words, recipe, and photography by Wendy Franzen of Fletcher & Fork
CREATED OVER A century ago, the Sidecar is perhaps the world’s most popular cognac cocktail—and understandably so. Elegant cognac is shaken with freshly squeezed lemon juice and orange liqueur, resulting in cozy, tart-sweet-dry perfection. The sugared rim is optional but strongly recommended as it lends a touch of balanced sweetness to each sip.
Makes one
INGREDIENTS
- 2 ounces cognac
- 1 ounce best-quality orange liqueur (such as Cointreau or Pierre Ferrand dry curaçao)
- Âľ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- White sugar and a lemon wedge, for rimming glass
- Strip of lemon or orange peel, for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
- Thoroughly chill a coupe glass.
- Sugar the rim: Add sugar to a saucer or small plate, then lightly run a lemon wedge around the rim of glass. Turn glass upside down and dip rim directly into sugar—no twisting necessary.
- Add ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until icy cold, then strain through a fine mesh cocktail sieve into glass.
- Garnish with a twist of lemon or orange.
