Sometimes I wonder if Mel is catching onto the fact that whenever I say, “It’s okay, puppy,” it’s usually anything but okay.
It’s okay, puppy. I’m just going to accidentally cut your toenails down to the quick.
It’s okay, puppy. A volley of illegal fireworks are just about to go off outside.
It’s okay, puppy. I’m just about to toss you in the bathtub and run freezing water on you for an indefinite amount of time.
In my defense, the latter was done with only her welfare in mind. It’s been in the upper 90′s/low 100′s this past week, and since our one tiny window unit does a craptastic job of keeping our apartment cool, all three of us have been forced to resort to some rather extreme measures in our attempts to stave off heatstroke. Namely, not moving, not cooking, and not wearing clothes.
Mel is already quite adept at all three.
I, however, am having a difficult time coping with the whole not-cooking bit. It’s been torturous having so many recipe ideas and yet not being able to turn on the oven, so in my distress I’ve turned to drink.
Hibiscus lemonade, to be precise.
Hibiscus is yet another one of the culinary discoveries I’ve made since moving here. It’s tangy, distinctive, and actually a very popular flavor in Latin drinks and sweets. And if you think drinking hibiscus juice sounds weird, then perhaps you’d be interested to know that hibiscus flowers are also the main ingredient in Starbucks’ passion tea.
Not so scary now, is it?
So give your oven the day off. Don’t even think about turning on that burner. Just steep some teabags, add some sugar and lemon, and let science do the rest of the work. It can’t technically be considered laziness if it’s in the service of maintaining homeostasis.
Now if you’ll pardon me, Google has just informed me that the temperature outside has officially broken 100°, and Mel and I have some languishing to catch up on.
ingredients
6 teabags *
3/4 c sugar
1/4 c lemon juice
2 c boiling water
6 c cool water
directions
1. Pour boiling water into a medium pitcher (2+ qts) and add teabags. Cover and let steep for 10-15 minutes.
2. Add sugar and stir until dissolved, then stir in cool water and lemon juice.
3. Remove teabags and chill in the refrigerator until cold. That’s it!
* I’ve yet to see hibiscus tea carried at mainstream grocery stores, but any sort of Hispanic market should carry it, as well as most health food stores. If you’re having trouble finding it, you can always order some online.
