The Sidecar, a classic cocktail with lots of history

The Sidecar is one of the tastiest classic cocktails around, and one of my favorite drinks as well. This drink has a very interesting history, being named after the motorcycle attachment which was very popular in the 1920's when it first came on the scene.

The sidecar is said to have been invented around the end of World War I in either London or Paris. The Ritz Hotel in France boldly claims history to the Sidecar. I would assume the reason the French lay claim to the popular Sidecar is because Robert Vermeire's Cocktails and How to Mix Them and Harry MacElhone's Harry's ABC of Mixing Cocktails.

The Sidecar is categorized as a daisy, which means it contains a spirit, citrus juice, and a liqueur as sweetener. Other well-known daisies are the margarita (which, literally means "daisy" in Spanish) or the White Lady. Daisies and the Sidecar especially are more difficult for bartenders because are more difficult to balance for liqueurs of variable sweetness.

The drink is most commonly related to the older brandy crusta. This type of brandy is different in presentation and components.

Don't be afraid to make this wonderful tasting drink. I didn't find it all that difficult to make! On to the recipe...

Sidecar Cocktail recipe

Ingredients

1/2 lemon juice

1 oz triple sec

1 oz brandy

sugar for rimming glass (if desired)

Method

Rim your martini glass with sugar (if desired)

Fill Boston shaker with ice

Put ingredients in shaker, minus sugar

Give it a good shake!

Using a Hawthorne strainer, strain ingredients into prepared martini glass

Tips

Instead of triple sec, you can use Grand Marnier, Cointreau, or any other orange liqueur.

The Sidecar, a sugary delight