Sidecar co*cktail Recipe: The Original 1920s Masterpiece (2024)

FAQs

What is the origin of the sidecar co*cktail? ›

The exact origin of the sidecar is unclear, but it is thought to have been invented around the end of World War I in either London or Paris. The drink was directly named for the motorcycle attachment, which was very commonly used at the time. The Ritz Hotel in Paris claims origin of the drink.

Why It Works. Using a nice (but not outrageously old or expensive) VSOP cognac, a good Armagnac, or an excellent California brandy ensures this co*cktail turns out well. This recipe uses a bit more Cointreau than lemon, but it's also amenable to tinkering.

Old Fashioned

The very first definition of the word “co*cktail” in print (way back in 1806) described a combination of sugar, bitters, water, and spirit. In other words, this drink is precisely what the word co*cktail referred to 200 years ago.

THE RÉMY SIDECAR. Pour 2 oz of Rémy Martin 1738 Accord Royal, ¾ oz of Cointreau and ¾ oz of lemon juice into a shaker filled with ice. Shake, strain and pour into a coupette glass. Finish with lemon peel for freshness.

Three ideas were presented: the forecar (a tricycle in which the passenger rides in a seat in front of the driver); the trailer-car (in which he is towed behind the motorcycle); and the sidecar, designed by Jean Bertoux, who won the prize. In 1903, W. J. Graham was awarded a patent and called this vehicle the sidecar.

The Sidecar was likely invented around World War I. It graced the pages of two books in 1922: “Harry's ABC of Mixing co*cktails” by Harry MacElhone and “co*cktails and How to Mix Them” by Robert Vermeire.

Brandy: if you don't have true Cognac, other brandies will work. Rum: a decent aged rum makes for a lovely sidecar as well.

There are only 2 small changes to adjust for the extra sweetness and weight and find the perfect balance between the Grand Marnier and other ingredients, so it's pretty easy to substitute Grand Marnier for Cointreau in this case.

Cointreau is a type of triple sec with a significantly higher alcohol content.

The co*cktail affair generally took place between six and eight p.m. co*cktail garb, by virtue of its flexibility and functionality, became the 1920s uniform for the progressive fashionable elite.

What is America's oldest co*cktail? ›

The famed Sazerac Coffee House was founded in New Orleans in 1850 and soon became known as the home of “America's First co*cktail,” the Sazerac. Using rye whiskey (in place of French brandy), a dash of Peychaud's Bitters, and Herbsaint, what eventually became the official co*cktail of New Orleans was created.

Arguably the best use for this popular Cognac in a mixed drink is the Hennessy Sidecar! This recipe pairs the Cognac with orange liqueur, lemon, and a superfine sugar rim for classic co*cktail perfection. There's nothing classier, and each sip is sweet tart and balanced.

While it's not 100% confirmed, it is speculated to have been invented at the end of World War I, somewhere in London or Paris. David A. Embury wrote in his book Fine Art of Mixing Drink in 1948 that the drink was created by his friend. He also notes that the co*cktail received its name after the motorcycle sidecar.

Coquetel was a term for a mixed drink in Bordeaux, which rapidly became 'co*cktail' in America. Coquetier is French for an egg cup, the vessel in which Antoine-Amedée Peychaud of bitters fame prepared his mixes. Anglo-American pronunciation rapidly turned it into 'co*cktail'.

A sidecar makes the bike asymmetrical. A fixed mounted rig with right mounted sidecar can go faster in left turns than in right turns because the sidecar prevents it from tipping over. In right turns, they can tip over if curves are taken too fast.

Forgetting its origins, the heyday of the Sidecar coincided with the Jazz Age and Prohibition. The disillusioned young American writers who frequented Paris in the 1920s adopted the drink, most notably Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Henry Miller.

It all began when a French-owned family company began sending their world-renowned cognac to bars (formerly known as coffee houses) in New Orleans. It so happened that this particular cognac was a favorite of Antoine Peychaud, inventor of his namesake’s bitters, and was used to create the original Sazerac co*cktail.