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Mamajuana
Mamajuana is not a distilled beverage. Local moonshines are called clerén, triculí and petrinche, and are usually made in rudimentary stills, from sugarcane or maguey (agave). On the other hand, mamajuana is basically rum flavoured with the addition of various plant ingredients, which was originally devised to treat physical ailments; however, currently, there are two varieties of mamajuana, one is made mostly of shellfish and sea ingredients, and the other, and which is used for entertainment drinking, is made with various plant ingredients (canelilla, timacle, caro, marabeli, maguey, pega palo, anamu, bohuco, among others).
There is no set recipe. Mamajuana is a mixture of roots and barks from different plants/trees that is put into a bottle and to which rum is then added, so that it acquires the taste of this mixture. You can buy the mamajuana at many different places, including roadside stands and the local "mercado".
When you first get it, you have to go through a curing process, because the first few batches of rum will be very strong and sometimes bitter in taste. You should add a few tablespoons of honey and some raisins to your mamajuana in order to aid this curing process. After curing, a tablespoon of honey and some fresh raisins added in periodically, help with the taste, which will become mellow over time.
The rum that you want to use for this is just your favorite regular rum. Nothing too fancy, as the mamajuana will overpower it anyway. Once added, you should let the rum sit in the bottle for a least 2 to 3 days, but longer is better.
Mamajuana has long been considered an aphrodisiac in popular Dominican culture, and that was much more so, when the addition of certain parts of the male anatomy of "carey" (a type of sea turtle) were commonly added in with the roots/barks. The possession of carey is now outlawed in DR.
When you first get it, you have to go through a curing process, because the first few batches of rum will be very strong and sometimes bitter in taste. You should add a few tablespoons of honey and some raisins to your mamajuana in order to aid this curing process. After curing, a tablespoon of honey and some fresh raisins added in periodically, help with the taste, which will become mellow over time.
The rum that you want to use for this is just your favorite regular rum. Nothing too fancy, as the mamajuana will overpower it anyway. Once added, you should let the rum sit in the bottle for a least 2 to 3 days, but longer is better.
Mamajuana has long been considered an aphrodisiac in popular Dominican culture, and that was much more so, when the addition of certain parts of the male anatomy of "carey" (a type of sea turtle) were commonly added in with the roots/barks. The possession of carey is now outlawed in DR.
Boletero said:i forgot to mention i dont live in the DR, so i cant go to "el mercado" and buy iti wish i could
Well, I think you may be out of luck, since the main ingredients are the barks and plants... maybe you can get someone to bring you back a bottle.
Sidenote: I dropped some friends off at the airport the other day, one had a bottle of the dry mamhuana ingredients. Several porters told him he couldn't bring the bottle on the plane as is and he'd have to add rum to it before taking it out of the country. Anyone know if this is true... and if so, why?
You can bring back the bottle with herbs then make your own. Make sure to fill the new bottle with cheap wine first because the herbs are very bitter. Dump that out and make a mixture of rum and honey and refill the bottle. I've also used white raisins, honey, rum and let that to stand for a week before pouring it in the bottle (without the raisins)
The white raisins and rum are suppose to be good for arthritis or is it the rum that numbs the pain?
The white raisins and rum are suppose to be good for arthritis or is it the rum that numbs the pain?
Boletero said:
OK, that makes sense (well for here, anyway)... but funny how they sell it right at the airport... and dont tell you you need to fill it with something before getting on the plane...
Boletero said:i forgot to mention i dont live in the DR, so i cant go to "el mercado" and buy it
Where do you live?? I just got back form the DR and got some, maybe I can send it to 'ya!!
AnnaC said:You can bring back the bottle with herbs then make your own. Make sure to fill the new bottle with cheap wine first because the herbs are very bitter. Dump that out and make a mixture of rum and honey and refill the bottle. I've also used white raisins, honey, rum and let that to stand for a week before pouring it in the bottle (without the raisins)
The white raisins and rum are suppose to be good for arthritis or is it the rum that numbs the pain?
I knew I was missing something AnnaC!! Raisins!!! The girl told me how to prepare it, but I forgot abou the raisins!!
Im sorry but...
... this post has made it more confusing then ever!!
Maybe Im a slow learner but let me break it down in steps to see if Ive got this right:
1. buy the bottle with the assorted twigs, etc
2. pour rum and honey and raisins into *another* bottle?
3. after some time, pour the contents of the second bottle (minus raisins) into the first bottle?
4. let that sit for awhile?
5. drink it down and keep your hands off your twig?
p.s. where does the cheap wine go?
... this post has made it more confusing then ever!!
Maybe Im a slow learner but let me break it down in steps to see if Ive got this right:
1. buy the bottle with the assorted twigs, etc
2. pour rum and honey and raisins into *another* bottle?
3. after some time, pour the contents of the second bottle (minus raisins) into the first bottle?
4. let that sit for awhile?
5. drink it down and keep your hands off your twig?
p.s. where does the cheap wine go?
Fightingirish, the rum, raisins and honey get added to the bottle with the twigs (mamajuana). The first few batches will taste nasty (bitter) because the "twigs" have to cure. Some people use wine to cure the "twigs", but others do it without it. Read post number 4 on this thread again.
Its so simple and noone's got it right yet.
1.take the bottle of roots and add red wine
2. let wine sit for 2 weeks, then drain wine
3. add 1/2 bottle of honey and 1/2 bottle of rum
4. let age 2 weeks turning bottle every 2 days
5. pour a shot and Drink up!
Ive have never seen raisins in a shot of mamajuana and I ve had it in many different places!
1.take the bottle of roots and add red wine
2. let wine sit for 2 weeks, then drain wine
3. add 1/2 bottle of honey and 1/2 bottle of rum
4. let age 2 weeks turning bottle every 2 days
5. pour a shot and Drink up!
Ive have never seen raisins in a shot of mamajuana and I ve had it in many different places!