or dish at www.wildhibiscus.com. Here are a few favorites that are on tap for this weekend:
Adam & Eve Martini
Our Wild pink version of the apple-tini – playful & super smooth! Whilst lee would like to take credit for this one it was first mixed by his wife Jocelyn using some left over apple puree commissioned from 6 month old daughter Lily… Subsequent testing with normal apple puree proved that baby food gives a much smoother result on the palate for this cocktail.
2 oz vodka
3 oz apple puree (baby food is smoothest!)
1 oz wild hibiscus flower syrup
Wild Hibiscus Flower, cherry & chopstick for garnish
Stuff Wild Hibiscus Flower with cherry, skewer from side with chopstick for garnish
Shake together ingredients on ice
Strain into glass
Lay chopstick over the glass
The Forbidden fruit… the Wild Flower…
(& the skewered cherry! LOL) from the Garden of Eden – Enjoy.
Wild Hibiscus Mojito
The best cocktail for hot summer afternoons. Originally conceived by Jocelyn Etherington 2007
3 oz white rum
1 oz fresh lime juice
1 ½ oz Wild Hibiscus Syrup
2 chopped Wild Hibiscus Flowers
2 halved lime wheels
2 Stems mint
Soda water
fill a high ball glass with crushed ice
Muddle in 1-2 stems of mint, lime wheels and chopped Hibiscus
Add Rum, syrup & lime juice to shaker with ice shake for 10 seconds & strain ½ into the glass
Top with soda water
Garnish with mint tip, makes 2 Mojito’s
Sugar Daddy
Looks sweet, smells divine but with a sting in its tail! This one is a bit tricky but worth the effort, first mixed by lee.
2.5 oz Gin
1 oz fresh lime juice
1 oz Frambois (French for raspberry) liquor
1/3 oz wild hibiscus syrup
Fresh mint tip, cherry & Wild Hibiscus
Flower for garnish
Muddle (squash around inside the empty glass) mint leaves in margarita glass & discard. Rim glass with hibiscus syrup & fine sugar
Shake liquid ingredients over ice & strain into glass. Stuff a Wild Hibiscus Flower with a cherry & stick a mint tip in the cherry’s stem hole & skewer the flower from the bottom up on a short swizle stick.
Tear some fresh mint into the glass
Wild Hibiscus Royale
This drink was first served at the legendary Dorchestor Hotel, London in 2006; a Swanky hang out for the rich & famous where it remains the most popular Champagne cocktail on the menu.
Wild Hibiscus Flower Garnish
¼ oz natural rose water
2/3 oz Wild Hibiscus Syrup
Mint
Champagne
Muddle mint in the champagne flute & discard (squash some leaves around inside the glass)
Place Wild Hibiscus Flower in bottom of glass & stand upright
Add rose water & some bruised torn mint pieces
Top with Champagne
Lastly, pour in the Hibiscus syrup which will graduate from crimson at the bottom to light pink at the top
Tip:pour syrup in first for a layered effect
The flower will sit in the bottom of the champagne flute and slowly open up over 3-4 minutes.
Decadent, divine & oh so classy, a new classic is born!
Champagne Jellies
The perfect, simple, very adult and absolutely gorgeous desert for your next dinner party! Your guests will never know how simple this is & you will seem like an Iron Chef!
1 jar Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup
1 2/3 cups sparkling wine (the half empty bottle of bubbly left in the fridge is a great use for this recipe)
½ cup water
5 gelatin leaves or 3 teaspoons gelatin powder
Whipped cream, dark chocolate curls & maraschino cherries for garnishing
Add sparkling wine to a mixing bowl
Pour ½ cup of the Hibiscus syrup (no flowers) into the wine.
In a small saucepan over low heat, warm water & dissolve gelatin. Do not boil
Pour into the wine through a sieve & mix through
Place a Wild Hibiscus Flower into 6-7 champagne flutes or fancy glasses & 2/3 fill with the jelly mix.
Refrigerate overnight to set (the flowers will set in all sorts of crazy positions)
Top with a whipped cream swirl, maraschino cherry (preferably with stems) & curled dark chocolate.
Tip: Curl dark chocolate by warming slightly & using a potato peeler, Enjoy!
Tip: Canned whipped cream will do fine such as dairy whip etc.
With so many fabulous concotions, I don’t know which one to try first! Check back for my taste test review later next week and a special surprise.
*All photos courtesy of www.wildhibiscus.com*
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