Before the fall weather sets in and temperatures drop, indulge in some garden entertaining. A brunch with friends is always a welcomed treat. The designers at Ah Sam Flowers have some wonderful ideas for creatively infusing edible flowers into your menu!

Include a delicious hibiscus tea at your garden brunch, then compliment the refreshing flavors with beautiful sunflowers and yellow roses in this Inner Glow Sunflower Lantern. Assembled in this clear glass bubble bowl with rope handle, the vase can be repurposed as a candle holder for sipping tea after hours.

One of our favorite, simple hibiscus tea recipes is this Agua de Jamaica Recipe:

INGREDIENTS

• 2 quarts water
• 3/4 to 1 cup sugar (depending on how sweet you would like it to be)
• 1 cup dried hibiscus flowers
• 1/2 cinnamon stick (optional)
• A few thin slices ginger (optional)
• Allspice berries (optional)
• Lime juice (optional)
• Orange or lime slices for garnish

METHOD

1 Boil water with sugar and spices: Put 4 cups of the water and the sugar in a medium saucepan. Add cinnamon, ginger slices, and/or a few allspice berries if you would like. Heat until boiling and the sugar has dissolved.

2 Steep with dried hibiscus flowers: Remove from heat. Stir in the dried hibiscus flowers. Cover and let sit for 20 minutes.

3 Strain:  Strain into a pitcher and discard the used hibiscus flowers, ginger, cinnamon, and/or allspice berries.

(At this point you can store ahead the concentrate, chilled, until ready to make the drink.)

4 Add water: Add remaining 4 cups of water (or if you want to chill the drink quickly, ice and water) to the concentrate, and chill.

Alternatively you can add ice and chilled soda water for a bubbly version.

Add a little lime juice for a more punch-like flavor.

Serve over ice with a slice of orange or lime.

What are some of your favorite ways to include edible flowers in your entertaining? Share your recipes with the artisans at Ah Sam Flowers! We’d love to hear how you combine food and flowers.