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The Wild Hibiscus Flower Company is a small family owned & operated firm run by a passionate team in Sydney, Australia. Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup are the original creation of Lee Etherington who invented the product 11 years ago in 1997.
Wild Hibiscus Flowers are unique in all the world and are now sold in 30 countries across the globe through retailers as prestigious as Harvey Nichols in London, Citarella in New York, Galerie Lafayette in Paris, and Passiflora in Hillsdale, NY.
Happy Holidays
from
Passiflora Home!
Here are a few of our Favorite recipes for you to play with during your Holiday Festivities. If you are inspired and have your own recipes, please share them with us and we will post them here.
Hibiscus, Warm Brie and Almond Crostini
24 servings
1 jar Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup
(reserve the syrup)
8 oz. Brie
1 baguette, sliced diagonally
3/4 cup sliced almonds, with skin
Garnish: snipped chives or fresh thyme
Preheat oven to 450° F. Drain hibiscus flowers and reserve syrup. Cut each flower in half. Cut brie into 1/4-inch-thick slices sized to cover about three quarters of a baguette slice. Spread the almonds in a flat dish. Press brie firmly onto the bread slices then, face down, into the almonds. Place crostini right side up on baking sheet and bake until brie is soft, bread is crispy, and nuts are lightly toasted, about 4 to 6 minutes. Right before serving, top each one with a hibiscus flower, drizzle lightly with reserved syrup and garnish with a touch of herbs.
Tip: To thicken hibiscus syrup, bring to a boil in small saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until syrup is reduced by 1/3 or coats the back of a spoon. Syrup will thicken more as it cools.
Hibiscus Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
4 to 6 starter servings
1 jar Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup
1 tsp. poppy seeds
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
3 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper
6 cups mixed salad greens (about one 5-oz bag)
1 large orange, peeled and diced
Drain hibiscus flowers and reserve syrup. Cut each flower in quarters, set aside.
Combine the poppy seeds, mustard and cider vinegar in a large bowl. Add 1/4 cup of the reserved syrup. Whisk in the olive oil and season to taste. Add the greens to the dressing and gently toss. Divide among plates and scatter with orange pieces and hibiscus flowers. Serve immediately.
Save remaining syrup to add to cocktails or lemonade.
Grilled Chicken & Hibiscus Skewers with Sassy Ginger Dipping Sauce
4 skewers
1 jar Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup
1 Tbsp. finely minced or grated fresh ginger
1/2 to 1 tsp. hot sauce
3 green onions (scallions)
1 to1 1/4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 32 pieces
Vegetable oil as needed
Salt and pepper
4 metal skewers or 10" heavy wood skewers soaked in water
Drain hibiscus flowers, reserving syrup in a small bowl.
To make the dipping sauce: Mix ginger and hot sauce into the reserved syrup.
Trim and cut each green onion into 4 pieces. Thread each skewer as follows: 2 pieces of
chicken, 1 piece of green onion, then 1 hibiscus flower*; repeat twice; then finish with 2
pieces of chicken. Lightly brush skewers with oil and season to taste with salt and
pepper.
Preheat grill to medium-high. Cook skewers until chicken is cooked through, about 4 to 5
minutes per side. Drizzle skewers with dipping sauce and serve extra on the side.
*Cut one flower in half if needed; jars contain approximately 11–12 flowers.
Hibiscus Berry Sundae
4 servings
This sundae is also excellent built on a slice of angle food or pound cake.
1 jar Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup
1 pint vanilla ice cream
1 cup fresh raspberries or quartered strawberries
Whipped cream
Chopped pistachio nuts (optional)
Drain hibiscus flowers and reserve syrup. Cut each flower in half.
Scoop ice cream into 4 bowls. Scatter with berries and then drizzle with the hibiscus
syrup. Top with a pouf of whipped cream and scatter with hibiscus flowers and nuts.
Serve immediately
HIBISCUS VODKA
1 quart vodka
Rind of 1/2 lemon
1/4 - 1/3 cup Hibiscus Syrup
Rose water (available at Indian and specialty grocers)
First, pour yourself a nice stiff shot of the vodka and enjoy it while you prepare the lemon peel. Remove as much of the white as possible. Add it, the Hibiscus Syrup, lemon rind and a few drops of rose water (if desired) to the bottle of vodka. Close bottle tightly, shake gently and allow to stand at room temperature for one week or more. Shake the bottle form time to time when the mood strikes you. When ready to serve, strain the mixture through cheesecloth or a paper coffee filter and serve chilled or over ice. Makes 1 quart.
