Mauby

Submitted by Molly53

"Mauby (also called mavi, mabi or maubi) is a tree bark-based beverage widely consumed in the Caribbean. Its flavor is initially sweet, somewhat like root beer, but changes to a prolonged, but not astringent bitter aftertaste. It derives its name from the central ingredient, the bark of the mauby tree, a buckthorn commonly referred to as “soldierwood” or “naked wood”. Strips of the bark are steeped in boiling water, to which a hefty amount of cane sugar and a variety of spices have been added. On many islands, a portion of a previous batch is used as a starter, and the whole is left to ferment for several days. Fermented or not, it’s drunk ice-cold. In folk medicine, mauby is variously ascribed the ability to lower cholesterol, counteract arthritis, reduce high blood pressure, act as an aphrodisiac, relieve dysentery, lower diabetics’ blood sugar, and to be an excellent thirst-slaking “cooling” beverage. Chilling time not included in preparation time."

 

• Ready In: 10mins
• Ingredients: 7
• Yields: 1 1/2 quarts
• Serves: 12

ingredients

• 1 tablespoon dried mauby bark
• 1 small piece ginger
• dried orange peel
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 -4 cloves
• 6 cups water
• 2 cups sugar

directions

1. Boil the first five ingredients in one cup of the water until all the flavors are fully infused, about ten minutes.
2. Cool; add water and sugar, to taste.
3. Strain and refrigerate until ready to drink.
4. Covered, it will last about two weeks in the refrigerator.