mamajuana

The Dominican offers a variety of savoury food and drink to tantalize your imagination and your tastebuds.  Amoung mythical foodstuffs like chocolate and oysters, besides being touted as a cure-all for any number of ailments from infertility to stomach aches, DR's specialty mamajuana has earned the monicker 'liquid viagra' - but is, in my opinion, just a darn tasty shot, the kind that leaves a pleasant aftertaste in your mouth and warms you up right down to your toenails.  I LOVE mamajuana.

Although recipes and brewing tips varied, the basic idea is to take a bottle stuffed with twigs, leaves, and bark that roughly resemble the cedar shavings you buy in a heavy plastic bag from Home Depot, soak them in wine and honey for a few days, empty out the contents, then refill with roughly equal amounts of dark rum, red wine, and liquid honey.  One may add a stick of cinnamon or a splash of vanilla for a twist, and I imagine there are many variations on the theme just waiting to be discovered.  After about 2 weeks, it's ready to drink.  Once you've consumed the contents, you simply refill it and start over.  And apparently, the older the twigs and bark, the better the flavour.  

Our first batch is currently steeping; we have some Dominican liquid honey here as well as a big bottle of Brugal for when our sticks are seasoned.  Lucky for us, we bought a bottle of pre-brewed mamajuana to tide us over until our home brew is ready...  Next time you come over, be sure and ask for a shot!