An agua fresca made from jamaica flowers is both beautiful and refreshing—not to mention ubiquitous in Mexico from street stalls to nice restaurants. Blending in a bit of raspberry adds aa new dimension, giving this popular thirst quencher a welcome fruitiness.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups (2 ounces) dried jamaica flowers
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1 pint red raspberries
INSTRUCTIONS
Steep the jamaica. In a medium (2- to 3-quart) saucepan, combine 1 quart of water, the jamaica flowers and the sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring to ensure all the sugar dissolves. Turn off the heat and let the mixture steep about an hour.
Finish the drink. Strain into a blender jar and add the raspberries. Blend until smooth, then strain into a large pitcher (one that holds about 3 quarts) to remove all the raspberry seeds. Stir in 1 ½ quarts of water, then taste and stir in more sugar if you think the drink needs it. Refrigerate until serving, then serve over ice.
