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Mauby
Spiced bark drink
Barbados' bittersweet iced drink brewed from mauby bark with cinnamon, clove, star anise and orange peel
Mauby is one of the oldest drinks of the Eastern Caribbean, and in Barbados it's sold ice-cold from vendors in Bridgetown and made at home on hot afternoons. It's brewed from the bark of the mauby tree, simmered with cinnamon, clove, star anise, bay and orange peel, then sweetened and diluted. The first sip is surprising: bitter like strong tea or tonic, then sweet, spicy and refreshing, with a liquorice note. Bark is sold in Caribbean shops and online. Chef's tip: brew a strong concentrate and dilute it to taste; mauby lovers like it bitter, newcomers should start with more water and more sugar.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For the concentrate
- ½ oz mauby barka few pieces
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 strip orange peelwithout white pith
- 3 ¼ cups water
To finish
- 7 oz brown sugaror to taste
- 1.3 litres cold water
- ½ tsp vanilla extract (optional)
- 16 ice cubes
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Rinse ½ oz mauby bark and put it in a saucepan with 1 cinnamon stick, 4 whole cloves, 1 star anise, 1 bay leaf, 1 strip orange peel and 3 ¼ cups water.
2 minStep 2: Bring to the boil, then simmer over a low heat for 15 minutes, until the liquid is a deep reddish-brown and smells woody and spiced. A common mistake is boiling it much longer: the bitterness becomes harsh and medicinal.
15 minStep 3: Strain into a large jug and stir in 7 oz brown sugar while hot until dissolved. Taste: it should be strongly bittersweet, as it will be diluted.
2 minStep 4: Add 1.3 litres cold water and ½ tsp vanilla extract if using, and stir. Taste again and adjust with more water or sugar. Chill for at least 1 hour.
60 minStep 5: Serve over 16 ice cubes. Bajans like to pour it from a height so it foams on top. Keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 100 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 25 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does mauby take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of cinnamon stick?
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon per stick.
- What can I use instead of whole cloves?
- Ground cloves, ¼ tsp for every 3 whole cloves.
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