As I was doing a little “research” on this classic cocktail, a friend commented, “Really? That sounds like a such a granny drink.” Well, maybe so, if your grandmother wears a lot of vintage Chanel and tells racy stories about Paris in the 1930s.
After a good run allegedly starting in 1900s Paris, the Sidecar fell out of favor by the middle of the century. Aside from changing fashions, I have a couple of theories that might help explain this. First, the classic recipe of equal parts brandy, Cointreau and lemon juice produces a drink that, while balanced and elegant, is maybe a little sweet for the contemporary palate. Second, you need to order this drink with care: a sidecar made with cheap well brandy can taste pretty tawdry. I think only a good Cognac or Armagnac (which I actually prefer in this drink) can carry off the brandy’s leading role in this cocktail.
A good Cognac doesn’t have to be terribly expensive. Of course, you could pay the price of grand-mere’s Chanel for a fine bottle of Cognac, but you can also have some very good ones for about the cost of my J. Crew button-downs. I regularly buy Tesseron Lot 90 X.O. Cognac, which is around $50. I also like Castarede V.S.O.P. Armagnac, also available for about $50. (Both can be purchased online at www.astorwines.com.) And, if the Sidecar doesn’t work out for you, a decanter of Cognac or Armagnac is a nice thing to have around after dinner.
The proportions in this recipe reflect my taste for drier cocktails and have worked for me with the brandies I’ve mentioned above. I’d encourage you to experiment, though. The deeper the flavor of your brandy, the more sweetness from the Cointreau and tartness from the lemon you’ll need to bring this classic drink into an elegant balance.
Recipe
1 1/2 ounces Cognac or Armagnac
3/4 ounces Cointreau
3/4 ounces fresh lemon juice
Pour the ingredients into a shaker filled with ice and shake well. Strain into a stemmed cocktail glass and garnish with a strip of orange peel. If your grandmother is really coming for drinks, consider sugaring the rim.
