Mamajuana – Dominican Republic Vitality Herbs

If an aphrodisiac has been  used repeatedly for hundreds of years, does that mean it is proven to work? Well, let’s find out.  In preparation for my Valentine’s Day aphrodisiac collection, I have been experimenting with oysters, champagne, roses, chillies and now Mamajuana.   Historically, this mixture of roots and herbs has been used for over 800 years originally by the Taino Indians who inhabited the Caribbean and the region known as Hispañola in the times prior to Christopher Columbus.

Today, the blend of herbs are regularly used in the Dominican Republic and are fermented, cured and then mixed with rum, vermouth, honey, molasses and other ingredients to produce a potent liqueur.  Mamajuana is also known as the “Baby Maker” and “El Para Palo”, which means Lift the Stick~

Want to test 800 years of history?   Below is a list of ingredients to gather before you get started.

Mamajuana Herbs – You can buy your magical herbs here.
Molasses – I like Plantation Blackstrap Unsulphered (at Wholefoods)
Honey – Try Raw Manuka honey for extra health benefits. (at Wholefoods)
Red Vermouth – I used Noilly Pratt Red
Rum – I like Cuban style but Dominican made Matusalem Rum

PRECONDITIONING HERBS
Fill a 700 ml or larger bottle with dry herbs.  Fill bottle to the top with Red Sweet Vermouth.  Insert supplied hemp rope filter and cap bottle.  Shake well and set aside for 3-4 days.  Shake well to loosen sediment, remove rope filter and dispose of liquid (Vermouth) contents only, not the actual herbs or rope filter.

BREW PREPARATION
In a separate container combine and stir: 2 oz. honey, 6 oz. Red Vermouth, 1/2 teaspoon of Molasses, 6 oz. of plain, Mango or Pineapple fruit infused white or a Dominican dark rum. Taste mix.  More rum will strengthen the rum taste and more Red Sweet Vermouth with sweeten and tone down the rum flavor.  Do not use more honey than recommended.

Fill Mamajuana herb bottle with prepared mix, replace rope filter, replace woven sombrero cap and allow bottle to sit undisturbed for a minimum of 48 hours. Note: First batch may be a little strong.  However, each new batch will get smoother.  New batches require minimum of 2 days of fermentation before drinking.  Follow same preparation instructions above for all refills.

Serve at room temperature or over crushed ice.  And, be sure to check out the new Sweet Coquette Collection when it launches mid January.

Raising the Bar on Drinking Chocolate

When I was a child, there were virtually no coffee shops, espresso drinks or coffee connoisseurs.  The majority of Americans accepted grocery store brew as the norm.  A few decades ago, the first cafes began opening and within some years, lattes, cappuccinos and macchiatos became part of daily routine.  Opinions were formed on how to prepare the best drinks, specialty coffee producers thrived and high end espresso making equipment was purchased for the home.  This country experienced a coffee revolution.

With the advent of coffee houses on every corner came powdered hot chocolate made with steamed milk as an alternative to the spitting spout of convenience stores.  Though you can hardly say it is much of an improvement. Why is it so rarely found a fully frothed, traditional drinking chocolate made with real chocolate to satiate chocolate lovers desires.  I think it is time for a drinking chocolate revolution!  I dream of heavily frothed cocoa with thick foam and molinillos in most utensil drawers.

Interested in joining my crusade?  Let’s drink to it!  How about a perfect cup of chocolat chaud?  Below is the beginning of a drinking chocolate education along with tips and tricks. I’ll keep exploring drinking chocolate this winter.  Join me.

QUALITY CHOCOLATE
It is essential to use quality chocolate to make the best drinking chocolate.  Ingredients are key in all culinary escapades when you hope to end up with the best end result. Do not choose chocolate with fillers and low cacao percentage.  For our La Parisienne drinking chocolate, I include chocolate, Madagascan vanilla bean infused sugar and cocoa powder for an boost of chocolate intensity.

MILK, CREAM OR WATER?
As a stagiaire at the Hotel de Crillon in Paris, my job was to make the chocolat chaud. We used equal parts cream and full fat milk.  The result was  thick, rich drinking chocolate.  I have enjoyed drinking chocolate made with all different milks, dairy and nut milks.  I would suggest never using a microwave to warm it (it kills all the enzymes so I don’t even own one) and frothing the milk by hand or with a blender to feel the sensation that Montezema and the Aztecs did (see below.)  If you are doing cupping or if you are a die hard chocolate purist you may insist on drinking chocolate made with water to taste the full breath of the chocolate as milk tends to mask the chocolate a bit.  

FROTHING COCOA
This is a step that is most often forgotten. The Aztecs, Mayans and Olmecs were the first to sip a chocolate beverage over 500 years ago which was called  xocatyl. This drinking chocolate was a far cry from the type we sip today, a mixture of chillies, annatto, maize and spices, served room temperature. The tincture was poured between two vessels from great heights in order to achieve the revered foam atop—believed to be the most potent portion of the beverage and to hold aphrodisiac powers. Years later when Spanish conquistador Hernando Cortés brought xocatyl back to Spain, the molinillo was created to simplify the foaming process.

