Cognac and the classic cocktail- The Sidecar
My exploration of wine led me to branch off to Cognac. Cognac is a more refined Brandy and Brandy is made from grapes. So all Cognacs are Brandies but not all Brandies are Cognacs, got it?
My current favorite is Courvoisier V.S.O.P.(Very Superior Old Pale). The aromas seem refined & complex, the alcohol isn't overwhelming; the flavors are again complex, nutty and buttery, but smooth and round.
The Sidecar-
So this experimentation led us to the discovery of the classic and unrated cocktail- The Sidecar. It's a simple cocktail just 3 ingredients, Cognac (or high end Brandy), orange liqueur (such as Cointreau, Grand Marnier), and lemon juice.
My ingredient recommendations- Cognac V.S.O.P, Patron Citronge (Cointreau is preferred but very expensive) and fresh squeezed lemon juice (and only fresh squeezed, I'm usually lucky enough to get them off my tree).
The Recipe-
1 oz. Cognac
1 oz. Patron Citronge or Cointreau
1 oz. Fresh squeezed lemon juice
Combine all the ingredients in a shaker filled with ice, shake well and strain into a cocktail glass (optionally sugar the rim).
To me a Sidecar in these proportions, made with these ingredients, produces a complex drink that balances the Cognac flavors (nutty, almond, butter, smoke, vanilla) against the orange/sweet/sour/citrus of the Citron & lemon. The one ingredient that varies in the drink is the lemon, so allow for some adjustment based on the flavor profile of the lemons available to you at purchase.
I'm interested in hearing about other recipes for the Sidecar or other drinks made with Cognac.
UselessCampers blog- The Wine Rack
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2 Comments:
The sidecar was my drink when I was a drinker. My favorites were made with Tuaca rather than cognac as well as Triple Sec or Cointreau, and I think both orange and lemon juice - served in a glass with a sugared rim. Yum!
producestories at 7:27AM on 10/12/08
You know I don't think I've ever had Tuaca. It's described as citrus and vanilla flavors on the website. How would you describe it? Is it just for mixing or can you sip it straight?
uselesscamper at 12:21PM on 10/12/08