So Refreshing It Deserves an Umbrella

Jamaica Chiller

In Mexico, the hibiscus flower, known as Jamaica (pronounced huh-MY-ih-kuh), is used to make tea and other drinks to quench people’s thirst on those hot days in the desert. The dried flower is simmered in water, or put in with tea, and adds a tart, refreshing flavor to different drinks. Although it’s not a desert, Pensacola can be brutally hot in the month of August and many of us really appreciate a cool, refreshing cocktail.

I once had a Jamaica punch that had cherry juice in it, so I wanted to incorporate it into my cocktail. I also figured tequila would be a natural pairing, since the initial inspiration for the drink was Mexico. For us here in the South, there are few things more refreshing than a nice glass of fresh lemonade; the hibiscus tastes great with citrus and really quenches that thirst! This cocktail has some big flavors in it, so I wanted to use a tequila that you could taste even with everything else going on. I used Jose Cuervo because it’s not too mild and you don’t want to cover up the flavor of those fancy tequilas. Use something you enjoy, but won’t disappear under the cherry and citrus juices. Just the other night I made it with 1800 Coconut tequila (because I'm coconut obsessed!), and it was absolutely delicious! The coconut went really well with the cherry and the tequila flavor was subtle, but noticeable.

This cocktail takes a little prep work, but is well worth the effort. That being said, it’s not something you’ll find at every bar down the road, so you may want to try this one at home or come by the Fish House for a special refreshment.

Jamaica Chiller

3 ounces cherry juice
1¼ ounces tequila
½ lemon, juiced
½ lime, juiced
¼ ounce hibiscus syrup (recipe to follow)
Crushed ice
Sugar for the rim of the glass

For the hibiscus syrup, put an ounce of dried hibiscus flowers and 2 cups of water into a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, let it simmer for about 5 minutes, then turn the heat off and let it sit and steep for almost an hour. Then, strain out the flowers and pour your liquid back into the pan. You should have about 1½ cups. Add ½ cup of sugar and simmer for about 20 minutes. The sugar should be totally melted and the syrup reduced to 1 to 1¼ cups. Pour into a storage container and allow to cool.

To build your chiller, wet the rim of the glass and dip in sugar. Pour the cherry juice into the sugared glass and carefully top with ice. In a shaker tin, juice your lemon and lime, add tequila and top with a little ice. Shake to chill, then slowly strain into the glass. It looks better if you can attain the “layered” look. Finish with a drizzle of hibiscus syrup around the top and garnish with a wedge of lime.

Now you are ready to fight off those hot August nights.