As you may have noticed in my Art Deco Party Tub post, I’ve been really feeling the vintage vibe lately. I’ve always been intrigued by vintage drinks like the Sidecar, but had never tried one. Doing some research, I found a reference that made a comparison to a margarita and that was all I needed to know to be off and experimenting!
I found that there was no standard recipe for a Sidecar. They include brandy/cognac, Cointreau, and lemon juice in widely varying quantities. So, I was free to make up my own recipe! We sacrificed and tried a few different versions to find our favorite. Although, we were in agreement that no matter what quantity of each ingredient I used, the end result was DELICIOUS.
We landed on the recipe I’m sharing because it is still strong, but not as potent as some of the other versions. This was important because I wanted to be able to have more than one. 🙂
Before starting, I threw a couple glasses in the freezer to chill them. Having a frosty glass adds to the fun!
To begin making the Sidecar, I juiced some lemons. I found that each lemon provides between 1 – 1.5 ounces of juice. I‘ve been buying big bags of lemons now that we are on a Sidecar kick! I’m sure they would be fine with bottled lemon juice as well, but I haven’t tried it yet. Ignore the photo-bombing lime please!
I made our drinks individually, so I started with 3 oz lemon juice DRAMATICALLY poured into a shaker full of ice.
I read different recommendations on whether to use brandy or cognac (cognac is made from special grapes & required to be aged longer). We are totally new to the brandy/cognac game, so decided to trust the experts – you know, all the rappers. 🙂 I picked up some Hennessy VS! Actually, it was recommended on some legit websites talking about classic cocktails, but the fact that Snoop Dog is a fan was an entertaining bonus. I added 2 oz. to my shaker.
No research was needed for the next ingredient. Cointreau lives on the bar cart all the time for margaritas. I used 1 oz.
You can also add a splash of cherry juice at this point. We did the first time, and then forget the next time. It was still great without it, so we simplified and eliminated that step.
Then…
Shake it like a Polaroid picture….
Almost done!
A sugar rimmed glass was the only constant in all the recipes I found, so it was a must. I grabbed a glass out of the freezer and ran a lemon wedge around the outside.
Then I twisted the glass in a thin layer of super-fine sugar. Bonus tip – plastic kid bowls from IKEA are the PERFECT size for rimming glasses.
Once the glass was sugared, I filled it with ice, then with my cocktail. Yum!
At this point, take a sip and potentially add a small amount of sugar to taste. It’s designed to be a sour drink, but depending on your lemons, you may need some sugar for balance.
All those words and pictures boil down to this:
Not So Classic Sidecar Recipe
3 parts Fresh Lemon Juice
2 parts Hennessy VS (or other cognac)
1 part Cointreau
Superfine/Quick Dissolve sugar to taste
Katie @ addicted 2 diy says
I’m about to jump out of bed and run to the liquor store! This looks so good! Love your cute step by step pics as well:)
melissa@polishedhabitat.com says
Thanks Katie! I had to take full advantage of doing a project while my photographer was home 🙂
Katie Stahl says
Yum!! Looks delicious! Thanks so much for including me in this blog hop. Such a fun idea!! BTW .. who is your photographer?!? He or she is fabulous! Happy Friday … have a great weekend!
melissa@polishedhabitat.com says
Thanks Katie! Sometimes I’m lucky and my husband is around to take pictures. He’s in marketing/graphic design and in turn has learned a lot about photography along the way. Total score of a husband for a blogger 🙂 Notice he turned up when the post was about cocktails.
Ariean @OneKriegerChick says
Well…I cannot wait to try this one either! So pretty too! Loving this series!
Just noticed you’re going to SNAP…Maybe we’ll cross paths!
~Ariean
melissa@polishedhabitat.com says
Thanks Ariean, I’m glad you are enjoying the series! I’m amount to go attempt a cheater version of my Sidecar using lemonade instead of lemon juice. I’ve been craving one all day. 🙂
Hope to see you in person next week!
melissa@polishedhabitat.com says
Test FAILED. Not as good with lemonade as with fresh lemon juice. But we’re drinking them anyways 🙂
Shelly says
This is on my list!! YUM!! Thanks SO much for including me in this awesome series!!
sara walk says
I don’t drink, but you sure make it look pretty, paper straw and all!! Now I am craving a lemonade 😉
melissa@polishedhabitat.com says
Thanks Sara! I bet lemonade would taste awesome with a sugared rim & pretty straw. 🙂 This is the first time I’ve sugared the lip of a glass and it was tasty!
Tasha @ DESIGNER TRAPPED IN A LAWYER'S BODY says
I have never had one of these, Melissa, but now I totally want one! Have a fabulous weekend. Looks like I have some cocktails to try 🙂 PS- Your fingernails are gorgeous!
melissa@polishedhabitat.com says
Thanks so much Tasha! Definitely try one of the Sidecars and let me know what you think! 🙂
Allison Rust says
… Is it 5:00 yet? Yum!
melissa@polishedhabitat.com says
It’s always 5:00 somewhere Allison 🙂