Welcome to Progressive Eats, our virtual version of a progressive dinner party. This month’s theme is Mediterranean Food and is hosted by Megan Myers who blogs at Stetted. Try something new for the New Year; a mix of appetizers, salads, main dish and desserts all featuring recipes with a Mediterranean look and feel.
If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, a progressive dinner involves going from house to house, enjoying a different course at each location. With Progressive Eats, a theme is chosen each month, members share recipes suitable for a delicious meal or party, and you can hop from blog to blog to check them out.
We have a core group of 12 bloggers, but we will always need substitutes and if there is enough interest would consider additional groups. To see our upcoming themes and how you can participate, please check out the schedule at Creative Culinary or contact Barb for more information.
Mediterranean Feast
I am so excited about this month’s Progressive Eats Dinner! The theme, chosen by wonderful Megan of Stetted, is Mediterranean, and once again, I think this group has outdone itself! We scoured all the corners of the Mediterranean to bring you such a feast! I’m so excited about the menu as a whole, I’m sharing it now before I share the drink I made (but do stick around for that too!) Everything is just sparkling with Mediterranean flavor!
Appetizers
Salad
Soup
Main Course
Bread
Veggies/Sides
- Spiced Chickpeas with Feta and Preserved Lemon from Healthy Delicious
- Roasted Greek Lemon Cauliflower and Potatoes with Feta from Jeanette’s Healthy Living
- Ricotta and Herb Stuffed Eggplant from Lana’s Cooking
Drinks
Dessert
- Vassilopitta (New Year Wish Cake) from girlichef
- Orange Chocolate Olive Oil Marble Cake from Life’s A Feast
Hibiscus Rose Sharbat
For my offering this month, I wanted a light and refreshing beverage that was also full of flavor. I looked to Turkey for my inspiration where sharbat, a concentrated drink syrup made from steeped fruit and/or flower petals, is diluted with water and served over ice. Technically, sharbat is enjoyed in India which is not so much Mediterranean. But, in Turkey they serve serbet, which is basically the same thing. Do not confuse it with American sherbet which is a frozen fruity dessert containing dairy.
This hibiscus rose sharbat is light and refreshing, a bit tart from the hibiscus with a lovely floral bouquet from the rose water I added. Diluted with water, it goes nicely with a light dessert such as angel food cake. Dilute it with sparkling water or club soda and you have a vivid deep pink non-alcoholic celebratory cocktail. While adding it to alcohol would most likely not be done at all in Turkey, I don’t see why you couldn’t add a splash of the syrup to a flute of prosecco or Champagne to ring in the New Year with a global, if slightly inauthentic, flair!
Hibiscus Rose Sharbat
This light, sweet, festive deep rose syrup is refreshing when diluted and served over ice. Feel free to scale the recipe up or down as desired. It will keep in the fridge for about 10 days.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 2 cups filtered water
- 2 cups dried hibiscus flowers
- 2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 3-5 teaspoons rose water, , to taste
Instructions
- Cook the sugar and water together, stirring occasionally, until the water just comes to a boil and the sugar has completely dissolved. Remove from the heat.
- Crush the hibiscus flowers and lime juice together with the back of a spoon. Use a mortar and pestle if you have one.
- Stir the flower mixture and the lesser amount of rose water into the sugar syrup.
- Taste to see if you like the amount of rose that comes through, and remember that you'll be serving it diluted. Add up to another 2 teaspoons of rose water if you think it needs it.
- Cool to room temperature then refrigerate for several hours.
- Strain and dilute with water (1 part syrup to 3 parts water) and serve over ice.
I hope you enjoyed this month’s Progressive Eats meal as much as I enjoyed participating in it. I also hope you enjoyed a wonderful holiday season and are looking forward to a bright, shiny new year in just a few days. Thank you so much for spending some time with me today. Have a lovely day.
The glasses are really pretty, aren’t they? It’s a Turkish tea set I ordered through Amazon. the glasses hold about 5 oz each. Click the photo (amazon affiliate link) if you’d like some of your own:
Maureen says
I love those glasses but the drink is outstanding. How pretty it is for this time of year.
Jennifer Field says
Thanks Maureen! And you’re right–half the world is in summer right now. It’s even refreshing here in wintertime too! 🙂
Heather | girlichef says
I can definitely see myself “pushing” tradition and topping this off with something bubbly to celebrate the new year – it’s beautiful. And I just so happen to have everything I need to make a batch…the timing is perfect…it’s happening! 🙂
Jennifer Field says
Huzzah, Heather! So glad you’re participating this month! Off to read all the posts as soon as the coffee is made! =)
Ansh says
I was waiting to see those glasses! They are perfect for this drink, Jenni. But prettier is the drink in itself! It looks exquisite.
Jennifer Field says
Thanks, Ansh! I’m in love with the glasses. I want to drink all the drinks out of them! And the sharbat is really amazing! Sounds like it is a common beverage in India as well. Do you make it, too?
Barbara @ Barbara Bakes says
This is the perfect drink for our feast, served in the perfect glasses!
Jennifer Field says
It just wouldn’t have been the same in rocks glasses, Barbara! I love the intense color of the syrup–it’s very refreshing. Would totally go with lamb and pita and eggplant and prosciutto and…. =)
Barb | Creative Culinary says
What a gorgeous color; although I have to admit I do see this with some Prosecco; I can’t help myself!
The glasses are just adorable…now you need to find multiple uses for them!
Jennifer Field says
They really are the cutest glasses, and reasonably priced so hooray! And I’m totally with you on the prosecco. I made it with water here to be traditional, but bubbles and a bit of alcohol are so festive! =)
Jeanette says
I love how pretty and refreshing this looks – the natural fragrances make this especially nice for a special drink!
Jennifer Field says
Thanks, Jeanette! This is unlike anything I’ve made before, and I’m so glad I went for it. Easy to make, really refreshing and colorful, and since it’s a concentrate, it’s perfect for serving a crowd!
Miss @ Miss in the Kitchen says
This is just amazingly gorgeous! I love trying new drinks and I am sure I would love this one!
Jennifer Field says
It is really good, Milisa! Not too sweet, a little tart and very refreshing. Great for a crowd too since it’s meant to be served diluted!
Jane, The Heritage Cook says
Jenni – I love anything with hibiscus and these drinks are stunning! So happy your Turkish glasses arrived in time, they are on my wish list now too – so cute! Beautiful photos as always and I love the simplicity; the glasses are stunning all on their own! 🙂
Jennifer Field says
Thank you Jane! I’m so happy they arrived in time!
Jamie says
Jenni, this not only sounds so delicious and refreshing but it is just beautiful! And fascinating! What a wonderful thing for you to bring to the Mediterranean feast! Those glasses are just beautiful, too.
Jennifer Field says
Thank goodness for Amazon Prime! I had forgotten how close to the wire I was cutting it: ordered on Saturday; arrived on Monday! Yay!
Betsy @ Desserts Required says
I, recently, tried hibiscus in a drink and LOVED it. I had NO idea how one went about bringing hibiscus in to it and I am so glad that you have showed me! Plus, this drink is gorgeous!
Jennifer Field says
Isn’t it a great flavor, Betsy?! And well: pink for you! I bought the flowers from Savory Spice Company, but you can also get wonderful teabags from the Wild Hibiscus company. =)
Megan says
I love the flavor of hibiscus but have not used rose water very much. I will have to give it a try for this gorgeous recipe!
Jennifer Field says
The rose adds more fragrance than flavor, Megan. It’s lovely to taste the sweet-tart hibiscus while smelling the scent of roses! =)