Ingredients

• 1/2 cup dried hibiscus blossoms available in Mexican and Indian grocers
• fresh cilantro
• 2 ounces mezcal
• 1 ounce simple syrup see below
• 3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
• club soda

Instructions Make the hibiscus tea—and the simple syrup. Bring 3 cups of water to a low boil in a medium saucepan and remove from heat. Stir in hibiscus blossoms—the water will immediately turn the deep, vivid red you see in the cocktail above—and steep for 10 minutes. Strain tea into a bowl and cool completely. This will make way more hibiscus tea than you need for this recipe, but you'll probably want to make it again (or you can drink it as tea).

Now's a good time to make your aptly named simple syrup if you don't already have some on hand. Combine equal parts sugar and water in a small saucepan (I generally do 1 cup each) and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar completely dissolves. Remove from heat and cool completely. Both the hibiscus tea and simple syrup will keep for more than a week refrigerated in airtight containers.

Make the cocktails. Put 3 to 4 sprigs of fresh cilantro in a cocktail shaker or tall glass, removing the thick stems first. Add mezcal and muddle to release the cilantro's oils and flavors. Add 2 ounces of hibiscus tea, 1 ounce of the simple syrup and the lime juice. Add some ice to the glass or shaker and stir to combine and chill the liquids.

Strain the mixture into 2 ice-filled rocks glasses, top with club soda and give a slight stir. Garnish with cilantro leaves or a lime wheel if you're feeling fancy. Marion and I were so smitten by the bright red drinks that we didn't bother. Serve.