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Falernum is a thick syrup of light golden color based on cane sugar, extracts of lime, almonds, citrus peel, ginger, vanilla, cloves, allspice Jamaican pepper and other spices. There are two versions: non-alcoholic (classic syrup) and alcoholic (sweet tincture of Jamaican or Barbados rum with spices), which is also called liquor.
Falernum is used in alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails, as an aromatic addition to tea or coffee, as well as in salads, fish and meat dishes to give a spicy spicy note.
Historical information
The exact time and place of appearance of Falernum syrup is unknown. It is believed that the recipe originated in Barbados or neighboring islands. For the locals, it was just a tincture that was consumed in its pure form, something like the Italian Limoncello.
At first, John Taylor, the director of the Velvet Falernum company, which had been producing Falernum since 1890, claimed authorship. Then the owner of another brand – AV Stansfeld in 1954 claimed that he had finalized the recipe of 1750, which he inherited from a distant ancestor. But no one has provided evidence, which confirms the folk origin of the syrup.
The first written mention of Falernum occurs in British trade documents in 1877, where it is listed as a rum, lime and sugar liqueur. And in 1896, in The Philadelphia Inquirer, the same drink was described as wormwood and almond flavored alcohol, which was attributed to rum punches.
The origin of the name Falernum also remains unclear. According to one version, the syrup is named after the ancient Roman Falerno wine, which was distinguished by a bitter aftertaste with hints of almonds. According to another, when the director of the Mount Gay rum distillery (the oldest brand of rum in the world), Ward Pearcy, asked a Barbadian housewife what ingredients she uses to make syrup, he answered in the local dialect: “Haf a learn um”, which is gave rise to the name of the drink.
Falenrum became popular after Ernest Raymont Beaumont Gantt (known under the pseudonym Don Beachcomber) saw this liqueur during his trip to the Caribbean in the 30s of the XX century. It was there that Beachcomber came up with the idea to create tiki bars in the United States, tropical-style establishments serving rum-based cocktails and juices in special glasses reminiscent of figures of Polynesian gods. The most famous cocktail of this “family” is Mai Tai.
Falernum has become one of the main ingredients of the new cocktails. Over time, other bartenders began to adopt the tropical style, creating a separate direction. At the same time, each bar had its own Falernum recipe, because no one knew the original composition. Then there were commercial manufacturers of syrup – also each with its own recipe.
The dawn of the popularity of tiki cocktails came in the 50s-60s of the XX century, and in the 70s the tropical style began to fade, respectively, the production of Falernum almost stopped. In the early 2000s, it was difficult to obtain. The production was revived by RL Seale, which bought the alcohol recipe from John D. Taylor’s Velvet Falernum.
Cocktails with Falernum
Storm
Composition and proportions:
- Falernum syrup – 20 ml;
- spiced rum – 40 ml;
- lime juice – 20 ml;
- ginger beer – to taste.
Preparation: fill a shaker with ice, add syrup, rum, lime juice. Shake, pour through a strainer (strainer) into a serving glass filled with ice. Pour in the ginger beer.
Spicy Gin Tonic
Composition and proportions:
- gin – 50 ml;
- tonic – 30 ml;
- lemon juice – 12 ml;
- lime juice – 12 ml;
- coconut water – 12 ml;
- Falernum liqueur – 15 ml.
Preparation: Mix all ingredients in a tall glass filled with ice. Garnish with cucumber or lemon (lime) slices.
Cold summer
Composition and proportions:
- pepper vodka – 40 ml;
- apple liqueur – 20 ml;
- Falernum liqueur – 20 ml;
- lemon juice – 20 ml;
- sea buckthorn – 50 g;
- sugar – 40 g;
- sugar syrup – 5 ml.
Preparation: pass the washed sea buckthorn berries through a meat grinder, add sugar, stir until the sugar dissolves. Pour apple liqueur into the resulting puree, mix. Combine mashed potatoes, Falernum, peppercorns, lemon juice and sugar syrup in a shaker. Shake, pour into a serving glass. You can decorate with a sprig of cumin.
Alcoholic tiki cocktail
Composition and proportions:
- Falernum syrup – 20 ml;
- Jamaican dark rum – 50 ml;
- Jamaican light rum – 50 ml;
- lime juice – 20 ml;
- soda – 50 ml.
Preparation: mix rum, juice and Falernum in a shaker, pour into a glass with ice, add soda. Garnish with a lime wedge.
Non-alcoholic tiki cocktail
Composition and proportions:
- pineapple juice – 50 ml;
- coconut puree – 40 g;
- lime juice – 30 ml;
- Falernum syrup – 20 ml.
Preparation: Mix all ingredients in a shaker and pour into a glass with ice. Garnish with a pineapple wedge.
Falernum Home Recipe
There is no single classic Falernum recipe; each manufacturer has its own composition. The following option is considered home.
Ingredients:
- rum – 750 ml;
- dried pineapple – 50 g;
- vanilla – 1 pod;
- cinnamon – 1 stick;
- kafr lime – 3 leaves;
- dried lime zest – 3 strips;
- dried orange peel – 1 strip;
- dried ginger – 10 g;
- cloves – 10 pieces;
- almond extract – 10 ml;
- almonds – 10 g;
- allspice – 10 g;
- sugar (preferably cane) – 200 g.
Technology of preparation
1. Put all the ingredients in a jar, pour in rum, close tightly.
2. Insist in a dark place at room temperature for 3 weeks, shake every few days.
3. Strain the finished Falenrum liqueur through a kitchen strainer or gauze, pour into a bottle, seal tightly. Keep away from direct sunlight. Shelf life – up to 3 years.
