Memorial Day Weekend is finally here, and the summer season is right there on the horizon! I’m so grateful and excited for the long weekend and being able to spend it in Maine. I have dreamed about going to Maine for quite some time. There’s something that has always allured me about being as far north in the United States as you can possibly go (in the northeast that is), and I’ve always thought about heading north on I-95 and driving until its end. Although we won’t be going quite that far north (we’re going to be in the Ogunquit / York area), I’m very much looking forward to spending a few peaceful days by the sea. But of course I couldn’t send you guys off on your Memorial Day Holiday without a cocktail.
My Hibiscus Margarita is so incredibly refreshing and would be perfect served as your Memorial Day Weekend refreshment! The floral element from the hibiscus tips this margarita into being absolutely mouth-watering delicious. You, your friends and family will love it! Hibiscus flavor is infused into this drink in the form of a simple syrup made from edible dried hibiscus petals. I find my hibiscus at a local Middle Eastern market, but you can also find it online.
Using fruit juice that is fresh squeezed really makes a huge difference when it comes to the tastiness of a margarita, so it’s really worth taking the time to do it! And not only is this libation so unbelievably tasty, but its color is so vibrant and ideal for summer happy hours! I hope you all have an amazing long weekend!
Hibiscus Margarita (recipe makes 1 cocktail)
Ingredients-
Hibiscus Simple Syrup-
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Handful of edible dried hibiscus petals
Hibiscus Sugar-
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dried hibiscus petals
Cocktail-
2 oz Blanco Tequila (I used Espolón Blanco)
1 oz Triple Sec (or other orange liqueur)
1 oz fresh squeezed orange juice
1 oz fresh squeezed lime juice (reserve the squeezed lime to wet the glass rim for garnish)
1 oz hibiscus simple syrup
Instructions-
1. To make hibiscus simple syrup, mix sugar and water in small saucepan on medium heat until sugar dissolves. Add hibiscus petals and turn off heat, allowing to cool to room temperature, then strain. Extra hibiscus simple syrup can be stored in airtight container in refrigerator up to 1 month.
2. To make hibiscus sugar for glass rim, place hibiscus petals in sealable bag and pound until petals are broken up into smaller pieces. Mix crushed hibiscus with sugar in shallow bowl or plate.
3. Use lime to wet rim of glass and dip glass in hibiscus sugar to create hibiscus sugar rim.
4. Add tequila, Triple Sec, orange juice, lime juice and hibiscus simple syrup to cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake for at least 20 seconds. Strain into sugar-rimmed glass containing an ice cube and enjoy! (I prefer to use large ice cubes for cocktails to reduce dilution).