Wild Hibiscus in ChampagneBonnie: Last year, when I ran into my foodie friend Ilene Spector at the Pillsbury Bake-Off, she was bubbling over about some wild flowers in syrup that she had used for entertaining. Ilene explained that she liked to just place a whole flower in the bottom of a flute, add a bit of syrup then fill it with champagne.

“You must try it!” said Ilene.

She was so excited about it that I added it to my ever-growing list of products to sample and consider for Bite of the Best. Funny thing, I was at an event at Astor Center in Manhattan and serendipitously received a jar in my take-home goodie bag. Fate.

A FeaturedBite in the making? Perhaps, but the proof would be in the service and taste. I quickly invited a couple of friends over, placed the hibiscus flower and some syrup in the glass and topped mine with Prosecco. My friends are still talking about it. The presentation wows anyone, but so does the taste, with its hint of raspberry.

I knew at that moment that I’d be sharing this with all of you, so that you might use it to begin your next extra-special holiday gathering. For sure, it will be a conversation starter.

Thanks Ilene.

Bryan: It’s simply the most interesting addition to your bar in a long time. Cocktail garnishes are a must for any home bar enthusiast: olives, lemon twists, Maraschino cherries… these are commonplace, these are expected on the bar. The unexpected? Wild Hibiscus Flower in Syrup. What? Wild hibiscus flowers unfolding, almost dancing, on the bottom of your champagne, petals tickled by the unrushing bubbles. It’s entrancing, it’s delicious and it’s ready for your New Year’s party.

The Wild Hibiscus Flower Company is a small, family-operated company from Sydney, Australia. The flowers are its original creation, and it remains alone in production and marketing of the product across the globe.

The term “hibiscus” doesn’t actually refer to a single flower, but rather to a large grouping of tropical flowering plants noted for their particularly showy flowers. What better focal point to a glass of sparkling wine? But how to serve them? Flowers, as we all know, wilt and die quickly. To that end, the company devised a natural preservative of spring water and cane sugar that keeps the flowers fresh for two years.

It’s not your average party favor. Grown in tropical northern Australia, the flowers are individually picked, deseeded, cleaned and packed into jars entirely by hand. The company even goes so far as to plan predetermined positions in the jar, according to the different shape of each flower, ensuring that none are squashed. Drink up and eat up; they taste like raspberry rhubarb!

Eric: I always feel that when it comes to a dinner party, hosts, aside from focusing on preparing food and creating the perfect ambiance, are always looking to “one-up” previous attempts, or to put it non-eloquently – to blow the minds of their guests.

Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup is available for just such an occasion. Place one syrup-covered flower in the bottom of a sparkling wine glass (whether it be champagne, cava or Prosecco) and watch the magic, and your guests’ eyes, pop as the flower “blooms,” releasing a subtle flavor of raspberry enveloped in bubbles. This is not an everyday product, but it is one to dazzle the senses of your guests and create a lasting impression.