Drinks
Mauby
Ingredients
- - 30 g (1 oz) dried mauby bark (available at Caribbean grocers)
- - 1.5 litres (6 cups) water
- - 1 cinnamon stick
- - 3 whole cloves
- - 1/2 tsp (1/2 tsp) ground allspice
- - 150–200 g (3/4 to 1 cup) sugar, to taste
- - Ice, to serve
Method
- Combine the mauby bark, water, cinnamon stick, cloves and allspice in a large saucepan.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20–25 minutes to extract the bark's flavour and characteristic bitterness.
- Remove from heat and let the mixture steep, covered, for at least 4 hours, or overnight in the refrigerator, for the fullest flavour.
- Strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a large jug, discarding the bark and spices.
- Stir in sugar to taste while the liquid is still warm, so it dissolves fully.
- Chill thoroughly and serve over ice.
Introduction: Mauby is a traditional Caribbean drink made from the bark of the mauby tree, boiled and combined with warm spices and sugar to create a distinctive bittersweet, slightly herbal beverage.
Cultural Background: Mauby is a traditional Caribbean drink made from the bark of the mauby tree, boiled and combined with warm spices and sugar to create a distinctive bittersweet, slightly herbal beverage. Popular across Antigua and Barbuda alongside other Caribbean islands, it is often sold chilled from roadside coolers and family recipes, with the balance of bitterness and sweetness varying from household to household. Maub y is valued both as a refreshing everyday drink and, in some households, for its reputed digestive benefits.
Tips: Adjust the sugar gradually and taste as you go — mauby bark is naturally quite bitter and the right sweetness level varies widely by preference. Letting the mixture steep longer deepens both the bitterness and the aromatic spice notes; taste before straining to judge readiness.
Variations: Some recipes add a strip of orange peel during simmering for a citrus note. A pinch of a mauby starter or bay leaf is used by some households for a more complex, layered bitterness.
Vegetarian/Vegan: This drink is naturally vegan as written.
Storage: Store strained mauby in a sealed bottle or jug in the refrigerator for up to 1 week; flavour continues to develop slightly over the first day or two.
Reheating: This is a cold drink and is not reheated.
Nutrition: Calories: 70 kcal | Protein: 0 g | Carbohydrates: 18 g | Fat: 0 g | Fibre: 0 g | S odium: 5 mg
FAQs:
Q: Where can I find mauby bark? A: It is available at Caribbean grocery stores and specialty online retailers, usually sold dried in bark strips or as a concentrated syrup. Q: Why is my mauby too bitter? A: Increase the sugar gradually to balance the bitterness, or reduce the steeping time slightly next time for a milder extraction.
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