So you like cranberry juice?

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
0
it's not leaves, it's flower, or to be more precise petals and the base of the flower, called calyx. and i suggest not to buy but rather to nick it from neighbours! :)
 

bronzeallspice

Live everyday like it's your last
Mar 26, 2012
11,009
2
38
They sell dried hibiscus flowers in the DR? If so, where? Would like to buy and make the tea.
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
0
i have not seen it on sale but i guess it's easy to do it yourself. my neighbours have those bushes and there is plenty more on the golf course. i'm going to try. i always wanted to but i lacked motivation! :(
 

sayanora

Silver
Feb 22, 2012
1,621
36
48
ok ok flowers then lol.. productos maria sells them.. 150 pesos for so much it has lasted me 6 weeks of biweekly tea gallon making.. so damn good. a lady named bunny sells the flowers at the mercado in la vega also.. 100 pesos for like a shopping bag full.
 

sayanora

Silver
Feb 22, 2012
1,621
36
48
this actually tastes better than cranberry juice.. tastes like it without the funny bitter aftertaste.
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
0
i always liked hibiscus tea but i have not seen it here. productos maria as in commercial company?
 

bronzeallspice

Live everyday like it's your last
Mar 26, 2012
11,009
2
38
It's a natural diuretic and reduces high blood pressure.I'll drink to that!
 

bronzeallspice

Live everyday like it's your last
Mar 26, 2012
11,009
2
38
If I can't find it in the stores I will order it online from Amazon, they have it.
 

Acira

Silver
Sep 20, 2009
2,510
115
0
www.blazingfuries.com
Its a well know refreshing drink in Senegal and I think in the rest of West Africa too. I loved it! Didn't know you could get the flowers here also but gonna give it a try.
Thx

Acira
 

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
17,850
982
113
They sell it in Super Pola - the make is Badia and in the B?varo branch at least it is displayed next to the spices section, in large bags. I used to drink hibiscus (and rosehip and hibiscus) tea in my hippy commune days, but a Mexican friend here introduced me to the chilled version. We sometimes add a cinnamon stick.

This is what the packet looks like
Flor De Jamaica / Hibiscus Flower . Sorrel 8 Oz

"...charged with vitamins and anti-oxidants" :)
 

the gorgon

Platinum
Sep 16, 2010
33,997
83
0
i have not seen it on sale but i guess it's easy to do it yourself. my neighbours have those bushes and there is plenty more on the golf course. i'm going to try. i always wanted to but i lacked motivation! :(

there is some confusion here regarding this flower. the flor de Jamaica that the wiki article describes is not the regular hibiscus plant that we see normally. it comes from a rather small shrub, and flowers mostly at christmas time. the parts that are used to make the tea surround a hard pod, filled with small seeds. the bright red part is what is used to make the drink. i have actually seen it being sold in packages in La Sirena. i have never seen a flor de Jamaica shrub in the DR. in the british caribbean, it goes by the name SORREL.
 

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
17,850
982
113
Thanks for that clarification, gorgon: I was also confused by the word 'sorrel' because I know it as a completely different plant. However, the taste of 'flor de Jamaica' tea is identical to the hibiscus tea we used to drink in England.
 

gonzo two

Banned
Jan 13, 2010
227
2
0
93
tried this morning - you can get the nice pink colour by adding lemon after, nice colour but cant say it was anything like cranberry, maybe if it was chilled afterwards, you can also add ginger to it David z lol
 

the gorgon

Platinum
Sep 16, 2010
33,997
83
0
tried this morning - you can get the nice pink colour by adding lemon after, nice colour but cant say it was anything like cranberry, maybe if it was chilled afterwards, you can also add ginger to it David z lol

if you had to add anything to get a bright red color, you have the wrong thing. when it steeps, the liquid is bright red. different caribbean islands have slightly different ways of preparation, but Trinidad uses no ginger, while Jamaica does.