81 replies to this topic

[ThinkingBartender]

Recently I came across the following excerpts:

Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, 1852 &
"Five Years' Residence in the West Indies", By Charles William Day, 1852

"Wine is not drunk at our table, but cold brandy and water, or sometimes a sort of cold rum punch called "falurnum," a very baneful, heady, bilious drink in great request."


Does anyone know the recipe for this particular rum punch, or has Charles Day simply confused the liqueur with the name of the potation?


Beverages, past and present by Edward R. (Edward Randolph) Emerson - 1908

"Another drink made with rum was called falurnum, perhaps in honour of the ancient
Falernian. It was always served cold..."


So even after reading Ted Haigh's article on Falernum I am really none the wiser. Sure it is a brand of liquor, but what else was it?


"Pocket Guide to the West Indies", by Algernon Aspinall, 1914:

"Amongst other beverages peculiar to the West Indies which should be asked for are pimento dram and falernum..."



Cheers!

George S.


g.sinclair@yahoo.co.uk

http://www.wiki.webtender.com/wiki/

Edited by ThinkingBartender, 21 September 2006 - 06:16 AM.

[tim]

Hi,

Does anyone has seen a recipe for falernum?

While I have not tasted many falernums, the Hanschell Innis falernum is excellent. The Sazerac did not compare.

Tim

[ThinkingBartender]

From what I can see the ingredients varies from brand to brand, but include the following:

Lime Zest
cloves
almond extract
Rum
Ginger

Edited by ThinkingBartender, 21 September 2006 - 09:18 AM.

[limewine]

Does anyone has seen a recipe for falernum?

While I have not tasted many falernums, the Hanschell Innis  falernum is excellent.  The Sazerac did not compare.

I've been playing around with falernum recipes for a year or so. My latest version is posted here:
http://www.cocktailc.../28/falernum-8/

I gave samples of this to Ted Haigh and Jeff Berry at Tales of the Cocktail in July, and they seemed pleased.

Based on the recommendation of Chad Solomon from Pegu, I made a subsequent batch using this recipe, but added 1/4 cup of blanched, slivered, lightly toasted almonds to the initial soak. I couldn't taste much of a difference--perhaps I'll increase the amount next time (though currently I have a lot of solids soaking in not that much liquid, so there's a limit on how much more I can fit in).

Haven't tried the Hanschell Innis -- where did you obtain the stuff?

[Sneakeater]

Isn't there a recipe for falernum linked on, like, the first page of this thread?

[limewine]

Isn't there a recipe for falernum linked on, like, the first page of this thread?

1) The links are, like, broken

2) The recipe makes a falernum that, I found, is very mild -- basically flavored simple syrup, nowhere near the amount of flavor and complexity you find in the commercial versions. Hence, the experimentation with recipes.

[Sneakeater]

Like, sorry.

[birder53]

Got a bottle of Taylor Velvet at LaNell's last week. Besides Janet's unplanned gin experiment, what other drinks can you make with it? Tonight we will try the Voyager from Drinkboy's site. The other drinks I know of are the Swizzle, the Rum Swizzle and the Flaming Gully.

It's a big bottle. Any other suggestions?

[tim]

Haven't tried the Hanschell Innis -- where did you obtain the stuff?

Paul,

I'm sorry to be so late with this reply. We found the Hanchell Innis in Bermuda. Only one of the local shops carried this brand, maybe Goslings.



It really does have wonderful flavor.

Tim

[ThinkingBartender]

From my searches of "ancient" newspapers, I have put together this list of Falernum Cocktail, all of which have won cocktail competitions:

I haven't translated the recipes in ml or oz, they are presented as I found them, with no preparation or serving glass specified.


1965, "Cognac Misty", Albert Carillo.

1 oz Cognac,
1/4 oz Orange Curacao,
1/4 oz Cointreau,
1/4 oz Falernum.


1954, "Frosty Dawn", Albert Carillo.

7 parts Puerto Rican Rum,
2 Parts Falernum,
1 part Maraschino,
1 oz Orange Juice


1969, "Golden Wave", Jose C. Yalco.

Rum,
Triple Sec,
Falernum,
Pineapple Juice,
Lemon Juice.


1973, "Cogna Perino", Anthony Cordero.

1 oz Cognac,
1/2 oz Creme de Banane,
1/2 oz Passionfruit Syrup,
1/4 oz Falernum,
Dash Frothee,
Juice from 1/4 Orange.


Does anyone else have recipes from the past which include Falernum?


Cheers!

George

[BTR]

1954, "Frosty Dawn", Albert Carillo.

7 parts Puerto Rican Rum,
2 Parts Falernum,
1 part Maraschino,
1 oz Orange Juice

What in the world was whoever put the recipe in this format thinking? Mixing purely relative proportions with absolute amounts is insanity.

[birder53]

1954, "Frosty Dawn", Albert Carillo.

7 parts Puerto Rican Rum,
2 Parts Falernum,
1 part Maraschino,
1 oz Orange Juice

What in the world was whoever put the recipe in this format thinking? Mixing purely relative proportions with absolute amounts is insanity.