To use a Mexican molinillo (pictured left), immerse the end in liquid chocolate and rub the handle rapidly between your palms. Watch as the foam begins to rise.   You may also use a blender or  immersion blender to froth the liquid chocolate as at time the molinillo can take almost 30 minutes to really build a big foam.

With any tasting, texture adds a new layer to the experience.  The light, airy bubbles will burst gently in your mouth followed by the rush of warm liquid chocolate.

Stay tuned for additional experiments with drinking chocolate in the coming months.  The cold Chicago wind is starting to nip at our noses and whistle by the windows.  I’ll be huddling up to the stove warming chocolate!

Jamaican Christmas Sorrel Punch

Though holidays are still not upon us, our Collection of Zion has me reminiscing of all favorite things from Jamaica – including their Christmas sorrel drink. Through December and early January, you can’t get far without finding natives sipping this bright red, sweet rum drink.  The sipping of the Sorrel heralds the beginning of the holiday season.    Christmas season in Jamaica is the most festive time of year with endless celebrations, family gatherings, parties and feasts.

Sorrel (as the drink is commonly called) derives from the plant it comes from. The scientific name is Hibiscus Sabdariffa and is a bushy plant that blooms deep red buds. The drink’s red color is alluring, the aroma is sweet and pungent and the flavor a bit tart. Sipping Sorrel is an integral part of the Jamaican holiday celebration.  

Though this drink would make a perfect offering at a holiday brunch or open house, I had to make a batch already to sip alongside the Rasta truffle (Jamaican sorrel + fresh ginger + nutmeg + mango + white chocolate + hibiscus flower).  Give it a try but beware… a few sips and you may start to hear the faint sounds of the reggae Christmas carols and feel a hint of Jamaican “Christmas breeze” luring you to book a flight and spend your holiday on the island.

Jamaican Christmas Sorrel Punch
 
1 oz dried sorrel petals, or sorrel concentrate
1 cinnamon stick
1 orange, freshly peeled
6 cloves
6 allspice pods
2 cups sugar
2 qts boiling water
3/4 cup Appleton Estate Rum

 In a large crock, combine the sorrel petals, cinnamon stick, orange peel, cloves, allspice and sugar.  Pour boiling water atop, cover, steep at room temp for 2-3 days.

Strain the liquid add the rum. Cover and refrigerate for another 2 days. Serve over crushed ice in pre-chilled glasses. Garnish with cloves and orange peel.

Resource: In Chicago we are blessed with a plethora of ethnic markets for every corner of the globe.

One of my favorites for Caribbean treasures:
Old World Market
5129 N Broadway St
Chicago, IL 60640-3018
(773) 728-2197

Pina Ginger Irie Drink paired with Collection of Zion

This month at Vosges Haut-Chocolat, we are featuring the Collection of Zion which was inspired by my travel experiences in Jamaica and the music of Bob Marley. I have always had a guttural reaction to his music and after listening to the words, I was intrigued by Rastafaris and drawn to learn more about their messages.

Rastafarianism is a religious and political movement that started around the beginning of the 20th century. Rastafarians are mostly vegetarian and live off the land harvesting plants, vegetables, fruits and spices. They wear their hair in dreadlocks as a symbol of their commitment to Jah (God) and achieve spiritual enlightenment by smoking kaya. Bob Marley was one of the first Rastas to bring the political struggle against Babylon (modern society) to mainstream music, spreading the message and increasing awareness. Rastafarians believe in and strive for a perfect world called Zion.  Bob Marley sang of it often.  The Collection of Zion was inspired by Bob Marley’s message and it explores the flowers, fruits and herbs of Jamaica through chocolate. 

The island of Jamaica is home to a fascinating blend of cultures. Jamaican inhabitants came from around the globe, bringing with them cooking techniques, flavors and the spices of their homelands. Blending this with the bountiful harvest of the tropical island brought forth some of the most flavorful cuisine in the Caribbean. These are the flavors which inspire the Zion collection… Jamaican allspice, with its essence of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove, is used in jerk seasonings, sauces and curries. The sorrel flower, brought from India, blooms in December in deep red shades. 

While in Jamaica, I sipped pineapple drinks that were made from the skin of the pineapple.  Not only does this sweet sipping nectar transport you to the tropics with its aroma and flavor, it utilizes a part of the fruit that is normally considered waste.   In Rastafarian vocabulary, Irie refers to positive emotions or feelings, or anything that is good.  Specifically, it refers to high emotions and peaceful vibrations.   Imbibe this Pina Ginger Irie Drink between bites of chocolate truffles from the Collection of Zion.  Turn up the Bob Marley and see how the sweet vibrations begin to flow…

Pina Ginger Irie Drink

1 peel of fresh pineapple + 2 cups small chunks of pineapple
2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
3 cups boiling water
1 cup sugar
crushed ice

Freeze chunks of pineapple in the freezer overnight to make “pineapple ice.” You may want to lay them on a parchment lined baking sheet for a few hours in the freezer and then put them in a bag or airtight container so they do not freeze into one large chunk.
 