Variations: Use the rind of 1/2 orange in place of the lemon. Or go nuts and add a few allspice berries or red peppercorns to the bottle. A tablespoon or so of good wild honey (clover, orange flower or acacia) is also delicious.
Strawberry-Hibiscus Granita
preparation
Blend quartered strawberries in a blender until finely puréed. Transfer to a large bowl; add Hibiscus Floers and syrup, and 1 tablespoon lime juice. Season to taste, adding more lime juice and syrup, if desired.
Pour strawberry and Hibiscus mixture into a 13x9x2" metal pan and freeze until top layer begins to harden, about 2 hours. Using a fork, scrape mixture to break frozen portions into tiny pieces. Freeze for 30 minutes; scrape again. Repeat until granita resembles fluffy shaved ice, about 4 hours.
Divide among bowls. Garnish with basil leaves and diced strawberries.
Strain 1 jar of Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup. Save the Syrup for some of these other fantastic recipes. Add a dried apricot in the bottom of the hibiscus flower.
Chop some candied ginger
Add some on top.
Not leaving well enough alone, mix equal parts of cream cheese and goat cheese together and toss in some of the sweet and peppery chopped ginger.
A green Pepita on top adds the perfect touch.
Yum...a visual and tasty delight.
As they reach toward the sun, these floral buds can enliven a cheese board, salad or stand on their own as an appetizer as they transition us into the glory of summer. Bon appetit!
Wild Hibiscus Flowers got their start when founder Lee Etherington “playfully” (read: drunkenly) dunked a wildflower into his flute of champagne and was smitten with the results. We used prosecco, rather than champagne, but the results were similar. As the flower rests at the bottom of the glass, the bubbles run across the surface, causing the petals to slowly unfurl. Although it looked great, we found that using the flowers in this way didn’t really contribute any flavor to the drink, with the exception of eating the prosecco soaked flower itself. It’s texture was similar to fruit leather; it had a flavor somewhere between raspberry and cranberry, not bad at all.
With that in mind, we tried a second version, this time adding a splash of the syrup to our drink. This sweetened up the dry prosecco, and turned it into a proper cocktail, with a sweet yet tart flavor that evoked thoughts of vitamin c.
Wild Hibiscus flowers certainly make for an impressive looking garnish!
ADAM & EVE MARTINI
Our Wild pink version of the apple-tini - playful & super smooth! Whilst lee would like to take credit for this one it was first mixed by his wife Jocelyn using some left over apple puree commissioned from 6 month old daughter Lily... Subsequent testing with normal apple puree proved that baby food gives a much smoother result on the palate for this cocktail.
2 oz vodka
3 oz apple puree (baby food is smoothest!)
1 oz wild hibiscus flower syrup
Wild Hibiscus Flower, cherry & chopstick for garnish
Stuff Wild Hibiscus Flower with cherry, skewer from side with chopstick for garnish
Shake together ingredients on ice
Strain into glass
Lay chopstick over the glass
The Forbidden fruit... the Wild Flower...
(& the skewered cherry! LOL) from the Garden of Eden - Enjoy.
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copake
connection
September
2013
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Enjoy Copake!
Copake
Connection is an online newsletter brought to you by members of the Copake
Hamlet Revitalization Taskforce with the generous assistance of Copake resident
Karen DiPeri. This Newsletter will publicize community events throughout the
Town of Copake and will be published once a month, on the 15th of the month.
The newsletter will be distributed to anyone who wishes to subscribe. Simply
click the mailing list icon below.
If
you wish to submit an article or notice regarding a community event taking place
in the Town of Copake to the Copake Connection, please e-mail:
thecopakeconnection@gmail.com. All submissions should be received by us by
noon on the 11th of the month.
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First Annual Roe Jan Ramble
Bike Ride
By: Jon Strom
On
Sunday, September 22nd, the first annual Roe Jan Ramble Bike Ride will kick off,
sponsored by the Town of Copake. The ride, open to cyclists of all ages and
abilities, will start at the municipal parking lot between First Niagara Bank
and Peck & Peck Insurance, in the heart of the hamlet of Copake.
Registration will begin at noon and the first group of riders will depart at 1
PM. There will be rides of 2 miles, 10 miles and 25 miles.
To
register online, or to print out a registration form, go to
www.townofcopake.org. Riders less than 18 years of age will need to print out
the form, have it signed by a parent, and mailed to or dropped off at Copake
Town Hall. All riders who register before September 8th will receive a free
t-shirt, while those that register after that time will get shirts on a first
come, first served basis while supplies last.
