What do Margaritas and Cosmopolitans have in common with a Sidecar?
For one thing, they're classics. They're popular (well, maybe not the Sidecar -- but it should be!). The reason is because they all follow the basic formula of what some call the "New Orleans sour" -- that is, a base spirit, an orange liqueur, and citrus. The classic ratio is 3:2:1 for these ingredients, respectively -- but that can easily be experimented with.
Anyhoo .... halting the lecture. What's a Sidecar? Here's one recipe book's take on it:
Here's another recipe, this one from a 1957 edition of Old Mr. Boston's:
Their recipe is still the same 2:1:1 ration they used above. Except, of course, they call for triple sec (which
is okay, actually).
Check out this recipe from the 1971 edition of Playboy's Host and Bar Book:
Obviously, their recipe contemplates a 1:1:1 ratio -- unless, they note, you want a "strong brandy accent," in which case, use a 3:1:1 ratio. Also, curacao (instead of Cointreau or triple sec) is going to make for a lot drier drink.
It so happens that the Sidecar is kind of a house specialty at Rogers Park Retro, and here's our signature recipe:
3 oz brandy
1 oz triple sec
1 oz lemon juice
1 tsp. maraschino liqueur
1 tsp. curacao (orange, not blue, just to clarify)
Garnish with a twist.
Cheers!
This looks delicious! We'll have one of those!! What's it called?
Honestly, we can handle a "Slippery Nipple" or a "Flaming Orgasm" but this drink is going one step too far. Do you mean to tell us that our precious guardian angel has a .... we can't say it! But, the visual presentation of this drink -- the "optics" -- clearly show where the drink gets its name. We should point out that this drink is exceedingly sweet -- think of something along the lines of hummingbird nectar. Something slightly less sweet is the "Angel's Tip":
Maybe if you added the cherry to this one, you'd end up with a kind of Bavarian chocolate drink.
