Anyone who has read this blog over the last 2 or so years has been privy to my screeds on candy-coated-concoctions that bars sadly attempt to pass off as "martinis" – the pometini, appletini, kiwitini – essentially, they grab a fruit, stick "tini" on the end, mix up something sickeningly sweet and add it to the drink menu. How unfortunate.

Of course, traditional cocktails were bound to be revived at some point, thank goodness. More and more often, when out and about treating myself to a drink, I’m finding that these sad excuses for martinis are slowly being replaced by the classics. Tried and true cocktails, like the Sazerac, the Manhattan, the Old Fashioned and the Sidecar are making their much needed comeback.

The Sidecar is a cocktail we haven’t yet spoken on much yet. It’s a classic cognac concoction that’s said to have originated in Paris during WWI. Slightly sour, slightly sweet, we’re sure to see more of this one through summer.

The Sidecar
1½ oz brandy
½ oz triple sec
½ lemon or lime juice
Granulated sugar, for garnish
Lemon or lime slice, for garnish

Dip the rim of your cocktail glass in water and then into granulated sugar (our cocktail glass rimmer makes this a breeze). Combine brandy, triple sec, and lemon or lime juice into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into your prepared cocktail glass. Top it off with a slice of lemon or lime and serve.

TAGS [ SIDECAR COCKTAIL | SIDECAR RECIPE | CLASSIC COCKTAILS | COCKTAIL RECIPES | DRINK RECIPES ]