My Favorite Flower

I love Hibiscus flowers. There are many different species and colors, and I just think they are so bold and vibrant. As a little girl in Hawaii, I used to love looking at them. Since then, I have realized there is more to love about them than just their beauty. Various parts of the plant are edible and are actually quite good for you. These plants grow in tropical areas throughout the world and have been used for medicinal purposes for centuries.


calyces (sepals)

There are many culinary uses for hibiscus, and one of the most common is tea brewed from the dried petals (although some sources indicate it is actually the calyces...but I will still call them "petals" in this post). The tea is made from a species of Hibiscus called Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa). The tea has many names, such as Agua de Jamaica, Sorrel, or Karkade. The tea can be served hot, or you can make it into an iced tea. I think both ways are lovely, although I do prefer the cold version. Hibiscus tea has a light, refreshing flavor. It is very tangy, somewhat tart, acidic, and slightly "fruity". It reminds me of cranberry juice in some ways, but still very different and unique. I don't know if it is a taste everyone would enjoy, but I certainly do.


Photo by Becky Luigart-Stayner



Hibiscus tea is very simple to make. You can buy it in tea bags, or you can purchase loose dried petals. (I think you can also get it in powder form, which could have some interesting uses). You make it just as you would any other tea, except that you want to be careful not to over-steep it, as this can leech a bitter flavor. If you like a stronger tea, simply use more petals. Hibiscus is commonly used as an ingredient in commercial teas, especially berry-flavoured ones, since it adds such a pretty and natural red color. If you can't find any hibiscus locally, you can always order a bag of dried petals online. The petals have a wonderful aroma. I wonder if you could cultivate the scent somehow, like into a potpourri or a candle or something?

There are many different ways to serve hibiscus tea. You could sweeten it with honey or sugar, add spices like cinnamon or ginger, or mix it with juice, lemonade or other teas...who knows, maybe even wine or spirits? I prefer to leave mine unsweetened, but sometimes I will mix in some orange pineapple juice. I think it makes a nice refreshing summer drink. I usually only drink water, but hibiscus iced tea can be a nice alternative. It has zero calories and is rich in vitamin c, antioxidants and other wonderful things. I don't know how extensively the health effects have been studied, but many sources list the same basic benefits. It can lower blood pressure and cholesterol, strengthens the immune system, is a natural mild diuretic, helps with bloating, can lower fever, etc...

It tastes good, smells good, has a beautiful color, is natural, and has no additives or caffeine. It is great hot or cold, sweetened or unsweetened, and on its own or mixed with other drinks. Hibiscus tea is a wonderful beverage. :)


(I don't know why the images always fade when I upload them here...They are all much more vibrant)

My Cornucopia

It amazes me how much a person can change in just a few years. I have realized how much growth we experience during the ages 18 to 21. I don't think it is as drastic as the adolescent stage, but I can't help looking back and feeling like a different person in many ways. I can't believe I am 22 now. Does that make me a real adult? I still feel like a kid in a lot of ways, and I hope that never goes away. Then again, there are so many things that make me feel much more grown up. I remember being a kid and thinking, oh I'll never be like that...but what do you know...here I am. I do laugh about it now. I could ramble on with all kinds of examples and stuff, but that is not really what I wanted this post to be about, so maybe I'll save that for another time.

One of the things that does make me feel like an adult is the way my finicky eating habits are starting to fade away...and let me tell you, I am glad! As a kid, I used to hate being forced to eat things. I especially hated being told that I would have to sit at the table until I ate it. I was stubborn, too, so if I didn't want to eat something, it wasn't happening. I would sit there until finally someone said I could get up. I swore I would never make my own kids do that. I did not understand why someone should have to eat something if they don't like it. We all have different taste buds. I still don't think I would force a kid to eat something they really don't like, but I do wish I would have been more open-minded about food. If someone doesn't like a certain food prepared one way, they might like it a different way. You just have to keep trying to find the ways that work. If you keep making something the same way and telling a kid to keep trying it, that will just make them hate it more. Then they will have a negative association with that food, and it will only get more difficult with time. Maybe when they are older they will start to like more things, but until then, you just have to experiment.

I remember when I used to always order chicken nuggets and chicken strips at every restaurant. I remember when the only fruit I would eat were apples, grapes, bananas, and strawberries. The only vegetables I liked were potatoes and corn, and corn only if it was on the cob. I wouldn't eat spaghetti, chinese food, or venison and the list goes on and on. Most of these habits lasted well into my teen years, and some beyond. I've always hated having to tell waiters, "please don't put this, this, this, or this on it." If they forgot, I would freak out and not even want to eat it. I knew I could just take the veggies or whatever off my self, but just the thought that the vegetables were touching my food grossed me out. Wow I didn't realize how bad I was. I don't know why, but it was like I thought the veggies would hurt me if I accidentally ate a piece. I am talking about this like it was so long ago...when in reality, I still am like this with some foods, and I still do prefer to order some things 'plain'. But I am a lot more accepting of foods now, and just in this past year I have started eating a bigger variety. I will be trying more and more foods!

When I was 18, these were pretty much the only fruits and vegetables I liked to eat.


Now I like all of these. (click to enlarge)



I like to think of this as my ever-expanding Cornucopia! :)


Have you learned to like any new foods lately? What do you think I should try next?