The Lost Art of the Sidecar

I first heard about the Sidecar from my mom. For years she said that it was one of my Grandfather's favorite drinks. I never knew him, but he was described as so many men of the era were. A mix between Fred Astaire and Humphrey Bogart. He was a true New Yorker. Not only was he sophisticated, but he was cool. He was a rocket scientist and a saxophone player in a 1930's New York jazz scene. These guys were pumping out killer music and experimenting with marijuana back when the rest of America was watching Reefer Madness.

After many years I decided I had to try his favorite drink. I bought middle of the road Brandy, some Grand Mariner, and some lemons. That worked well. The drink was amazing. I think drinkboy said it best when he described it as velvety. He also gives a lot of good recipes and a great account of the history and purpose of the drink. The one I liked was:

• 2 parts Brandy
• 1 parts Grand Mariner
• 1/2 parts Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice

I recommend shaking and straining this drink into a rocks glass.

They key is good brandy, a good orange liqueur and you have to use fresh squeezed lemon juice. It's a must. Otherwise the drink is just another bland cocktail. You're lucky if you can find a bartender who even knows what a Sidecar is. The next "best" thing is the bartender who thinks the Sidecar is a Margarita with Brandy. It's no wonder that the Sidecar is a lost art. The Margarita version is a mockery. I have never found a bartender that made a good one. At this point I have completely given up on getting a good one at a bar. Walking a bartender through the process and begging for fresh lemon juice is too much. For now I'll be stocking my own bar for this drink, but who knows, some speak of a Sidecar comeback. I won't hold my breath.