Wild Hibiscus Mojitos and Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!!  I am sure many of you are ready to see the clock turn over to 12:01 am tomorrow morning and welcome in 2012!

I leave this year behind with mixed emotions.  It has been a great year for Bunkycooks and we have met so many incredible people on our journey.  It has been a life changing experience for both of us.  Yet, I also wonder where the road will lead next, so there is some anticipation of things to come.

Mr. B made an anniversary video showing the places we have been and the people we have met over the past year, so you can visit that post if you are interested in our 2011 recap.  I also did a post highlighting some of our favorite recipes of 2011, so I hope you will revisit some of those dishes.

Muddle the Wild Hibiscus Flowers with lime slices, mint and crushed ice

I have chosen a nontraditional cocktail to usher in the New Year.  While many of you are sipping on champagne cocktails, I made Wild Hibiscus Mojitos! We recently returned from a little island hopping vacation, so I still have mojitos on the brain.  I am wishing that I was still in that luxurious warm and sunny weather sitting by the pool, but alas, I am in Atlanta and it has been a bit dreary.  Maybe these mojitos will bring a little sunshine into everyone’s New Year!  By the way, I will be sharing those travel adventures with you starting next week. 🙂

The Wild Hibiscus Flower Company has been a sponsor of Bunkycooks for quite some time and we really appreciate their support.  Started in 1997, it is a small family owned & operated company in Sydney, Australia.  Their very nifty little flowers in syrup are excellent in a number of drinks and dishes.  They are beautiful when popped into a glass of champagne or Proseco.  They make for a very festive cocktail hour, especially on New Year’s Eve!

Mix together the fresh lime juice, white rum and Wild Hibiscus syrup

In this drink, chopped Wild Hibiscus Flowers are muddled with fresh lime slices, mint and crushed ice.  You then combine fresh lime juice, white rum and Wild Hibiscus syrup in a cocktail shaker.  Poured over the muddled mixture, then topped with a splash of Club Soda, this cocktail has the perfect amount of sweetness combined with the tartness of the lime.  This has become a favorite in our home.

We wish you all a very healthy, happy and prosperous New Year and may all your wishes and dreams come true in 2012!

Cheers and Happy New Year!

Cheers!

Print Recipe

Wild Hibiscus Mojitos

Yield: 2 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

3 oz white rum
1 oz fresh lime juice
1 1/2 ounces Wild Hibiscus Syrup
2 chopped Wild Hibiscus Flowers
2 halved lime wheels
2 Stems mint
Soda water

Directions:

1. Fill a glass with crushed ice (preferably a high ball glass)

2. Muddle in 1-2 stems of mint, lime wheels and chopped Hibiscus Flower.

3. Add rum, syrup & lime juice to a cocktail shaker and shake for 10 seconds & strain1/2 mixture into the glass. (The original recipe calls for shaking the mixture with ice, but I prefer it without.)

4. Top with soda water and garnish with mint.

Recipe courtesy of Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup