The Sidecar: A Classic Cocktail for Veteran’s Day
The Occasion: Honoring Our Veterans
Veterans Day is a special day to honor the brave men and women who have served their country, and to reflect on their sacrifices and express our gratitude. What better way to commemorate this day than by raising a glass to our heroes?
Originally, the day was known as Armistice Day, created to celebrate the cessation of major hostilities in World War I between the Allies and the Central Powers on the 11th minute of the 11th Day of the 11th Month of 1918. In 1954, the United States officially renamed the holiday Veterans Day. The Commonwealth member states refer to the day as Remembrance Day.
The Cocktail: A Classic Sidecar
➡️2.0 oz (45 ml) Brandy (traditionally Cognac)
➡️1.0 oz Cointreau
➡️1.0 oz Lemon Juice
➡️Garnish: Lemon peel, with oils expressed over the top of the drink
➡️Glass: A stemmed cocktail glass, such as a coupe
➡️Preparation:
- Rub a lemon slice over half the rim of the glass, then dip into a shallow bowl or plate of sugar to coat the glass.
- Add the ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled, around 15 seconds.
- Strain into the prepared glass, being careful not to disturb the sugar rim, and garnish.
➡️Modifications & Tips: Try different proportions, such as 3:2:1 Brandy/Cointreau/Lemon Juice, and swap in different orange liqueurs such as Grand Marnier instead of Cointreau. Sample the drink before shaking and pouring to ensure proper balance. Different kinds of orange liqueurs have different levels of sweetness, which is a challenge when balancing the drink.
➡️Notes: The Sidecar is classified as a daisy, consisting of a base spirit, citrus juice, and a liqueur to act as a sweetener. The most famous daisy is the Margarita. They are related to the sour category of cocktails, which use sugar instead of liqueur for the sweetener.
The Story: Why This Cocktail?
While the exact origins of the cocktail are not confirmed, it first appears shortly after the end of World War I, in either London or Paris, and was named for the motorcycle attachment, which was very common during the time period. One famous legend from David A. Embury’s The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks claims the drink was created in honor of an American Army Captain stationed in Paris who rode around in a motorcycle sidecar during the war. This story is the one Cocktail Cadre co-founder Martin heard way back in 1998 at the groundbreaking, and sadly now lamented, Cinnabar restaurant in Glendale, California, and it was his first craft cocktail.
The World War I timing makes this classic cocktail a perfect drink to celebrate this important holiday, so raise a glass to our veterans, thank them for their service, and remember the why we honor this important day.