Mamajuana

luisrod · Sep 9, 2003

Okay, here we go. My visit to DR was great. I visited with family (Las Charcas), rented a car ($28/day), headed to Punta Cana (thru Santo Domingo), five and a half hours later I was at an all inclusive resort. The best part was the ride, although the Dominicans I met at the resort were the shit! Of course, it helps to speak spanish, not to mention, be of Dominican decent. Headed back to Santiago after a couple of days. Picked up five bottles of Mamajuana, Brugal, and I was on my way. Unfortunately, the bottle I bought from the resort bartender broke, but the uncured bottles survived.
Now I've heard it all from the locals (including my family) about curing Mamajuana. it might be a little late to ask, since I've recently combined cheap light rum, gin, honey, raisins, and vanilla extract to cure mine, but what is the preferred, or should I say "traditional", method of curing Mamajuana?

Pib · Sep 9, 2003

http://dominicancooking.com/archives/articles/15.htm

luisrod · Sep 9, 2003

I need more info!

I've read this article and it still fails to go into fair detail about preparation, ingredients, and curing times, much less, offer various traditional ways to prepare mamajuana. Can I get more help?

Andy B · Sep 9, 2003

Luis,
Into your bottle of mamajuana mixture of roots, herbs, leaves, spices, etc pour 3/4 regular brown rum and 1/4 honey. Vary the honey according to taste. Also, of the rum, about 10% or less should be 151 proof white rum. Into all this throw in a splash or two of grenadine. Add ingredients in the same proportion when the bottle gets low. The longer it ages, the better.

The original mix uses only rum and honey and this was actually a medicine used when the Dominicans got "la Grippe," the flu. After 4 or 5 slugs of mamajuana the flu magically disappeared,... at least until the effects of the alcohol wore off.
This is the mix we use in our restaurant.

samiam · Sep 9, 2003

Andy B said:
After 4 or 5 slugs of mamajuana the flu magically disappeared,... at least until the effects of the alcohol wore off.
This is the mix we use in our restaurant.

The Flu, Mamajuana would even make Acute Pneumonia disappear!
Where's your restaurant?

Andy B · Sep 9, 2003

Hi Samiam,
Our open-air, oceanfront restaurant, Nicole's Oceanview, is in our small hotel, el Marinique, in Las Galeras. My wife Nicole, built the restaurant in '89 and has operated it continuously since then. The hotel cabanas were built a year later. I came on the scene in late '96 and we added two new apartments late last year.

Nicole's cooking is well known and my fat belly can attest to it's quality. Come see us.

XanaduRanch · Sep 10, 2003

Andy B said:
Our open-air, oceanfront restaurant, Nicole's Oceanview, is in our small hotel, el Marinique, in Las Galeras.

Andy, is that open-air by choice or the result of the encounter with the hurricane that you described in the Isabel thread? LOL. I am hungry! I wish I could stop by now ... but we'll plan a trip sometime!

samiam · Sep 10, 2003

Andy B,

A friend in Galeras!!:bunny:

Pleased to meet you.

I was staying in Club Bonito this weekend. Me and my Girlfriend bought a lot last year. It is near Villa Serena and we go all the time to check out the property. We hope to build next year and eventually move there in three or four years. It is nice to meet a future neighboor!!

Next trip I'll definately look you up, please send me the hotel's phone number for reservations.

Andy B · Sep 10, 2003

Tom/XR,
The open-air restaurant was originally a garden restaurant until Nicole put a big roof over the entire area and concreted the floor. It was just too much every time it rained with the guests all crowding in behind the covered bar. When you see this huge roof you will understand why we get real nervous everytime the wind blows!

Samiam,
Glad to hear you're going to take up residence out here in the tip of paradise. Which lot did you buy? You can reach us at 538-0262 most anytime or at elmarinique@codetel.net.do

samiam · Sep 10, 2003

Andy:

Past the VIlla Serena Hotel there are several houses and lots for sale, our is the last one on the cuast, reight before the little tip-mini peninsula- thingie

I dunno how well I just explained myself.
We'll look you up next visit. Definately we'll stop by; Nicole's cooking is on my list of thing to try next visit.

Camden Tom · Sep 10, 2003

Hey Andy, Do you have a web site?

Andy B · Sep 10, 2003

Actually I have three websites:
www.elmarinique.com for the hotel and needs updating,

www.samana.net (over which my partner and I are having major differences/disagreement at this time)

and the newest, www.samanaonline.com which is up but still under construction as we work out the bugs. It's not even up on the search engines yet.

