Spiked Hibiscus Summer Tea

I am feeling certain about a few things this week…

-Sleeves are no longer needed for the next three months. Holy crap it’s hot. 

-My throw pillows are suddenly not doing it for me anymore. A healthy change is in order.

-Pretty Little Liars ended last night. Along with my 16 year old spirit (haha, i’m 24.. embarrassing).

-Seriously DYING to have some kind of summer party with a kick ass reason. Someone get engaged or something pleeeeease?!

-Currently 8/10 episodes into a Handmaid’s Tale and WHOA. First Elisabeth Moss is like one of the best actresses ever. Also its so wild… just way too utopian crazy. Make your bf stop watching family guy for a night and watch it with you for some worldly insight. You might also need a glass of pinot… 

-I have also been un-declared dubbed the ‘cocktail bringer‘ at family parties.
Which brings me to spiked hibiscus summer tea 😉 

For some reason I have been the ‘cocktail girl’ lately at parties…

I brought Margaritas to my grandmas a few weeks ago…. mojitos to my grandpas a few months before that… and then for my best friend Alex’s birthday I was the margarita girl again.

Honestly I’m really okay with it. I don’t have to worry about juggling a cake on my lap in the car or try make an incubator in my trunk to keep something warm.

Cocktails are easy. Don’t get me wrong I’m not shakin’ everyone a martini at the table. I usually batch a cocktail (like this tea!) and throw it in a oversized mason jar. Add the fruit when I get to where I’m going and dump in the chilled cocktail. Then just grab everyone a cup full of crushed ice and go. to. town. 

Hibiscus liqueur was a little hard to track down. The guy from bevmo kind of gave me this look like ‘what the hell are you doing with hibiscus liqueur’. I knew at that point I was on to a good recipe 😉

If your local specialty liquor store doesn’t have the hibiscus liqueur then you could swap out for pomegranate, elderflower or something with a floral note. Wow, now I sound like Ina Garten when she talks about ‘good vanilla’. Look, you don’t have to go to the Hamptons or the tropics to get the liqueur but it would be a SUPER NICE ADDITION! Okay! and not to mention #notbasic. Kay enjoy. 

Spiked Hibiscus Tea

1 Liter / 30 Ounces of black tea
1 Cup of pineapple Juice
1/2 Cup of pomegranate juice
1/2 Cup of hibiscus liqueur
1 Pint of Raspberries
1 Pint of Gold Raspberries
2 Lemons thinly sliced
2 Limes thinly sliced
2 Cups of strawberries quartered
Handful of fresh mint leaves
*1/4 – 1/2 Cup of sugar – to your desire

In a large pitcher fill with all fruit. Add in tea, juices, and liqueur. If sweetness is desired the omit sugar or add accordingly. Chill for 2-4 hours and serve over crushed ice. If making non-alcoholic just omit the hibiscus liqueur.

*If you want this drink to be more ‘boozy’ you can add in 1/2-1 cup of Rum… would be a fantastic addition 😉