Though the history of the sidecar remains shrouded in rumor, conjecture and mystique, most sources agree that it was created in Paris in the 1920s (although some say that it was first introduced at Buck's Club in London). The story goes that the drink was named for a patron who traveled in a motorcycle sidecar. The drink was a favorite in the Paris bar scene for many years, and supposedly once contained additional ingredients that were removed, simplifying this fabulous concoction. The drink made a resurgence in one of the glorious cocktail ages in America: 1960s.
The beauty of the side car is at once its simplicity and the number of different ways that it can be constructed. The base of the sidecar was originally either brandy or Cognac (again - depending on your source!) although bourbon has also been used historically and has been especially trendy of late. Add to this Cointreau and lemon juice and pour into a glass with a sugared rim and an orange garnish and Voila! - you've got yourself a sidecar. The ratio is typically 2 parts of the base to 1 part each of the other ingredients.
I first tried a classic brandy sidecar at Bryant-Lake Bowl (Minneapolis) and was instantly a fan. Having had a somewhat complicated relationship with whiskey over the years, I was tempted to overlook Mo's Sidecar at Hell's Kitchen last week in favor of some of the more obvious options. After chatting with bartender Johnny (aka Cupcakes), he persuaded me to give it a whirl. OK, to be fair he wouldn't tell me what my 'surprise' drink was until after I'd tasted it. I must admit, I was delighted. HK uses an orange infused Jameson, Cointreau and their to-die-for house made lemonade. The lemon and orange create a wonderful counterpoint to the whiskey and the balance of sweet and tart is truly perfect.
So go poke through your liquor cabinet and see what variations you can make on this classic that has stood the test of time!
