Sour Cherry Sidecar

While I may be a self professed Oenophile, I seek a well made cocktail as often as I can. When presented with a drink made to perfection by a professional I see the true art of this craft. There's something sexy and sleek about a dim room, a well laid out bar, glittering bottles of spirits, liqueurs and bitters, shimmering ice cubes and the many shapes and sizes of glasses. The sounds of shaking and stirring and cracking of ice completely bewitches me.

I love a cocktail before dinner, or more often, while making it. Since they are often created based on syrups or juices found in my fridge, many of my creations are often made in waves and then left for dead. Bringing them back to life on my blog means I can share the recipes with my readers AND keep the recipe alive for my own future reference.

Today's drink is a variation of a  Sidecar. A very old cocktail, the Sidecar has been around for nearly a century, a category of drinks I have a soft spot for (the Manhatten and Opera being among my favourites). Some say it was born in Paris for a patron that arrived at the bar in a sidecar of a motorcycle, others say it was created in London at the end of WWI. No matter what the story, drinks that last that long do so with good reason. Just the right mix of sour and sweet makes the Sidecar a study in balance, something I look for most in a cocktail. But what's even better is that the recipe is perhaps the easiest to remember, which is likely why its been showing up around here so often. Equal parts lemon juice, orange liqueur and brandy mean a recipe I can rattle off no matter how hectic the room is. 3 ingredients also means I always have the goods on site.

But as perfect as the classic is, I do like to mix things up a bit and let out my inner mixologist. When life gives you lemons you make lemonade, when you are given sour cherries... I say you make Sour Cherry Sidecars. Since I had created grapefruit and seville versions before, replacing the sour element in the drink with full flavoured sour cherry juice was a natural idea when left with a cup full of crimson juice leftover from a bubbling hot cherry dessert, a valuable waste product to be sure. The colour it created was much more enticing than the original blonde coloured Sidecar, and the cherry juice goes naturally with the brandy and the orange, adding even more depth with its almond extract backdrop. 

I shake mine and serve them in sexy Martini glasses, but traditionally it can also be served over ice in a highball glass. I've had them both ways, so decide what you prefer. A penchant for pretty things, means a pretty glass is always my preference. Starting with the base recipe, use the lesser amount of Cointreau if you like a less sweet drink. Be sure to taste before you serve and adjust if desired.

 

Sour Cherry Sidecar                                serves 1

printable recipe

1 oz brandy

1/2 -1 oz Cointreau

1 oz sour cherry juice, unsweetened, drained from frozen cherries

2 dashes orange bitters

 

Measure all ingredients into a cocktail shaker, fill with ice, and shake until shaker is frosty on the outside. Strain into Martini glasses.