There was a version of this on CocktailDB which we tried this weekend. The Falernum dominated the drink, not unpleasantly so. The juice from my orange was not very flavorful, so that might have played into the results.

[birder53]

Tried Robert Hess' Voyager tonight. I was afraid that the Benedictine might overpower the drink, but all the flavors came together very nicely. The only thing I might change is the amount of bitters. I might have been a bit over zealous with them.

[limewine]

From my searches of "ancient" newspapers, I have put together this list of Falernum Cocktail, all of which have won cocktail competitions:

Excellent work, George--I'll have to give some of these a spin.

One of my favorite falernum cocktails is the Test Pilot; recipe from Jeff Berry's Grog Log (Jeff credits the drink to Donn Beach, circa 1941).

Test Pilot

1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
1/2 ounce Falernum
3 teaspoons Cointreau
dash Angostura bitters
1/8 teaspoon Pernod
3/4 ounce light Puerto Rican rum
1 1/2 ounces dark Jamaican rum

Blend with 1 cup crushed ice for 5 seconds, then pour into double old-fashioned glass. Add more crushed ice to fill. Garnish with a wooden oyster fork with maraschino cherry skewered on prongs.

[Chris Amirault]

Scored a bottle of the Taylor falernum at Joyal's in West Warwick earlier this week, and with it made a fine Velvet Daiquiri. Thanks, Janet, and do weigh back in with the gin-based concoction. That Test Pilot looks swell, I must say.

[Nathan]

"The Art of the Bar" -- a beautifully photographed and written book by the bartenders at Absinthe in San Francisco (it has a wonderful section on the principles involved in cocktail creation) -- has numerous recipes for cocktails involving velvet falernum -- it is replete throughout their house recipes.

[Bricktop]

"The Art of the Bar" -- a beautifully photographed and written book by the bartenders at Absinthe in San Francisco (it has a wonderful section on the principles involved in cocktail creation) -- has numerous recipes for cocktails involving velvet falernum -- it is replete throughout their house recipes.

That book was under the tree for me. I haven't read any of it yet, but will move it to the top of the stack now.

[Chris Amirault]

Test Pilot

1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
1/2 ounce Falernum
3 teaspoons Cointreau
dash Angostura bitters
1/8 teaspoon Pernod
3/4 ounce light Puerto Rican rum
1 1/2 ounces dark Jamaican rum

Blend with 1 cup crushed ice for 5 seconds, then pour into double old-fashioned glass. Add more crushed ice to fill. Garnish with a wooden oyster fork with maraschino cherry skewered on prongs.

This is fantastic. It should be called a "Sky Pilot," as it's sort of a Corpse Reviver #2 on acid.

[JAZ]

I just found a bottle of Inner Circle rum at a new liquor store, so I finally had a chance to try Dave Wondrich's "Both Indies" cocktail from his Killer Cocktails book.

2 oz. Inner Circle rum (115 proof)
3/4 oz. lemon juice
1/2 oz. Velvet Falernum
1/4 oz. Grand Marnier

Shake over ice and strain into a chilled glass. Float a couple of drops of Angostura bitters over the drink.

At first, it sort of reminded me of my Velvet Daiquiri when I make it with dark rum. But after a sip or two, it revealed a lot more complexity. I'm not sure what it would be like with a different rum, but it was great with the Inner Circle.

[KatieLoeb]

Living in the spirits deprived wasteland that is the Commonwealth of PA, I can't get Velvet Falernum and have to make due with the Fee Brothers non-alcoholic version. Mixed up a whole mess of different drinks with it last night at my bar. The Flaming Orange Gully, the Gin Ray, the Pomtini and the Queens Park Swizzle (recipes all HERE) were all big winners and got rave reviews from customers and staff alike.

I went back to my local retail supplier today and snapped up the last 6 bottles of Fee Bros. Falernum they had!

[slkinsey]

There's nothing wrong with Fee Brothers Falernum syrup. In fact, it was developed by Fee Brothers in consultation with Ted "Dr. Cocktail" Haig with the purpose of replicating a now-defunkt (?) Falernum produced by A.V. Stansfeld. According to Doc, this was the Falernum specified in all the Tiki drinks. His conclusion: "When I make tiki drinks, I use Fee Brothers West Indies Falernum. When I make traditional Swizzles, Slings and recipes genuinely native to the Islands, I insist on John D. Taylor’s Velvet Falernum."

Read the whole article here.


...That's kind of an odd Queen's Park Swizzle recipe. As far as I know, the QPS is demerara rum, lime, mint, bitters and simple (and crushed ice, of course). We've got a good thread on swizzles here.


I'd be interested to hear of your success in using the Fee Brothers Falernum in Tiki drinks.

[KatieLoeb]

Sam - thanks for that link. A very interesting article.

I'm in a position to have little choice, so anything I mix up with Falernum in it is going to be the Fee Brothers by default.