The
idea behind the ride, conceived by the Copake Hamlet Revitalization Task Force,
is to further promote bicycle use and tourism in Copake. There will be
refreshments after the race.
For
further information contact Jeanne Mettler at jeannemettler@gmail.com or Jon
Strom at jstrom@taconic.net
All
registered riders will receive an email with confirmation details a few days
prior to the event. |
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The Bike Routes
Click on the
ride below to view the route:
All routes will be
clearly marked on pavement.
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Wrist Band Bonus!
When you ride the in the Roe Jan
Ramble Bike Tour, show your wrist band in local businesses to get bonuses!
Free stuff! Discounts!
Details at the
Ride!
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The
(Continuing) Saga of the Copake Website
At a special meeting of the Town Board on June 19, 2013, the Town selected
Laurie Quinn, of Technology 4 All, Inc., to redesign the Town's website. The
Board appointed an ad hoc committee to assist Ms. Quinn, consisting of Board
members Susan Winchell-Sweeney and Jeanne Mettler, and Copake residents Noah
Elkin and Karen DiPeri. At the time it was hoped that the new website would be
up by early fall.
Subsequently, the Town ran into some snags, as a Malware virus made
the town's website inaccessible. But the good news is that the Town has moved
forward by obtaining an entirely new domain name: TownofCopake.org. A temporary
site at that address will give the public access to public notices, minutes and
announcements while the Committee continues to make progress on the permanent
website. As Ms. Quinn explained, "This will allow us to build a new, clean
database while having necessary information to the public."
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The
Veteran's Monument Project
At the September Town Board meeting,
Supervisor Jeff Nayer announced that $3500 has been raised for the Veteran's
Monuments Project. The goal is to raise $5000 to pay for adding names of
veterans to Copake's Korean War monument and Vietnam monument.
Efforts
continue to find any veteran whose name has been inadvertently omitted from
either the Vietnam or Korean monument. Any veteran who feels his or her name
should be on the monument should contact the Town Clerk at 329-1234 Ext. 2.
There
will be a pancake breakfast on Sunday, October 13, 2013 to raise more funds.
Anyone wishing to contribute to this project or who wants further details should
contact Supervisor Nayer at 329-1234 Ext.
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Roe
Jan Library Invites the Community to a 100th Birthday Party
The Roeliff Jansen Community Library,
founded in 1913, will be celebrating its 100th birthday on Saturday September
21st with a big, free birthday party celebration for the community starting at
12:30 at the Library.
Under the tent at 2 pm will be the return of
the very popular Birds of Prey. Bill Robinson, who teaches field biology,
ornithology, and animal life at SUNY New Paltz, returns to the Library with his
wildlife presentation that includes a hawk, owl, vulture, falcon and snakes.
Outside will be the 1st Responder Truck Expo
with an Ancram Fire Truck, a Columbia County Sherriff's car and a Copake Highway
Truck for kids (little and big) to check out. The Sheriff's Department will be
making kid's ID cards with fingerprints and promoting the Yellow Dot program, a
way to ensure that first responders have your medical
information
Whoopsy Daisy the Clown will entertain the kids
with goofy antics, face painting and balloon toys. Kids can also try their hand
at Spin Art and, thanks to the Hillsdale Supermarket, cookie decorating.
Everyone can enjoy free hot dogs, popcorn and cold drinks thanks to Herrington
Fuels and First Niagara Bank. With a nod to autumn there will be fresh pressed
cider for all. At 3:15 a round of "Happy Birthday" and free cupcakes will
commemorate 100 years of service to the community.
The Whitehouse Staff Band will provide the
music for the party from 12:30 to 2:00, on the stage playing Rock 'n Roll dance
music.
Local community groups will be on hand with
information about their organizations, including the Harlem Valley Rail Trail,
the Copake Hamlet Revitalization Task Force and the Leaf Peepers.
Inside the Library, party-goers will find how
to download eBooks to a Nook or Kindle, get tours of the library and learn about
all the resources available. There will be Green Tours at 1:00 and 3:00 to learn
about the green features of the library, including a tour of the geothermal
heating and cooling equipment. 100th Birthday Commemorative Mugs made by
Berkshire Pottery will be for sale.
Essential Moments, B. Docktor's photo exhibit
which includes some of her photos of the Library community will be on view as
well as the newly restored painting "View of Hillsdale", a Hudson River School
painting from the 1860's that is part of the library's
collection.
The Friends of the Roe Jan Library Bookstore
will be open in the lower level of the library. Everyone who visits the store
during the party can get one $2 book for free.
