It’s Oscars party weekend! And you know the best way to watch the Oscars is with a fancy classic cocktail in hand. So, I took to the Interwebs in search of some great classic cocktail recipes to share with you.
BTW, do you know the history of the Sidecar? My Google searching got me reading up on the origins of all sorts of classic cocktails. From Wikipedia:
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 Ritz Hotel in Paris claims origin of the drink. The first recipes for the Sidecar appear in 1922, in Harry MacElhone’s Harry’s ABC of Mixing Cocktails and Robert Vermeire’s Cocktails and How to Mix Them. It is one of six basic drinks listed in David A. Embury’s The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks (1948).
It’s visually very reminiscent of the Manhattan, but the Sidecar is made with brandy or Cognac and the Manhattan is made with whiskey. Both are excellent choices for your Oscars parties. Don’t they just scream Hollywood?
Sidecar cocktail
Classic Sidecar Recipe
(courtesy of foodnetwork.com)
- 1 cup Cognac or good brandy
- 1/2 cup Triple Sec or Cointreau
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Maraschino cherries or lemon peel, to garnish
Combine the Cognac, Triple Sec, and lemon juice in a pitcher. Pour some into a cocktail shaker with ice, shake well and pour into the glasses. Garnish with a cherry or lemon peel.
Classic Manhattan Recipe
(courtesy of DrinksMixer.com)
- 3/4 oz sweet vermouth
- 2 1/2 oz bourbon whiskey
- 1 dash Angostura bitters
- 1 maraschino cherry
- 1 twist orange peel
Combine the vermouth, bourbon whiskey, and bitters with 2 - 3 ice cubes in a mixing glass. Stir gently, don’t bruise the spirits and cloud the drink. Place the cherry in a chilled cocktail glass and strain the whiskey mixture over the cherry. Rub the cut edge of the orange peel over the rim of the glass and twist it over the drink to release the oils but don’t drop it in.
VARIATION: No bitters. Substitute a twist of lime for the cherry and orange. Hold the lime twist in a lighted match over the drink and then drop it in. The heat really zips up the lime flavor.
Of course, some of your (female) guests might want something a bit fruitier. In that case, don’t forget to check out my Pomegranate Martini recipe (also known as The Chelsea Handler from Kitchenability 101).
Cheers!
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Tags: classic cocktail recipes, cocktail recipes, history of the sidecar, manhattan recipe, oscars party, oscars party ideas, oscars party recipes, sidecar recipe