I tried a very slight variant on the Flaming Orange Gully tonight with the Svedka Clementine vodka. Still a very delicious drink. I'm contemplating a mimosa variant that is half Orange Gully recipe and half sparkling wine/Champagne for a brunch drink. I'll let you know how that works out. I think it might be pretty tasty sipping in the sunshine in our lovely outdoor courtyard garden once it warms up enough.

[mbrowley]

I've been playing around a bit over the last few months with recipes using various falernum formulations (the Latin geek in me wonders: would that be falerna?). This one is turning into the drink of the moment, probably because it's been so damn hot here in San Diego:

The Smakatoa

4 oz Pyrat XO Reserve rum (Bacardi 8 or Appleton's are also nice)
4 oz Naked mango puree
½ oz falernum
3 dashes Angostura bitters
1 oz seltzer

Mix the first four ingredients in a pint glass. Add ice cubes to within an inch of the brim, stir with a bar spoon, top with seltzer, give it a quick swirl with a spoon, and serve immediately.


As I mention in the full write-up, I’m not a big fan of seltzer in cocktails, but this helps to lighten the thick mango puree admirably, making it better suited to leisurely summertime drinking.

Note that it makes a big, tall drink. I like smaller-portioned cocktails when they are largely alcohol, but a half-sized version of this just leaves me wanting more.



[If the image seems blurry, adjust your screen and/or squint your eyes]
[edited to fix typo]

Edited by mbrowley, 24 June 2008 - 12:20 PM.

[Chris Amirault]

I wonder what'd happen if you dripped in a few drops of that Herbsaint you've got there....

[mbrowley]

I wonder what'd happen if you dripped in a few drops of that Herbsaint you've got there....

Undoubtedly, the sublimity quotient would increase. But Herbsaint is a hard sell in the Rowley household; I'm the only one who drinks it. Once I snag some more mango, I'll opine on that delicious recommendation...

I've also blown through almost all my falernum inventory. I can tell not only because there's more room in the fridge, but also because I'm hearing "What the hell is Falernum No. 4?" less often. Made a liter for a patio party of a watermelon-based drink we called the Mama Charlie that was heavy on the stuff. Our friend Mama Charlie herself is allergic to mango, so I juiced a watermelon for her, added the rum, falernum, bitters, etc. Another friend drank about half of the liter before anyone noticed. He still can't pronounce "falernum" but now we all know what kind of fancy underwear he sports.

Time to get out the zester, toast the almonds, bruise the Penzey's cloves, and rustle up some overproof rum.

[Chris Amirault]

I asked because your post came just after I'd finished fiddling around with a drink that uses that Beachcomber Angostura/Herbsaint "secret ingredient" (click).

Ode to Don

2 oz pineapple-infused rum (homemade)
1 oz lime
1/2 pimento dram (homemade)
1/2 oz falernum (Taylor's)
2-3 dashes Angostura
dash Herbsaint
egg white (optional)

Shake and strain.

It works without the egg white, but with makes a supple, beautiful drink with a massive, meringue-like head. If you go with the white, be sure to do a strong dry shake before adding lots of ice for the second shake.

[Kent Wang]

The Solera as mentioned in this SF Gate article is a terrific drink. The best prominent use of both Velvet Falernum and sherry that I've tried:

Solera

Makes 1 drink

Adapted from a recipe by Dominic Venegas.

2 ounces Santa Teresa 1796 rum or other aged dark rum, preferably Venezuelan
1 ounce Lustau Palo Cortado sherry
3/4 ounce velvet falernum (John Taylor)
2 dashes Regans' Orange Bitters
-- Orange peel for garnish
Instructions: Fill a mixing glass with ice. Add the rum, sherry, velvet falernum and bitters. Stir, then strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a ribbon of orange peel.

Unfortunately I found out a few months ago from Spec's that Velvet Falernum is no longer being distributed in Texas and they've sold out of their stock. Looks like I'll be ordering online.

[thirtyoneknots]

The Solera as mentioned in this SF Gate article is a terrific drink. The best prominent use of both Velvet Falernum and sherry that I've tried:

Solera

Makes 1 drink

Adapted from a recipe by Dominic Venegas.

2 ounces Santa Teresa 1796 rum or other aged dark rum, preferably Venezuelan
1 ounce Lustau Palo Cortado sherry
3/4 ounce velvet falernum (John Taylor)
2 dashes Regans' Orange Bitters
-- Orange peel for garnish
Instructions: Fill a mixing glass with ice. Add the rum, sherry, velvet falernum and bitters. Stir, then strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a ribbon of orange peel.

Unfortunately I found out a few months ago from Spec's that Velvet Falernum is no longer being distributed in Texas and they've sold out of their stock. Looks like I'll be ordering online.

Kent, hang tight, I think it's on the way back in with a distributor set to start selling our favorite importer's portfolio in-state pretty soon.

[Kent Wang]

Just found it back on the shelves at Spec's. Looks like Haus Alpenz is importing it now.

[Kent Wang]

"Another drink made with rum was called falurnum, perhaps in honour of the ancient
Falernian. It was always served cold..."

Wikipedia has an interesting article about falernian and asserts that falernum is indeed named after it.