If you have ever spent much time in a taqueria, you have probably seen a jumbo sized container of a bubbling, red drink sitting next to the soda dispenser. That beloved drink that so deliciously compliments your tacos is called agua de jamaica. Made from an extraction of the flor de jamaica, known as hibiscus in English, the tea is then cooled and sweetened giving it a tart and refreshing flavor. One of many common agua frescas alongside horchata and tamarind, Central American families have been drinking agua de jamaica for hundreds of years. Just the taste of the tart beverage will instantly evoke memories of childhood for many people. It is this tasty piece of nostalgia that inspired us here at GYV to infuse jamaica into our luxury candles and hand creams, in order to share our love for this wonderful piece of our heritage.
Even though agua de jamaica has become a wildly popular drink in the Mesoamerican region, people from around the world enjoy this healthy drink. In fact, you can find agua de jamaica on every continent, although it may be named something else! If you are in Australia, ask for rosella! In Africa the drink goes by many names like Zobo, Bissap, or Karkade. Every country prepares the drink a little differently. Sometimes it is served hot, sometimes cold. Some recipes call for clove, cinnamon, or honey, but flor de jamaica is always the key ingredient. If you would like to create your own agua de jamaica, purchase some flor de jamaica from your nearest health foods store and find your favorite recipe online! Here is a great step-by-step recipe that will have your thirst quenched in no time! Salud!