Drinks
Bajan Mauby
Ingredients
- - 30 g (1 oz) dried mauby bark (or store-bought mauby bark mix)
- - 1.5 litres (6 cups) water
- - 1 cinnamon stick
- - 3 whole cloves
- - 1 strip orange peel
- - 200 g (1 cup) granulated sugar, or to taste
- - Ice, to serve
Method
- Combine the mauby bark, water, cinnamon stick, cloves and orange peel in a saucepan.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and allow to steep and cool for at least 2 hours, or overnight for a stronger flavour.
- Strain the liquid through a fine sieve or muslin cloth into a jug, discarding the solids.
- Stir in the sugar to taste while the liquid is still slightly warm, so it dissolves fully.
- Chill thoroughly and serve over ice.
Introduction: Mauby is a bittersweet, spiced drink made from the bark of the mauby tree, boiled with spices and sweetened to balance its natural bitterness.
Cultural Background: Mauby is a bittersweet, spiced drink made from the bark of the mauby tree, boiled with spices and sweetened to balance its natural bitterness. Deeply rooted in Caribbean folk-medicine and refreshment traditions, it’s sold from street carts and corner shops across Barbados, often considered an acquired taste that becomes a lifelong favourite.
Tips: Start with less sugar and adjust to taste — mauby’s characteristic bitterness is meant to come through. The drink develops more flavour and a light natural froth the longer it sits in the refrigerator.
Variations: Add a small piece of fresh ginger while boiling for a spicier version. Some households add a pinch of bicarbonate of soda to encourage a frothy head when pouring.
Storage: Store in a sealed bottle in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, shaking before serving.
Reheating: Mauby is served cold and is not reheated.
Nutrition: Approx. 90 kcal, 0 g protein, 23 g carbohydrates, 0 g fat per glass.
FAQs:
Q: Where can I find mauby bark outside the Caribbean?
A: Caribbean grocery stores and some online retailers stock dried mauby bark or ready-made syrup.
Q: Why is mauby bitter?
A: The bark itself carries a natural bitterness, similar to quinine, which is balanced rather than removed by sugar.