Place the pineapple skin and grated ginger in a large bowl.  Stir the sugar into the boiling water and then pour it over the pineapple skin and ginger.  Let it sit until the liquid reaches room temperature then cover  it and  place in the refrigerator.  The next day, strain the liquid and serve over crushed ice and your frozen pineapple ice.  

A fabulous compliment to the Zion truffle in this collection (tamarind, 65% dark chocolate and scotch bonnet).

Stout & Root Beer Float with Wattleseed Ice Cream

The first ice cream floats were served at soda fountains inside pharmacies as far back as the 1920s. It is no surprise that ice cream and penny candy were peddled in a place that also doled out tonics, salves, prescriptions and elixirs to improve wellbeing. The soda fountain treats in their tall, solid glasses must have given the takers, perched atop their stools, some cheer when the rising foam and bubbles from a tasty ice cream submerged in soda burst lightly in their mouths. Could they dare consider this medicine?

This summer, I have been experimenting with our Exotic Ice Cream parfums and their perfect liquid mates. One of the best is this Stout & Root Beer float. Stouts often have chocolate notes, which match well with the hazelnut and coffee flavors of the Aboriginal wattleseed. After some sipping, I found an extra splash of root beer was needed to add a touch of sweet against the stout’s bitterness.

 A little tip… if you like an extra foamy float, put the ice cream in your glass first and pour the liquid over top. If not, drop the ice cream in at the end. Try both ways… you will see a big difference!

I like these floats in mini glasses served alongside dessert or as a surprise on a sweets buffet with long silver spoons for guests to sip and roam at a standing party.

Root Beer & Stout Float with Wattleseed Ice Cream

Stout ( I like Guinness)
Root Beer (I like Virgil’s)
Wattleseed Ice Cream

Fill the glass 1/3 of the way with ice cream, 1/3 with root beer and 1/2 with beer.

Holy Basil, Ginger, Lime Tea with Cocoa Nibs

Warmer weather and my craving for all things tart inspired me to mix up this pitcher of fragrant “tea”.   Memories of the floating Thai market wafted back… I inhaled holy basil and kaffir lime.  Although many have tried twists on the usual lemonade and limeade, adding ginger, basil and cocoa nibs will probably come as a surprise.  This would have made one heck of a lemonade stand offering back in the day.

Cocoa nibs are the newest addition to the super food suite and their ultra-healthy benefits beg me  to use them raw in everything I can from brownies to soup.  Cocoa nibs are actually fermented and roasted beans that are broken into small pieces once they are winnowed (thin skin removed).  Depending on the quality of the beans and the process of fermentation and roasting they taste of their pure origin cocoa. 51% of the bean is cocoa butter and the remaining percentage is the dark chocolate-y, cocoa mass.   When soaked in water or in this case, thai lime ginger refreshment, the nibs hydrate a bit so they aren’t as crunchy hard and rather add a nice, surprising texture, flavor and soft crunch.  Even the color is effected the longer you cold steep the nibs the pinker the tea becomes.   Try Valrhona cocoa nibs.  (They are a bit hard to find.  I am planning a PLC blogger shop to help provide readers with needed ingredients!)   Serve with a plate of freshly frozen pineapple slices.

Holy Basil, Ginger, Lime Tea with Cocoa Nibs
Serves 8

1/2 cup lime juice
6  cups of water
1 1/2 cups of sugar, organic agave syrup OR 3 full droppers of liquid stevia
1/4 cup cocoa nibs
1 inch of ginger, peeled and roughly sliced
2 tbsp tamarind pulp (optional)
1 Handful of Thai Holy Basil or Italian Sweet Basil

Put water, lime juice and sugar, agave or stevia in a large pitcher.  Put the peeled ginger in a Vita-Mix blender, my kitchen accessory of choice, with 1 cup of the water mixture. Blend until smooth.  (I HIGHLY recommend you buy a Vita-mix blender.  I am obsessed with this multi-utilitarian dreamboat of a machine and especially it’s lifetime guarantee. Throw anything at it and it will pulverize, puree, boil, your wish is it’s command. From grinding pearls into pearl dust to making ice cream, it truly is the best blender and best piece of kitchen equipment you could own. I digress…)  Add the ginger mixture back to the pitcher.   Add the the cocoa nibs, tamarind (if using) and the entire bunch of basil whole.  Stir.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.  Sugar will dissolve and flavors will infuse. Stir and serve over ice with holy basil garnish.