Citrus, caramel, woodsy
Dramatic and intense, this is a splendid drink before or with a big meal—we love to serve Sidecars on Easter with maple-glazed ham.
A simplified take on the Brandy Crusta (page 27), this French cocktail from the turn of the century allegedly takes its inspiration from an American army captain who arrived at a Paris bar, chauffeured in a motorcycle’s sidecar. The new contraption became hugely popular in America, which may explain why the cocktail gained stateside favor so quickly. This recipe hooked Americans on two glorious French products: high-quality brandy and orange liqueur. While the Sidecar is often served with a sugared rim, we prefer to sugar only half of it.
2 ounces (60 ml) brandy (Pierre Ferrand 1840)
1 ounce (30 ml) Cointreau
¾ ounce (22 ml) fresh lemon juice
Granulated sugar, to rim the glass
Orange peel, for garnish
Prepare a rocks glass with a sugared rim (technique, page 264). Add ice. Shake the ingredients in a strainer with ice and strain into the prepared glass. To garnish, twist the peel over the surface of the cocktail to express the oil. Then, rest the peel on the side of the glass.