Caribbean spiced rums aren’t particularly exotic — there’s hardly
a bar in America where you can’t order a “Captain and Coke,” for example. But
there’s one unique variety of Caribbean spiced rum that you may not have heard
of, even though its origins date back more than 800 years: Mamajuana.

As originally made by the native Taino people, mamajuana (or Mama Juana) was prepared as a tea with a mix of herbs, tree bark, and — if legends hold true, the private parts of a turtle.

The latter is important because all through its long history,
mamajuana has been touted as an aphrodisiac (its local nickname is ”the baby
maker”) as well as for its medicinal qualities, such as improved digestion and
blood circulation.

The recipe for mamajuana endured even long after the Taino
disappeared from the Caribbean, decimated first by the rival Arawaks and then
enslavement and disease brought by Europeans. The latter added spirits and red
wine to the recipe, and gave the concoction its modern name (which comes from a
nickname for the type of squat, wicker-covered bottle the drink was
traditionally stored in).

Today, mamajuana is considered the national drink of the
Dominican Republic, although until recently you were more likely to find it
served at a local bar than at a Caribbean beach resort.

Mamajuana also has endured as a variety of the “bush rum” found
throughout the Caribbean, especially on islands with a strong Latin influence.

For example, on St. Croix, which has strong cultural connections
to Puerto Rico, tourists may flock to the Mount Pellier Domino Club to feed
cheap beer to the resident pigs, but savvier visitors know the superior
attraction is sipping owner Norma George’s homemade mamajuana.

Never made exactly the same way twice, mamajuana retains its air
of mystery, but in recent years it also has begun to show up on liquor store
shelves, with somewhat more refined versions produced under brands like Candela
and Kalembu.

Candela mamajuana, available in the Dominican Republic as well as more than a half-dozen U.S. states, is marketed as a premium product: a 750-mi bottle sells for $25-$35.

Alejandro Russo, Candela’s founder and CEO, says the spirit starts with aged Dominican rum distilled directly from sugar cane juice. Spices and organic honey are added next, and the blend is then aged again in American white oak barrels.

The complete ingredient list for Candela (the name alludes to the Spanish idiom for “sexy” or “too hot to handle”) is a secret — but rest assured, turtle is not an ingredient in the mix.

Also missing is the red wine traditionally used in mamajuana, but Candela does include the main traditional herbs used by the Tainos, including Bohuco Pega Palo, Clavo Dulce, Anamú, Palo Brazil, and Maguey leaves.

“Everything is as authentic and natural as you can find,” Russo said.

Mamajuana can be sipped neat, on the rocks, or used in cocktails.
Different drinkers will experience different flavor notes, but I found Candela’s mamajuana to have a taste reminiscent
of root beer or birch beer, and — bottled at 60 proof — a smooth finish.

Resort bartenders in the Dominican Republic have used mamajuana
in place of rum to make mojitos, Pina coladas, and daiquiris, for example, and
the Cuprum Miami bar at South Beach’s Beach Plaza Hotel uses Candela as the
base for a variation of the Negroni cocktail.

Russo himself prefers a mamajuana Old Fashioned.

“Even though people in the Dominican Republic often drink it for its medicinal properties, we focus on its mixology aspects,” he said.

Like a lot of people, Russo — a native of Chile, not the
Dominican Republic — first encountered mamajuana on vacation.

“I was at the Bavaro Palace in Punta Cana and everyone was
drinking this stuff,” he remembered. “I met a good group of friends at the pool
bar and it turned out to be a wild night. I went to the bartender the next day
and asked him, ‘What was that?’ And he flexed his arm and told me, ‘This is
‘Dominican Viagra.’”

Hooked, Russo searched in vain for mamajuana to take home from
his trip, “but I could only find it in DIY form” — bottles filled with herbs
but requiring buyers to add their own spirits, wine, and sweetener. Despite
having no background in the spirits business, he left determined to bring his
new, favorite drink to a wider audience.

“I loved the taste, how it made me feel, and it is very cool
culturally,” said Russo. “Mamajuana is to the Dominican Republic what tequila
is to Mexico. Latin people have a certain ‘spice,’ and Candela really embodies
Latin culture.”

Mamajuana Cocktails from Candela

Sugar Daddy, the Dominican Old-Fashioned

3 oz mamajuana

1 tbsp brown
sugar

Dash of Bitters

Garnish with orange twist

Mijita, The Sexy Mojito

3 oz mamajuana

1 tbsp sugar

5 fresh mint leaves

2 lime wedges

Muddle all together, top with soda water.

Huracán

3 oz mamajuana

1 oz orange juice

1 oz pineapple juice

1 oz passion fruit juice

Spicy Mama

3 oz mamajuana

2 oz fresh lemon juice

1 oz jalapeño-infused simple syrup

Footnote: Mamajuana has always been a do-it-yourself kind of
drink, so feel free to add some red wine to Candela mamajuana if you want to
experience the more traditional flavor of what some have called “Dominican
sangria.”

The post Rediscovering Mamajuana, the Legendary Drink of the Dominican Republic appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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Continuing a new trend in the aviation industry, American Airlines has announced that it will be requiring all flyers to wear face coverings or masks on their flights. 

The move will take effect on May 11, according to a statement from the world’s largest airline. 

The move is part of what American Airlines called an “ongoing commitment to prioritizing customer and team member well-being in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.”

The coverings can range from homemade cloth face coverings to surgical or other masks. 

“The American Airlines team continues to prioritize the safety of our customers and team members, and requiring a face covering is one more way we can protect those on our aircraft,” said Kurt Stache, Senior Vice President of Customer Experience. “We ask customers to bring their own masks or face coverings they’re comfortable with when they travel. American is working to procure face masks and hand sanitizer as a supplement.”

— CJ

The post American Airlines Will Require Flyers to Wear Face Coverings appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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A potential tourism recovery in the Mexican Caribbean will hinge on ensuring the swift return of direct access to the region’s air hubs in Cancun, Cozmuel and Chetumal, according to the Quintana Roo Tourism Board. 

The Board, which represents destinations including Cancun, Playa Del Carmen, Riviera Maya, Cozumel, Tulum, Isla Mujeres, Isla Holbox, and Bacalar, says the State is focused on limiting the spread of coronavirus, while planning for a “multiphase recovery” amid the pandemic.

“This will ultimately result in our ability to recover more quickly as the global travel sector begins to rebound later this year,” said Dario Flota, CEO of the Quintana Roo Tourism Board. 

While air access will be vital, the Board said it was just as important to make sure the tourism industry and consumers were aware of “the enhanced health and hygiene protocols in place across the state and the locations frequented by tourists.”

“Working together with both the domestic and international tourism industry, the Quintana Roo Tourism Board is committed to investing in the critical recovery period to come,” the Board said.

The launch of the board’s newly-launched “Paradise Can Wait” campaign coincides with the 50th anniversary of Cancun. 

— CJ

The post Cancun Crucial to Mexican Caribbean Recovery Strategy appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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