Hibiscus

If you’ve ever sipped a cup of Red Zinger tea, you are familiar with the sunny, tart flavor of the dried hibiscus flower, as well as its brilliant bright red color. Steeping the blossoms in hot water is still one of the most popular ways to use hibiscus, and in the winter I find a cup of hot hibiscus tea sweetened with organic honey very soothing; it’s also perfect iced, needing only a touch of sweetener to balance its slight bitter edge. However, hibiscus is also well-suited to many dessert applications, and it’s especially pretty in holiday desserts. Generally, the blossoms need to be steeped in a liquid to release their flavor. You can also infuse vinegar with hibiscus and use it to make a hot-pink vinaigrette to serve over a salad of baby spinach, feta, strawberries, and slivered almonds.