Sidecar

Why This Recipe Works

The story most often proffered regarding the sidecar's origin is that it was created at Harry's New York Bar in Paris during the First World War for an eccentric American captain who used to arrive at the bar in a chauffeur-driven sidecar. A rival version has it that bar owner Harry MacElhone learned the cocktail at the Buck's Club in London and imported it to Paris, where it fast became a local favorite. Debatable history aside, the sidecar is, at its heart, a member of the daisy family of cocktails: a strong spirit, balanced by citrus and a flavored liquid sweetener, most often in the form of orange liqueur. Does that sound familiar? It should, because the margarita is also a member of the daisy family. In our Sidecar, the warm, aromatic notes of the orange liqueur smooth out the edges of the stronger brandy to make a cohesive and mellow whole. The sugared rim is the traditional garnish for this cocktail. It has fallen out of fashion, but we included it because we loved its celebratory nod to the roaring twenties.