From 3 to 5pm the Salisbury Band Senior
Quickstep Hotshots will be on the stage to play old time jazz tunes, American
songbook popular songs, and brass band favorites. They are part of a band that
has been performing for eight decades.
At 4pm there will be a champagne reception for
everyone who has ever volunteered for the library. The reception will honor
those who have helped patrons check out items, shelved books, been a member of
the Friends, served on the program committee, helped with a fundraising event,
raised money for the Capital Campaign, organized a book sale, baked cookies,
produced an art show, pulled weeds, built a bookcase, washed a window or
volunteered for any other library project. The Board of Trustees are recognizing
the volunteers as a key reason the library is a strong and vibrant community
resource as it starts its second century.
The Roeliff Jansen Community Library,is
chartered to serve Ancram, Copake and
Hillsdale.
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Leaf
Peeper 2013 Concert Series
September 21, 2013
Hillsdale Grange
Presenting Half the Catalyst String
Quartet
Sanford Allen, Music Director of CCCC will talk on (and not on)
the language of music
(my own peculiar relationship therewith). Music will
include Beethoven's Eyeglass Duo for Viola and Cello and Serenade, Op.8, for
String Trio; Ron Carter's 2+1=4 , a Leaf Peeper commissioned piece; and closing
with Robert Fuch's String Trio. Sanford Allen, violin; Dov Scheindlin, viola;
and Karlos Rodriguez, cello will perform these
pieces.
October 5, 2012 Copake Methodist
Church
FIRST ANNUAL NEWELL JENKINS BAROQUE
CONCERT
Works by Johann Sebastian Bach will include Partita No. 6 for
violin; Three Arias from the Cantatas 58, 80 and 36 adapted for Instruments;
Sonata for Oboe and Harpsichord;
Partita No. 1 for Harpsichord; and Trio
Sonata No. 5 for Oboe, Violin and Continuo.
Sanford Allen, violin; Virginia
Brewer, oboe; and Edward Brewer, harpsichord will initiate this remembrance of
Leaf Peeper's founder, Newell Jenkins.
October 19, 2013 St. James
Church, Chatham
String Music from Three Centuries
All
concerts are at 7:30 pm. Tickets for Leaf Peeper Concerts are $20 per
performance or $70 for a series pass. Students and children get in free when
accompanied by an adult. Tickets may be purchased at the door or online at
www.leafpeeperconcerts.org. They may also be reserved by emailing
LeafPeepers@fairpoint.net or calling 518-329-5613.
The performances are
made possible (in part) with public funds from the Decentralization Program of
the NYS Council of the Arts, administered through the Community Grants Program
by the Greene County Council on the Arts, and in part with funds from the
Alexander and Marjorie Hover Foundation, Inc. |
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Roeliff Jansen Historical Society Summer Exhibit
"Recreation in the Roe Jan Area"
The summer exhibit will
celebrate the Roe Jan area's historic contribution as a recreational wonderland,
past and present, and in all four seasons. From Hudson River School
painter John Frederick's Kennset's pre-Civil War
discovery of Bash Bish Falls through the rise of popular village inns and camps
that catered to guests escaping the summer heat in the city through the
establishment of the Taconic State Park in the 1920s through the present day,
the exhibit will showcase photographs and artifacts of camping, fishing, skiing,
hiking, baseball and golf. The exhibit opens July 6th and runs through Columbus
Day weekend. The museum will be open Saturdays and Sundays, from 2:00-4:00pm. www.roeliffjansenhs.org
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Now entering its third year,
Farming Our Future has established itself as an important
conference for the Northeast Region, attracting farmers, businesses, community
leaders and engaged citizens in the topic of farming.
The 2014 conference will
focus on strategies and ideas for ensuring farms will continue to be in
our region for many years to come. Speakers and workshops will cover
topics related to accessing locally produced food, attracting and getting youth
interested in farming as an occupation, thoughts on farm transfer and tools to
train beginning farmers.
Sponsored by The Berkshire Taconic Community
Foundation, Valley Energy, and Farm Credit East (as of 9/15). Proceeds from the conference, expected to draw over 300
attendees, will go toward Taconic Hills' award-winning H.A.R.V.E.S.T. Club
(Healthy Agricultural Resources by Volunteers & Educators in Science &
Technology), a program that engages youth in the process of growing healthy
fruits, flowers and vegetables in a school-based garden, and to the school's
Parent Teacher Organization (PTO).
We hope you
will join us Saturday, February 22nd 2014 at Taconic Hills
Central School District for a thoughtful discussion of where our food will come
from in the future.
Exhibitors can register now online!
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