I like to keep my pantry stocked full of things — olive tapenade, cheese, crackers, and dried fruits — for an impromptu party. The other day I noticed it was sparse, so I headed off to Trader Joe's. While there, I found these dried sweetened hibiscus flowers and decided to take home a package.
I've had hibiscus cooler, but I had never actually eaten dried hibiscus flowers. Although I was a bit weirded out — the petals shriveled up into long fingerlike prongs — I was curious to try them. Surprisingly, and I'm sure this has to do with the fact that they're sweetened, they were delicious! With a sweet yet tart flavor, they're like a chewier version of dried cranberries.
Great for snacking, they would also be an excellent addition to salads or baked goods. I stirred some into a pitcher of sparkling lemonade, and it made for a super BBQ hit. Folks were intrigued by the look, the flavor melded with the lemonade well, and the flowers tinted the liquid a pretty color.
What do you think? Is this something you would try?
Celine
Luella
Sergio Rossi
Well, I love drinking tea made from these so this looks like it worth trying at least once.
1Tazo 'Passion Tea' is made from Hibiscus flowers, and I LOVE it. I would love to try these too! Kinda weird that your eating the flower part though.
2At Williams Sonoma they have these in syrupy liquid to include in champagne toasts. I would assume since these are dried they would re-hydrate if dropped in liquid.
3I'm too scared to try. Maybe one day.
4I would try the lemonade mix.
5Defintely, I would try these - especially after reading this review. As for eating flowers, nasturtiums on salad is great. Plus cakes decorated with petals - lovely! It is important to know which ones are edible and safe for eating but if it's packaged like this, well, then why not?
6wow! That looks really good! There isn't a Trader Joe's near me... do you think I could find them at a local co-op?
7heck yeah i would definately try it!!
8I have tried them and I agree they are delicious!
Good idea re: the lemonade, I'll have to try that.
9I love these - I mixed them into a salad to be different - and everyone loved it!
10Or you can buy them at a mexican store. It is consumed in Mexico as iced tea. Good diuretic.
11I'd try it.
12Sounds tasty.
13Yeah, they're good. It's weird thinking of eating dehydrated flowers, because usually when they're dried out they are not edible. But these are truly tasty!
14I know I have had the Mexican Hibiscus punch, it is okay. Now, I just discovered the Sobe drink that has strawberry, hibiscus, and aloe...it ROCKS! It is a newer formulation; the first version didn't have the hibiscus and it wasn't a memorable flavor, now was it as brightly colored. Check it out!
I will be looking for this product on my next TraderJoe's run, definitely.
15I've had these before from Trader Joe's. A little too sweet for straight up snacking for me but they look awesome on top of cupcakes
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16for sure!!! This looks very interesting and yummyful....
17I would certainly try it. They look lovely.
18Id eat these in a second. I love hibiscus tea.
19i might try it in lemondade before i just start munching on the petals!
20They sound interesting, I'll look for them the next time I'm at TJ's.
21I think the lemonade mix sounds interesting and worth trying, but on their own, they look a bit too freaky to munch on. When I looked at the picture really quickly, I thought it was a dried chicken's claw or something...
22thanks, they look really interesting. i'll head over to tj's soon ^^
23There are many exotic items to be found at Trader Joes BUT those unsuspecting TJ consumers are not able to VERIFY the origin of TJ products and one major concern should be where the TJ product is sourced from.
Hibiscus flowers are to be found to grow in tropical locations in many countries in the world where carbon monoxide toxic levels are very lethal and unchecked.
PLEASE use the caution when purchasing exotic items.
Try making some yourself with organic hibiscus flowers grown without pesticides and experiment with a sugar lemon syrup.
24I just bought these today and tried some, they are delicious. I have had rose petal icecream so I thought this would be interesting. Yes I agree because they are sweetened they are quite yummy, wondering if there is any nutritional value? They remind me of the calamari my husband and I ordered last night at dinner, that part weirded me out, they look like that when dried. In any case, they are delish and I will be putting them out for a gathering I am having, I think they will be a hit!
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