Type
Non-alcoholic additives, juices & mixers
Also known as
capillaire, capillaire sirop, sirop de capillaire
Description
Generic syrup which historically was prepared from dried maidenhair fern, sugar, and orange flower water. Capillaire syrup was mainly seen in European drink recipes, but found its way into early 19th century compounders' guides in the U.S. as well, where it largely came to mean any simple syrup flavored with orange flower water or other orange (and occasionally lemon) flavoring. Below is a formula for its preparation:
Boil for 5 minutes: 1 qt. of water with two handsful of capillaire (dried maidenhair fern leaves). Cover, remove from heat and allow to infuse for 1 hour. Filter. Add 2-1/4 lbs of sugar and boil again for 10 minutes, then skim any foam off the syrup. Add 3 tsp of orange flower water and bottle.
Flavor
orange and
sweet
Availability
Unavailable. Produced in France. No longer manufactured.
Substitute
Self-produced by infusing
simple syrup, dried maidenhair fern, and
orange flower water; OR to attain the latter meaning, by adding a small amount of
orange flower water or
curacao to
simple syrup.
