Mareja – Strawberry Tree- Arbutus unedo

 

 

 

Mareja or (Strawberry tree in English) is a small tree which remains green all over the year. It grows in Albanian mountains and we can find it very close here in Tirana in Dajti Mountain or the old road to Elbasan. Now it’s the season that grows it red shiny fruits. Mmmm.. for us that are grown with this fruit it reminds us the ” old communist time” when we used to organize ” pioneers” trip to Dajti Mountain (:-) – ( sth similar to boy scouts today),

I just bought a bout a kilo and decided to make a liqueur.

Liqueur with Mare or Strawberry tree

A kilogram of Mare ( strawberry tree fruits)  cleaned with a1 Kg regular sugar. Just mix them and place them in a bowl with a lid ( glass would be better) and leave them outside for about 10 -12 days. The fruits with the sugar will release a very nice red juice.  I will separate the fruits and exude the juice. Will boil the juice for about half an hour and then mix it with some edible alcohol or cognac ( I like it better with some cognac). The proportion with cognac would be 2 measures of fruit juice with one measure of cognac. If you use edible alcohol then the proportion would be 1 measure of juice with 1/8 measure of alcohol. Pour the mixture oi a nice bottle and let it stand for 2 more days before drinking it.

Fruits below in the plate we will eat now once my family is back home from school and work

 

 

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