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Tea with a punch – Latin iced tea
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One May, I spent a few days in San Diego visiting a friend. She took me to a taco stop where I tried a drink called Jamaica Ole. I was pleasantly surprised and said, “What’s Jamaica Ole?” pronouncing it like the Caribbean country. Laughing, my friend explained it was pronounced “ha-my-kah” and the “Ole” was just a sugary brand name.
Jamaica or Hibiscus tea is an herbal infusion from the flower, Hibiscus sabdariffa. It is popular in Latin America and many other countries around the globe. It has a beautiful red hue and a tangy, almost punch-like taste. Often, ginger is added to the steeping process, but sugar, clove, cinnamon, and nutmeg can also be added. Rum is a sassier additive. When traveling in Mexico, asking for iced tea often means you will be served Jamaica.
If the above descriptions haven’t convinced you to try it, perhaps a recent health finding will. Hibiscus tea has been linked with lowering blood pressure. As reported by WebMD, one study found that 3 cups of the herbal tea a day lowered blood pressure in research subjects by an average of 7 points. Apparently, this effect is comparable to the effects of regular blood pressure meds. Researchers are still trying to determine if the effects will be long-term.
There are many recipes for Hibiscus tea on the web. One to try is Coastal Living’s Hibiscus Tea Punch recipe. You can find bagged or loose hibiscus petals at many specialty markets. A site to order the petals from on the web is mexgrocer.com
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