FireGuy · Sep 10, 2003

There is no one Mamajuana recipe

As has been alluded to already, there are variations on the Mamajuana Recipe.

I am pleased to post, with permission, Marco's recipe, from Rocky's Rock and Blues Bar.

Mamajuana

1) The reason the mamajuana is bitter is because the wood, leaves and spices inside are too new. (green)

2) Generally, one would put cheap gin in the bottle for approx. 6 weeks to get the bitter out, then pour it out and make your first mix. Often times, the first batch is a bit bitter anyhow, and you should consider getting it out of the bottle into another bottle so as to stop the process. The second batch will be smoother, and so on. As time goes on, the longer you leave it in the bottle, the smoother it gets.

3) You might leave the mix in for the six week period, and try again. If the wood inside was not too new, the next batch could be good. I have run into some stubborn bottles that took as much as 3 months to "cure".

4) The mix.... Approx. 90% dark rum, 8% honey, 2% cheap red wine and some people add a couple of secret ingredients.

5) There is no set rule about how sweet you make it. The best thing to do is make up 3/4 of the bottle, shake well, and adjust it to taste. It will taste more or less the same when fermented as when you first make it. The difference is that it will be a whole
heck of a lot smoother.

6) The bottles seem to last forever, and just get better and better. I don't think there is any limit as to how long they last. As time goes on, you will find that the mix ages very quickly. My bottles age the mix overnight.

Enjoy,

Marco
Rocky?s Rock & Blues Bar
Sosua, RD

Have a big shot for me,

Gregg

Andy B · Sep 10, 2003

I think the bitterness described has a lot to do with the mixture used. We've never had to pre-cure the wood nor throw away the first mix or two. And using gin? If I HAD to wash the mix, I'd do it with a neutral tasting alcohol such as rum, whiskey or even vodka before I'd use gin. Gin tastes like turpentine anyway. Yecch!!

Actually this stuff was first created here in Las Galeras by a guy name Negro many years ago. He's still here with his herbs, spices and "other" ingredients and will make up a bottle for you on the spot. We use two bottles: one about 4 years old for the initial aging and then transfer it into a decanter that has a mix about 6 years old for further aging and serving. It makes for a great digestive after a good meal, about like Barcelo Imperial or a fine cognac.

ajicaribe · Sep 10, 2003

This is up to you

Andy, I think that your formula is right.
Rum ( of any kind) and honey will do it.
Then it just needs time to cure.
I got one ( medio galon) from my cousin in Samana last year when I visited.
I asked everybody about curing it, but eventually received so many suggestions that I gave up.
Back here in Canada I used MountGay, and Applenton ( both rum) from the caribbean, and honey. Then I just put it away for a couple of months and voila.

I also learned that using Port ( Optima), because it contains alcohol and it is sweet, it works pretty well.
Mamajuana are cure with the time.

Andy, I am also from Samana ( now living in cold Montreal, Canada).

I am a Systems Engineer here in Canada and will move for good back to my beloved DR next summer.
I will be most likely opening some a little business and will start working on my land ( about 16 acres up in the moutain, in Los Cacaos)
I was down there 2 weeks ago for 2 weeks, and boy do I ever miss what I left.

Take care and good luck to you ALL down there.

Cheers

jimrx7 · Sep 11, 2003

hello everybody i am a soldier deployed here in iraq and i am of dominican decent from navarrete.. my father has one exceptional mamajuana at his home in new york that has been curing for 12 years now and i cant wait to open it when i get back from this hell. he also used old wood and leaves that he originally cured using bacardi 151. he also uses only like 1/8 of honey but that also has to do with how sweet you like it. he strictly uses barcelo imperial in the bottles that he makes for his brothers and friends.

Porfio_Rubirosa · Sep 11, 2003

Stay safe, compadre.

That sounds like one hell of a mamajuana waiting for you back home. I'd send you one from here if there were a way to get it to you. Next time, try to get stationed in Constanza like my Seabee buddy from Brooklyn (originally Barahona).

By the way, any of you guys see what's under those birkas yet???

Pib · Sep 11, 2003

[B]Andy B[/B] said:
Actually this stuff was first created here in Las Galeras by a guy name Negro many years ago.

Can I have a grain of salt with that please? Either Negro is impossibly old, or he he was fibbing.

Andy B · Sep 11, 2003

Pib,
I can only report what I was told. Do you have any historical information regarding this? If you do, please share it as I too would like to know the real story.

ajicaribe · Sep 11, 2003

Take Care

jimrx7, the best for you and all domincan soldiers there in Irak.

Take good care of your self and come back soon to our beloved Republica Domincana.

Viva Quisqueya!!

Mamajuana

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