Cocktail No 45 Sidecar

One of the six basic drinks listed in David A Ebury's The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks, it was time to kick off the weekend with a real classic. The origins of the Sidecar are disputed but is thought to have been invented at the end or shortly after of the First World War. The first recipes appear in 1922 and the location is claimed to be Buck's Club in London, a Bistro in Paris, or the Ritz in Paris.

The romantic story goes that it was invented by an American Army captain, stationed in Paris, who was driven nightly to the Bistro in a motocycle sidecar. Countreau has taken the romance further and produced a very cute video claiming it was invented by the Gallic barman to help the Officer in his seduction of a glamorous dame (Dita Von Teese).

The Original Sidecar Stroy - by Cointreau staring Dita Von Teese

Wikipedia entry on the Sidecar Cocktail

There are two competing versions. The original French School calls for equal measures of the ingredients. The later English school calls for 2 parts Brandy to 1 part of lemon and Cointreau. Since its a Friday and I am biased I went with the English School.

It is quite simply fabulous and well deserving of its status. Tangy, sharp, sweet the acid hits the back of your throat first and then a mellow bitter sweet orange comes through along with the earthiness of the Brandy. A very refreshing tingle remains in your mouth as the aftertaste and the roof of my mouth feels numb, but not in a bad way.

This is definitely one to try. And if any of my siblings or nephews want to buy me a cocktail shaker like the one in the Cointreau video, then they would be greatly appreciated.

Recipe (English School)

Add 2 measure brandy with 1 measure of Cointreau and 1 measure of Lemon Juice to a Shaker. Shake on Ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with curled and twisted orange peel and a cherry.

Recipe (French School)

Add 1 measure brandy with 1 measure of Cointreau and 1 measure of Lemon Juice to a Shaker. Shake on Ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with curled and twisted orange peel and a cherry.

Update. I have made the French School version tonight as a comparison and personally I prefer the English version. There is too much lemon juice in the French style and it overpowers everything else. The Brandy and Bitter Orange just doesn't come through as strongly.